Trellising
Trellis wire - 'Quadruple life' - aluminium/zinc galvanised steel:
galvanised with an
alloy of aluminium + zinc. Tests on the corrosion behaviour have
demonstrated that this wire has four times the life of normal zinc-galvanised
wire (DIN 1548 thick-zinc-coated).
2.0mm is used for all wires of a Guyot trellis. It is very easy to handle and bend.
2.0mm diameter:
£45 per 1000
metre / 25 kilo roll; lower price for large quantities.
2.2mm and 2.5mm diameter also available (not stocked), for GDC trellis.
A wire-spinner @ £115 is invaluable, you really need to put at least the main wire in during the first growing season to stop the canes falling over.
Wire straining devices:
Spannfix: for galvanised wire, 33p each.
Key for turning Spannfix, £6
Chains: for moveable (double) wires, 7-links, galvanised steel, 23p each
Large square nails: for end posts with chains for moveable wires,
aluminium-zinc galvanised (triple life):
55 mm long x 4.2 mm square: £3.60 per
kilo (approx 130 per kilo)
Hook-nails: for intermediate wood posts, moveable (double) wires, alu-zinc
galvanised (triple life):
55 mm long x 3.4 mm square: £4.00 per kilo
(approx 160 per kilo)
Vine support canes: galvanised steel', 6mm diameter, 1.2
metres tall @ 40p each; 1.5
metres tall @ 46p each; these prices are for 2000+ (I
don't usually sell small numbers of these). They should last indefinitely, whereas bamboos
break off at soil level after a couple of years. It's very worthwhile
supporting the vine stocks even when they are 20 years old.
Special long-lasting plastic clips for securing the lowest wire
(0.9 metres above soil level) to a 6mm diameter steel cane, £30
per 1000.
Vineyard posts:-
'Replast' intermediate posts, made of recycled PVC - 2.5 metre high,
4.05 Euros each plus cost of delivery from Germany; minimum order 640. These are 60mm in diameter and
have eyelets built-in on the sides for wires to run through.
When I
asked about life they said they are still using ones they put in in 1970! One major advantage is
that you do not need to hammer hook-nails in, as you do into wood posts;
this saves a great deal of man-hours.
The posts weigh 3 kilos each so delivery from Germany is quite expensive, for
1900 posts I estimate about £800.
You can use larger (4 to 5 inch diameter, 8 or preferably 9 foot long) kiln-dried and
tanalised wood posts for the row ends.
Diagonal galvanised-steel ground-anchors can be attached to the end posts, or
you can use a 'lintol' system (2 wood posts
one vine apart with a wood D-shaped lintol across the top, and a very strong diagonal bracing wire)
as I do.
Voest - 'Leova' Galvanised steel posts:-
Note: there are two types, Fire-galvanised and
Band-galvanised (about 12% cheaper), the following prices are for
Fire-galvanised:-
Type 50/35 intermediate, 2.5 metres tall, with built-in hooks for the wires,
3.9 kilos each, 6.00 Euros each plus cost of delivery from Germany; minimum order
1000.
Type 90 60/60 end posts, 2.75 metres tall, with built-in hooks for the
wires, 9.6 kilos each, 15.90 Euros each plus cost of delivery from Germany; minimum order
98.
there is a hole near the
top of the post for fixing the wire for the end-post anchor.
Square wire braces, 'Kettenbügel'
60mm size 2 @ 0.275 Euros each; that wrap around the end posts, for
hooking on the chains.
Galvanised-steel ground-anchors for end posts:-
1000mm long, 150mm diameter
plate, 14mm thick rod, 1.65 kilos each, 3.72 Euros each plus cost of
delivery from Germany; minimum order
100.
Fenox, for very stony ground, 600mm (0.75 kilos) 4.64 Euros each plus cost of
delivery from Germany;
minimum order
100.
Gripples, available to special order.
Prices shown are exclusive of Vat.
UK Delivery,
carriage or postage (and insurance) will need to be charged at cost.