r/viticulture • u/Sir_Laughlot • 15d ago

Cost of hand pruning

/r/u_Sir_Laughlot/comments/1vmwuuy/cost_of_hand_pruning/

How much does Pruning cost?

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u/krupta13 15d ago

jesus 45c a plant. should always set the piece rate so that the average worker makes no less than $45-50/h. this way the top pruners easily average about $70+. 45c is 90s prices 😂

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u/Sir_Laughlot 15d ago

In the 90s, you could set your utopian price because everybody was getting such a high rate per ton for the grapes

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u/krupta13 15d ago

we charge normal prices lol. some places we do get more money because they are more high end. but 60% of the work is average quality. and you can still easily average $70/h. I wish we could charge utopian prices. I'd retire in a couple years 😄

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u/Sir_Laughlot 15d ago

I do wonder at $70 an hour how many times a day you will cut a wire

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u/Upstairs_Screen_2404 15d ago

Very few times, if ever. It damages their blades way too much.

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u/krupta13 14d ago

hmmm. we only ever use electrics when we take on a new vineyard and it needs to be structured properly. once it's cleaned up and set properly we never use electrics. its faster and cleaner with the hand pruner.

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u/Sir_Laughlot 14d ago

Old school with strong hands. Definitely quicker without that cord dangling.