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are posts, stakes, and wires. A trellising system is set up in
rows with various types of wires strung between posts. Stakes,
anchors, staples, gripples and other types of devices are used to
stabilize the posts, attach the wires to the posts and to attach
various things to the wires in order to train and maintain the
grapevines. During the grape-growing season, wires may be moved
or adjusted, and new wires may be added to the existing
trellises.
Most trellis systems use the same components and vary in
configuration depending upon the topography, soil conditions,
farming methods (such as mechanical or hand harvesting of grapes)
and other factors. Petitioners use two types of trellising--
vertical shoot positioning (VSP) and “T-trellis” design systems.
All of the vine trunks are grown to the same height with a VSP
trellis system, and the vines grow vertically on the wire.
Petitioners’ approach is not to permit the vines to engulf or
grow over the wire so that the wires can be moved and/or replaced
in the training of the vines. A variation on the standard VSP is
the “Scott Henry” design where the vines are grown vertically at
two, instead of one, levels. A T-trellis configuration consists
of a series of T-shaped posts placed in a line where the wires
are attached to the crossarms of the T-posts. The local
California county’s (Sonoma) taxing authority treats the
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Last modified: November 10, 2007