004: Top 3 Common Challenges (and how to approach them) for New Growers

Starting a vineyard is exciting, but it also presents some unique challenges that new growers are often unprepared for. You have to be wary of things like pests and diseases or make sure you're not overfertilizing your soil. Not to mention, finding an experienced crew that can handle complex and skilled activities in the vineyard. All that can be overwhelming – unless you have a great plan in place.   In today's episode, Fritz talks about the top three most common challenges for new grape growers and how to avoid them. If you're an experienced grower, this episode is also a good measure for you to see how far you've come in your vineyard journey.    Hopefully, being aware of these challenges and knowing how to prevent them or deal with them will get you prepared for the actual challenges that will come your way as a new grower.   In this episode, you will hear: Designing and implementing a pest and disease management program Knowing whether to fertilize and when to apply a fertilizer Identifying the timing and delivery of your fertilizers Determining what fertilizer to use Understanding the soil mobility of certain nutrients Finding and managing vineyard labor   Subscribe and Review Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.  We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.   Supporting Resources: Free Resources: Download the Preparing for New Plantings guide to learn about soil sampling for new plantings - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/preparing_for_new_plantings/ Download the Target Nutrient Values in Soil reference chart- https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/target-nutrient-values-in-soil/ Download the Vineyard Establishment Checklist  for a comprehensive list of tasks to complete for starting a vineyard- https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/vineyard-establishment-checklist/ View all Grower Guide resources on Virtual Viticulture Academy https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/  Get Help/Learn More: Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered. Get the Prospective Wine Grower Course https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/prospective-winegrower-course/ to learn everything you need to start and grow your vineyard successfully. Get help from Fritz to get your vineyard planned and planted with the virtual Vineyard Establishment Package - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/vineyard-establishment-package/    Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.