There are three ways of controlling rabbits and weeds:-

1. with rolls of black plastic mulch, one metre wide, laid along the rows; the plastic also helps a lot to retain moisture in the soil.
    Then using plastic nets as above, which allow air and sunlight to the new vine shoots.

2. for larger vineyards: with a tractor mounted under-the-row soil-tiller to deal with the weeds;
    the detectors on these are now so sensitive that they can be used even with newly planted vines, having a vine-support pole/tutor in place.
    Then using plastic nets as above, which allow air and sunlight to the new vine shoots.

3. with solid plastic tubes, without plastic mulch but by regular spraying with Glyphosate to kill the weeds.
    Tubes provide protection against rabbits and allow herbicide spraying up to the tube.
    Tubes have a greenhouse effect but the lack of air movement inside the tube means it gets significantly colder inside than outside,
    so a ground frost will destroy the shoots inside the tube, when otherwise the shoots would not be damaged. This often happens in May.

I recommend the first two ways, I prefer not to spray weedkiller unnecessarily. The first way is probably cheaper in the long run, taking account of the cost of labour for spraying.
Spraying has to be done very carefully as any herbicide on the vine leaves will kill the young vines.

Deer fence: knotted wire mesh made of galvanized high-strength steel wire, 2.0 metres high. Outer wires are 2.5 mm diameter, inner wires 2.0 mm diameter.
Vertical wires are 15 cm apart, £100 per 50 metre long roll. A full pallet holds 12 rolls.

Fence poles: The steel poles are double galvanized and hence very durable. The poles are equipped with hooks that you hang the fence on.
Once the wire is positioned, the hook is bent inwards so that the wire is held firmly. 2.7 metres tall, £10.90 each

360 poles fit on a full pallet. With 2.8 to 3.0 metres between poles this would be ok for over 1000 metres of fence.

If you are installing a deer fence, then to also keep rabbits out you would fit a galvanised-wire mesh roll (25 mm holes) around the bottom,
on the outside with an L-shape; 20 cm outwards buried under the soil and 80 cm high. This prevents the rabbits digging down under the fence.

Prices shown are exclusive of Vat, as at February 2024.
Delivery will need to be charged at cost.

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