Drip irrigation in vineyards provides excellent water management, allows better fruit production and reduces problems of unwanted mold growth. It is well suited to the slopes that are favored by grape growers. These slopes present problems of erosion and runoff when any other irrigation method is used. Even the largest and most traditional wine grape growers have converted to drip irrigation.
The preferred method of installation is to tie poly tubing to a trellis wire which is suspended about 18 inches above the ground. The wire is attached to the grape stakes. At this height, the tubing is above the area where ground work, such as weeding, is done. Once tied on, the tubing should be allowed to unwind for a few hours so that when the emitters are punched into the bottom surface of the tubing, they stay pointed down. This way, the drip falls where intended, instead of running along the tubing. Since vineyard rows are often long and on uneven terrain, pressure compensating emitters should be considered.