Grapevine Management in Even-Age Stands

Grapevines respond vigorously to even-age harvest cutting practice (clearcuts, shelterwoods) and therefore, grapevine control must be considered for both sprout? and seedling-origin vines. Grapevine control practices should be applied in areas with an oak site index 60 or higher. If grapevines are present before an even-age harvest cut, grapevines will be abundant in the next stand regardless of the pre?harvest techniques applied to control the grapevines. Thus, when clearcutting, there is no easy, inexpensive way to control the vines in the mature stands before cutting that will eliminate the application of a grapevine control treatment in the regenerated stand.

Smith (1984) calculated that it is less expensive to basal spray than cut grapevines in mature stands. The time required to sever grapevines in mature stands ranges between 1.33 man-hours (50 grapevines per acre) and 3.80 man-hours (200 grape?vines per acre). Or, between $9.30 and $26.60 an acre at $7.00 per man-hour (Smith and Smithson 1975). The time required to basal spray grapevines in mature stands ranges between 0.67 man-hours (50 grapevines per acre) and 1.42 man-hours (200 grape?vines per acre). With the added cost of herbicide ( 2.11 gallons of herbicide @ 1.47 per gallon = 3.10), the total cost to basal spray 200 vines stems per acre was $ 13.04 ( 1.42 man- hours @ $7.00 per man- hour = $ 9.94), comparatively cheaper than cutting ( $26.60).

Smith ( 1984) reviews grapevine control in even-aged stands:

1. Stands to be harvested within 4 years. Retain (do not treat) wild grapevine arbors. Basal spray herbicides (2,4-D; 2,4-DP) on the lower 12 to 18 inches and the root collar of uncut grapevines attached to the tree crowns, including those surrounding arbor openings. Apply herbicide?oil mixture to the layered vines along the ground surface. If a basal spray herbicide cannot be used, sever grapevines during the late winter, early spring, or fall and spray the cut stump surface with Roundup (20 percent solution) or Tordon 101 R. Herbicides should be applied when sap is not bleeding from the cut stump. After harvesting, the new developing stand will still have a serious grapevine problem from seedling?origin vines, and a grapevine control treatment will be necessary after the new stand has developed a closed overstory canopy. When forest managers do not want to use herbicides, the grapevines should not be cut before, during, or after logging. If grapevines are cut, stumps will simply produce more sprouts, and make the situation worse.
2. Stands to be harvested in 4 or more years. Retain (do not treat) wild grapevine arbors. If time and money permit, sever remaining grapevines near ground line that are attached to tree crowns outside of, or surrounding arbors, but not those inside the arbors. The cut grapevine stumps will produce sprouts, but the sprouts will die within a few years from overstory shading. If desired, vines could be basal sprayed with an herbicide-oil treatment, however it is not necessary to apply herbicide to vine layers. Seed-origin grapevines may still be a problem after clearcutting.