GroGuard ...Inventors of the vineguard

GroGuard is a wholly Australian owned company and the only vineguard manufacturer run by a qualified viticulturalist. The original GroGuard was invented in 1988 by Graham Due. In 1990 Graham formed GroGuard Australia Pty Ltd and has continued to be its Managing Director for the past 30 years. As an Australian company, GroGuard is committed to manufacturing products in Australia. And as such, GroGuard is licensed to use the iconic green and gold Australian Made logo.

GroGuard vineguards have developed from strength to strength and remain the best vineguard on the market today. GroGuard is the strongest, most reliable and easiest to use vineguard available. GroGuard is also the most popular choice when it comes to protecting your vines.

Key events:

1983 Graham Tuley publishes the first ever article showing the effect of polypropylene shelters on the growth of oak trees: "Shelters Improve the Growth of Trees in the Forest". Quarterly Journal of Forestry 77:77-78]

1989 GroGuard's trials demonstrate growth increases for vines with polypropylene shelters.

1990 GroGuard publishes the first ever article on vineguards: "The Use of Polypropylene Shelters in Grapevine establishment - a Preliminary Trial". Australian Grapegrower and Winemaker, June 1990

1991 Gro-Guard, together with Phytotech and Geoff Hardy, publish an article showing 400% growth increase: "Micropropagated Vines Establish Substantially Better in Polypropylene Shelters". Australia & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal, May 1991. Co-authored with Dr Martin Barlass and Geoff Hardy.

1992/3 Gro-guard trials establish the best size for the Gro-guard is 80mm sides.

1996 Gro-guard produces the Zip-safe vineguard - the first and only totally sealed open/close vineguard.

1998 Gro-guard, in conjunction with Dr Alf Cass, commercialise the first low cost soil penetrometer for horticultural use, the Cass Spring Penetrometer

1999 Independent wind tunnel and structural testing at Royal Melbourne Institute of technology show that GroGuard has over 3 times the structural strength of its competitors and is able to withstand gale force winds up to 100kph without losing attachment to the wire.