Patent ID: 6578318
Filing Date: 2003-06-17
Classification: A01G

Abstract:
A method of raising vine plants, comprising the steps of:A. growing a plurality of vine plants in the earth arranged in substantially parallel rows with a trunk of each of said vine plants extending generally upward from the surface of the earth on a trellis structure within their respective rows; B. growing a plurality of canes from said trunk; C. segregating said plurality of canes to form one or more fruiting canes and one or more renewal canes, said fruiting canes for growing a crop therefrom during a first growing season and said renewal canes for growing said crop therefrom during a second growing season but not during said first growing season; D. extending each of said fruiting canes generally upward from said trunk along said trellis structure; E. training each of said fruiting canes on one or more upper support members of said trellis structure to form an upper canopy; F. training each of said renewal canes on one or more lower support members of said trellis structure to form a lower canopy; G. forming a zone of separation vertically disposed between said upper canopy and said lower canopy; and H. growing said crop in a generally pendant relation from said fruiting canes, said crop extending generally in the direction of the earth surface substantially in said zone of separation.