A common question asked of all wineries is how much does it cost to plant an acre of grapes. The following list shows approximate prices to put on an acre of grapes. They are 15 rows, 90 m long, 3 m apart and a vine every 2 m. All prices are approximate, but you get an idea. I have also included when each activity should take place throughout the year. This example assumes that we would be planting the vines this spring, so we started working on this block last year. And this is in Australia, so for the northern hemisphere just add 6 months to the allotted time.
Remember, these prices are APPROXIMATE and vary greatly depending on where you are in the world.
Order and Pay for Grape Vines, Phylloxerra Resistant Grafted Vines .. $ 2,363 .. November
Soil test to determine what is missing in the soil .. $ 250 .. December
Spread lime, gypsum and other soil requirements … it would be rare in Australia if lime and gypsum were not needed as we generally have very old acidic soils and vines need a neutral soil pH .. $ 800 .. January
Plan and define the vineyard layout, best done with the help of a surveyor. $ 1,350 .. January
Tear deep into the soil for root penetration and drainage, you need a BIG machine to do this and you have to tear to a depth of at least 500mm .. $ 600 .. February
Plant cover crops to accumulate soil organic matter and nitrogen content. $ 150 .. May
Turn in cover crop to incorporate organic matter .. $ 90 .. September
Scrape the earth with a mechanical harrow to level the area and plant the permanent grass (grass in the alleys of the vines) so that the earth does not blow away and you can work on the vines during times of rain. $ 195 .. September
Buy treated pine posts for the end box assemblies, posts around 175mm diameter are required as a fully loaded trellis will exert considerable force on the end assemblies. $ 2,400 .. September
Buy steel poles for each row, one is required every 6m: the steel poles are bent into the ground and the combine can collect around them, the pine poles in the middle of the row are not bent and the combine ‘ will lose ‘the grapes 300 mm each side of the post or the post will break .. $ 1,260 .. September
Buy wire, 1 irrigation wire, 1 fruit wire, and 4 foliage wires for each row, foliage wires can be added later, but it’s easier to do all at once. $ 695 .. September
Buy vine protectors, these work like a greenhouse around each vine, protect against rabbits, wind, and drift from chemical sprays. $ 1,013 .. September
Buy irrigation tubing, drippers, connectors and suppose we are connecting to an existing irrigation system so no pumps or filters are included in this price. $ 1,200 .. September
Contractor will drive treated pine trees and steel posts into the ground. $ 1,200 .. October
Contractor to build final assemblies .. $ 400 .. October
Lay cables and strain as needed .. $ 450 .. October
Install irrigation lines, drippers and connect to existing irrigation system. $ 450 .. October
Spray the weeds in the row of vines so that the green grass is in the alleys and the new vine is planted in the bare soil so that there is no competition from the weeds for nutrients and water. $ 210 .. October
Planting grape vines … this is back-breaking work, each vine has to be dug and watered as you go … $ 300 .. November
Tie the vine to the fruit wire … we want the vine to get to the fruit wire as quickly as possible so it can start bearing fruit and we want nice straight logs on the vines to make it easy to work around them. $ 300 .. November
Putting on vine protectors .. $ 300 .. November Mowing rows of vines, a regular chore during spring through fall, required on average every two weeks .. $ 90 .. November
Buy and spread fertilizer .. organic fertilizer to give the vine a boost, apply about one ton per acre .. $ 830 .. November
Weed spray on the row of vines, a regular task that can be helped by mulching under the vines, without the weed spray, the young vine is competing with the weeds for nutrients and water. $ 210 .. December
Cut the rows of vines, ideally with a side-draft mower so that the cut material provides compost under the vines. $ 90 .. December
Vines … the vine will try to grow shoots from each shoot on the trunk, we have to open the vine protection, break these suckers and put the vine protection back on, and this should be done regularly during the growing season. .. $ 300 .. December
Total for the first year per acre … $ 17,495
