Site Preparation and Mineral Nutrition in Vineyards - University of ...

Site Preparation 

and Mineral Nutrition in 

Vineyards 

S. Kaan Kurtural 

Dept. Horticulture 

University of Kentucky

Vineyard Nutrition Stages 

• Nutrition management is important during 

3 phases: 

Site preparation 

Vine establishment 

Mature vines

Site Preparation

Site preparation 

• One or two seasons before planting 

Weed control 

Soil testing 

Nutrient/pH adjustment 

Tree/brush/rock removal 

Cultivation: sub-soiling, plowing, disking 

Cover crop establishment

Vineyard Design 

• Row orientation: across slope, parallel to 

prevailing wind; or north-south 

• Row spacing: width of tractor and implements 9- 

12’ 

• Vine spacing: variety and site dependent, 6-8’ 

• Row length: site dependent, common 300’ 

• Headlands & drive alleys: turning equipment 30 

– 40’

Planting Considerations 

• Order from reputable grapevine nurseries 

• No of vines/acre = 43,560 sq.ft/row’ x vine 

spacing’ 

• Order early fall for spring planting 

• Plant in spring; soil temp >50F 

• Minimize root pruning

Soil Testing 

• Collect 10-20 sub-samples 

• at 0-8” (top soil) and 8-16” (sub soil) depth 

• Dry and mix all sub-samples together 

• Sample non-uniform areas separately (hills, 

depressions)

Most critical 

• To adjust 

Drainage 

Soil pH 

Organic matter 

• Proper sampling, testing and interpretation 

of the soil test results

Desired soil properties for vineyard 

establishment 

• Physical properties 

Minimum depth is 30” 

of rooting zone 

Internal water 

drainage: Moderate to 

well drained 

• Chemical properties 

pH: between 5.5 – 6.5 

O.M.: 2 – 3% 

P: 40 – 50 lbs/A 

K: 250 – 300 lbs/A 

Mg: 200 – 250 lbs/A 

Zn: 8 – 10 lbs/A 

B: 1.5 – 2 lbs/A

Sub-soiling

Soil Test Results

Adding Amendments 

• Apply lime according to test results and 

lime quality 

• Use dolomitic limestone if Mg test is also 

low 

• Lime and phosphates need to be 

incorporated into the soil to be most 

effective

Soil pH and Nutrient availability 

• Low soil pH (

Soil pH and Nutrient Availability 

• High soil pH due to natural limestone or 

over-application of lime 

Aluminum is insoluble 

Increases Calcium and Magnesium 

availability 

DECREASES Iron availability

Vine Establishment

Newly set Vines 

• As a general guideline 

4 oz to 6 oz (10-10-10) 8 to 12” away, 7 to 10 

days after planting/plant 

Do not apply Nitrogen fertilizer after 1 July

Vine Establishment (2 nd Year) 

• Non-irrigated vineyards: 

Apply fertilizer around the base of each vine 

after vines have begun active shoot growth 

Apply about 1 lb of a balanced fertilizer per 

vine 

Do not let fertilizer contact any green tissue

Vine Establishment (2 nd Year) 

• Irrigated vineyards: 

Multiple applications during the growing 

season 

Inject through irrigation system 

Place fertilizer in wetted soil under emitter 

• Last application about Aug 15 th or Sep 1 st , 

depending on location

Mature Vines

Maintenance Nutrition 

• Monitor status through soil tests (every fall) as 

well as petiole tests (60 – 70 days post-bloom) 

• Soil test shows only what is present in the soil 

but pH affects actual availability 

• Petiole tests show actual current nutrient status 

of the vines 

• Sample areas with symptoms separately

Amount of Nutrients (lb) Removed for Ton of 

Grapes Harvested (Literature averages) 

Nutrient 

Potassium 

Nitrogen 

Phosphorus 

Calcium 

Magnesium 

K 

N 

P 

Ca 

Mg 

Lb/Ton 

4.94 

2.92 

0.56 

1.0 

0.2 

Iron 

Zinc 

Copper 

Boron 

Fe 

Zn 

Cu 

B 

0.01050 

0.00065 

0.00115 

0.00110

Petiole sampling 

• every year 

• at Veraison, early in the day 

• 75-100 petioles, opposite from flower 

cluster or from youngest fully expanded 

leaf 

• wash to remove spray residues, soil etc 

• keep sample cool, ship immediately or 

dry 

• sample vines with symptoms separately

Nutrition 

• All nutrients need to be present in the 

correct amount 

• too much is as destructive as is too little 

• use fertilizer that has lowest cost per pound 

of nutrient, but avoid acidifying ingredients 

in high amounts (ammonium nitrate) 

• Pictures from Peter Christensen: Diagnosing, 

Monitoring and Meeting Wine Grape Mineral 

Nutrition Requirements

Nitrogen (N) 

• Used in largest amount 

• Most limiting element 

• Affects most aspects of vine growth and 

fruit production 

• 40-100 lbs/acre for mature vines 

• based on soil type and vigor 

• split applications

Nitrogen (N) 

• When Nitrogen is LOW 

Reduced canopy fill 

Reduced light interception 

Reduced photosynthetic efficiency 

• When Nitrogen is HIGH 

Over-vigorous vines 

Increased shading 

Reduced fruit quality 

Reduced bud fruitfulness

Nitrogen application 

• Recommendation: 

80 to 100 lbs of actual N per acre for mature 

vineyards per acre 

• Split application 

40 units at 6” growth stage 

40 units at anthesis

Nitrogen deficiency

Phosphorus (P) 

• Immobile in soil 

• Part of nucleoproteins and phospholipids 

• Reduction in leaf photosynthesis 

• Apply PRE-PLANT, 500-1000 lbs/acre 

• Maintenance applications based on petiole 

analyses

Potassium (K) 

• Influences yield, juice pH, quality 

• Yield reduction due to reduced 

vegetative growth if deficient 

• Applications should be dependent on 

both soil and petiole analyses 

• Balance of K, Na, Ca, Mg; soil pH 

• Mature vines: 50 -100 lbs per acre and 

year

Interpreting K deficiencies in the 

East 

• Target value in the 

petiole: 2% for mature 

fruiting vines. 

• Soil pH affects 

availability 

Mg availability 

increases with soil pH 

and competes with K 

uptake

Potassium deficiency

Potassium deficiency

Magnesium (Mg) 

• Present in Chlorophyll 

• Too much K prevents uptake 

• Dolomitic lime stone if soil pH is low 

(1-2 tons per acre) 

• Epsom salt 

5 -10 lbs in 100 gal water; 

spray 3 times post bloom, 2 weeks apart 

• 50-100 lbs MgO per acre and year

Magnesium deficiency

Micronutrients 

• Boron (B) 

• Zinc (Zn) 

• Manganese (Mn) 

• Iron (Fe) 

• Copper (Cu)

Zinc deficiency



Applying Fertilizer 

• soil applications: 

broadcast vs banding 

apply at or just after bud break 

apply at bud break and right after bloom for split 

applications 

• Drip injection - Fertigation 

• Foliar applications: 

effective immediately 

mostly for micro nutrients 

apply before and up to bloom

Calculating fertilizer amounts 

Nitrogen: 

Pounds of fertilizer material per acre= 

Pounds of N recommended *100 

% of N in fertilizer material


• 50 lb actual N per acre 

recommendation: 

• using ammonium sulfate at 21% N 

• 50 * 100 / 21 = 238 lb 

• apply 238 lb of ammonium sulfate per 

acre

How much to apply per vine 

• Spacing 

8’ x 9’ = 605 vines/acre 

• Recommendation = 238 lb product/acre 

• Per vine = (238 lb/acre ÷ 605 vines/acre) 

0.40 lbs/vine 

• Or 

180 grams/vine around the root zone within 

the weed-free strip


• 50 lb actual K per acre 

recommendation: 

• using muriate of potash at 50% K 

• 50 * 100 / 50 = 100 lb 

• apply 100 lb of muriate of potash per 

acre

Combination fertilizers 

• 5 : 13 : 6 stands for 5% N, 13% P 2 O 5 , 6% 

K 2 O 

• 200 lb bag contains: 

200*5 /100 = 10 lb actual N 

200*13/100 = 26 lb actual P 2 O 5 

200*6/100 = 12 lb actual K 2 O

Foliar Analysis Labs 

A &L Analytical Labs 

2790 Whitten Rd 

Memphis, TN 38133 

800 264 4522 

http://www.alllabs.com 

Waters Agricultural Lab 

2101 Calhoun Rd. Hwy 81 

Owensboro, KY 42301 

270 685 4039 

Cornell Nutrient Analysis Lab 

804 Bradfield Hall 

Ithaca, NY 14853 

607 255 1785 

607 255 4540 

Penn State University 

Agricultural Analytical Ser. 

The Penn State Univ. 

University Park, PA 16802 

814 863 0841

Questions?

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