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Topsfield, MA

Good morning everyone. I am curious on what your thoughts are with burying your vines with compost. I’ve had a lot of disease pressure in my patch and I don’t want to bury my vines this year with my soil. I was thinking of burying with pro mix but it’s very light and may blow off when I water. Was just wondering any thoughts you may have with burying with compost since it’s a bit heavier. Thank you.

5/1/2025 9:03:02 AM

Syracuse, NY

I'm The Last Vine Burier to speak of it, butt it seems to me for just a thought on it that the roots and whatnot are gonna grow outward and downward into whatever is used for the process and I certainly would inoculate heavily with Mycorrhizae ANY stuff used to bury with because of my perceived 'protection' of the plant and its appendages due to its 'desire' to help a host plant along. You could certainly use the Pro-Mix with Myco atop the vine and supplement atop that with the compost, butt that's more work by default. eg

5/1/2025 9:19:55 AM

Portland, CT

Last year I buried w/ fresh potting soil and got totally nuked by vine rot. I would imagine compost would have had a similar effect.

5/1/2025 9:51:07 AM

Upa Creek, MO

I grow on a quagmire, so that is a huge no for me. The minimal added benefit would not offset the risk for vine rot\disease.

5/1/2025 10:57:32 AM

Western NY

I've done it before, but it has to be good quality. Maybe experiment on one plant and see what happens.

5/1/2025 11:18:39 AM

Mission Viejo, CA

I've buried vines for years and have used Promix as my base (the Red bag) for the past several. I make sure it's good and moist before packing it on the nodes ONLY. Then after about 10-14 days I wash it off once the top node roots are set.
I will say this also- based on what I heard/learned at Green Bay this year, I may not bury vines this year. Keeping the plant healthy has to take 1st priority. I've got bad disease pressure and any type of moisture laying on the vines doesn't help.
My $0.02

5/1/2025 3:27:06 PM

Grittyville, WA

I'd just have faith in your patch soil, but tuck or toss it under the vine to contact the underside nodes, and not worry about the top nodes. In other words, leave the vines unburied. But as Andy said you can try different products/methods and see what works.
Or maybe worm castings?

[Last edit: 05/02/25 1:48:44 PM]

5/2/2025 1:48:14 PM

Grittyville, WA

Would dumping perlite on the node work? I dont think it would all blow away, but some of it might!

5/2/2025 1:50:30 PM

Beaver Dam, WI

I have used compost for the past 2 years with no problem, and improves OM for next year

5/2/2025 2:43:09 PM

East Sussex, UK

I've always used compost with no problems, but it is my own homemade compost so I know it's good.

5/8/2025 10:33:45 AM

Kutztown, PA

Probably late to chime in here. I think burying vines has gone a long way to contributing to the rotting problems I've suffered over the last couple of year. At least some of that was due to high levels of fusarium without treating with fungicide. Having a high concentration of OM/compost in the soil contributes heavily to fusarium and other disease. For that reason I'm laying off the vine burying. If I do it will be with something relatively inert and sterile. I've notice the root concentration under my plywood in the past. They grow there right on top of the soil I think because it's dark and moist. What could happen if you cut paper plates to fit around stalks and pinned them down or covered nodes with burlap? Of course for me, the big problem with not burying vines is the "Wind". What do you think about the paper plate idea?

5/22/2025 3:07:23 PM

Grittyville, WA

Does your soil need sand? If so then I like the idea of sandbagging, literally... lol.

5/22/2025 7:24:55 PM

Kutztown, PA

Gritty Ketchup, sand wouldn't hurt it, that's for sure. The trick is to find the right bags. I was actually going to do this last year, but couldn't find and small enough bags that were economical. I bought some, but they'd need to be cut in half and sewn. Anyway, I'll do it if I can find something that will work. Muslin bags might work too! If they could be found. Any ideas?

5/23/2025 9:19:45 AM

Grittyville, WA

Paper lunch bags are the cheapest. Worms will get rid of them for you at the end of the season if you didn't get around to it. The sand could be washed off the vines fairly easily once the vine anchors itself. My guess is washing vines in the AM is the best time for avoiding disease... better turgor and calcium in the AM... So I think thats when they should be the most resilient. Perhaps on a day with a breeze to help dry things out. Occasionally nature can help us more than home depot can.

[Last edit: 05/24/25 3:22:59 AM]

5/23/2025 4:22:53 PM

Grittyville, WA

Fyi I haven't done this so its only an idea. They even make white bags if you need the extra light, although they may cost a little more. I think the brown paper bags are very cheap.

5/23/2025 4:28:24 PM