A clump of purple grapes. Growers can learn more about vineyards.
Participants at the June 8 prospective grape growers workshop in Lubbock will learn about the basics of growing grapes in Texas and what it takes to start a vineyard. (Sam Craft/Texas A&M AgriLife)

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host a workshop for prospective grape growers on June 8 in Lubbock.

The event will be from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Lubbock, 1102 E. Drew St.

The cost to register is $40 with lunch if pre-registered by June 5. After June 5, the cost is $60 with no lunch guaranteed. To pre-register, contact the AgriLife Extension office in Lubbock County or Robert Scott, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, at 806-775-1740 or [email protected].

Three Texas Department of Agriculture continuing education units — one integrated pest management and two general — will be available to private pesticide applicator license holders.

The program is for producers who are thinking about starting a vineyard or for those who have a vineyard established and are new to the industry, Scott said.

On the agenda

The workshop will be led by Patrick O’Brien, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension viticulture specialist and assistant professor, and AgriLife Extension viticulture specialist Daniel Hillin, both in Lubbock and in the Department of Horticultural Sciences.

The following topics will be covered:

  • Texas wine industry overview.
  • Site selection and testing.
  • Vineyard establishment.
  • Disease and pest management.
  • Vineyard economics.

Participants will also be able to take a guided tour of the center’s vineyard led by O’Brien and Hillin.

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