Calling on Grape Farming Experts

[LittleWatt]

I know there has to be someone else who enjoys grape farming. I immediately gravitated to it like I did sugarcane in FS17. I had 3 to 4 fields of sugarcane running at all times a day apart in FS17 on Estancia Lapacho.

Here’s my question. A few details first. Playing in PS4 and with Precision Farming (PF). Elmcreek map, seasons and crop destruction off! Bought field 50 (1.54ha). Did all the soil studies and treatment. Didn’t need plowing. Planted the entire field with grapes. First harvest was approximately 26k liters.

Check out map, needs plowed! Can’t plow it because fences can’t be plowed. Anyway, as I mentioned, I’m using Precision Farming. I look at the vines. Wilting. Needs plowed. I go lease a subsoiler that’ll fit and run it through. Field updates to plowed in the info box of Precision Farming. So you can remove needs plowed status in PF but not on regular map.

Now to my question. Fertilizer. Using the PF mod my field is perfect pH and perfect nitrogen. That was all the way through the growth cycle, harvesting, and pruning and mulching and cultivating. (Oh and plowing, I would add.) And still it says perfect pH and nitrogen . Do I actually need to fertilizer? The PF status says no. The actual field map doesn’t seem to apply to grapes (or olives I imagine).

[deerefarm]

Don't think of grapes and olives as PF compatible they're not. They function exactly the same as they do without PF. I've tried everything (like you) to get my EV score up on existing fields with grapes and olives with no luck. So after harvest I ripped out the grapes and olives, re did the fields, planted with grass (direct drill), proper fertilization and so on. Got the field score up to 99% and then replanted the grapes and olives. Now they're maintaining their EV score of 99%, and so far it's stayed that way even though I'm treating the fields the same way, plow, 2x fertilizer, mulch, and harvest.

I haven't tried it but I think you're almost better off not taking soil samples for fields with grapes and olives in.

[LittleWatt]

You can remove the vines? I did not know that. I may just do that. Tear up all fields and turn on seasons with empty fields. Go through and fix field 50 to get the score up. Put the grapes on and call it even. Only with seasons this time.

[deerefarm]

You can remove the vines? I did not know that. I may just do that. Tear up all fields and turn on seasons with empty fields. Go through and fix field 50 to get the score up. Put the grapes on and call it even. Only with seasons this time.

If you're already running precision farming and the other fields already have their "environmental score" at 99% leave them alone. Leave everything as it is as it sound like you're in the same boat as me. Just worry about your grape and olive fields. Use the "demolish" function to delete them, plow the fields (you'll need the create field turned on) seed and fertilize them. Like I said I recommend grass as it grows quickly, then harvest it and you should have a good EV score on field 50. Then plant you grapes again and from here on in do what the base game says to do with those fields. Mulch, fertilize twice, harvest, prune and plow. Having done that on my map my score has stayed at 99% where it was after the grass.
The reason I say don't mess with any other fields or turn off PF, is because it may (probably will) reset your EV score on your other fields.

[LittleWatt]

Have you used any other tractors for your vineyards? Something around 140 horse would be great to cut down time by combining mulching and cultivating to one pass. The base game ones aren't quite enough. But i am using the 75 horse option. it wouldn't go over 2mph with both implements attached and running.

Also, I wonder if it would just be as easy to sell the field and then buy it back. Wouldn't that reset the field to original game state? Then I could just fix it up right.

[deerefarm]

I don't use the vineyard tractors, I tend to use either the small Case IH tractor or the John Deere 6M. The both fit nicely between the rows and how the power you need.

As for selling the fields, I haven't tried that, but I'll look into it.

[LittleWatt]

You can sell the fields. But, the grape vines stay on. I didn't fast forward time to see if the game reset the field though. I suspect it won't reset as the field has construction on it not just a crop. I'll make a new test map and try it.

[LittleWatt]

Just selling the field does not remove the grapes. So they still need removed to get the field restored to normal. I find this helpful since I'm terrible at making fields with a plow. I'm more than willing to destroy the construction of grapes, sell the field, then buy it back. Hopefully by destroying the grapes and selling the field will then return it to original field category. I'll have to try the next on a test map.

[LittleWatt]

This is what I found, Destroying and selling the field will reset the field, but you must still use the Create Field function to remove the left over debris. Additionally, if there is legitimate field, the AI helper will use the create field function. But if there isn't a raw field it will stop saying no field found. I don't know how much raw field is needed. I don't know if the general overlap created by the AI is enough. I suspect if not using the Precision Farming mod, the overlap would be enough. Looks like I'll be making a new field with a small, super slow moving plow for the field edge work.

I would believe just selling back to the game would result in the field never being used as it isn't a "field" in terms of the AI. So there wouldn't be any reason to sell it back. As you suggested just destroy the vines and plow it up.

[LittleWatt]

Finally got that orchard yanked up. Curiously, the need plowing state went away after demolishing the vineyard. Plowed it up, planted oilseed radish, and rolled it. My Environmental Scope climbed from a 67 overall to 76 just in plowing (zero points) and planting with a direct seeder. Now I just have to wait it out until planting season for grapes.

[Gugernoot215]

I've got a problem with the vineyard status on the map, it shows It needs ploughing but on the field info mod I have shows that the mod subsoiler worked. What part of the row has to get worked to get the yield bonuses?

[JensChrDK]

I've got a problem with the vineyard status on the map, it shows It needs ploughing but on the field info mod I have shows that the mod subsoiler worked. What part of the row has to get worked to get the yield bonuses?

I would say the earth between the rows....