Timely Viticulture Timeline: Dormant
Updated: April 30, 2021
By Joseph Fiola, Ph.D.

Grow Tubes

There is a lot of new vines going in and many people are asking questions about grow tubes. The following is a short list of considerations for using (or not using) grow tubes with your new planting.

Benefits

  • Reducing animal damage
     
  • Supplying moisture through condensation of humidity
     
  • Physical protection from herbicide sprays
     
  • Increased growth rate
     
  • Replaces stake
     
  • Physical protection     

Limitations

  • Cost
     
  • The initial cost of tube 
     
  • Labor for installation 
     
  • Labor for removal 
     
  • Growth rate - Trunk “twist” and quality of permanent trunk wood 
     
  • Promotes single trunk – most want at least two
     
  • Winter damage – if not removed properly 
     
  • High humidity and protection promotes diseases and insects
     

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For complete fact sheets on both the benefits and drawbacks of grow tubes

Timely Viticulture is designed to give those in the Maryland grape industry a timely reminder on procedures or topics they should be considering in the vineyard.

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