Post-harvest vineyard care
Harvest has finished in most Australian Wine regions and our thoughts turn to managing our vines through until dormancy. Many areas have had a very challenging, hot and dry vintage, including record high temperatures. Little rain has fallen during the season and none appears to be on the horizon. The post-harvest period is a great opportunity to give your vines a little tender loving care; if you have some water available post-harvest irrigation; or even better fertigation, will help them maintain a healthy canopy and build up reserves before they go into dormancy.
Post-harvest care of grapevines; Irrigation and nutrition
Temperatures in most Australian grape-growing regions are warm enough for vines to retain their leaves for a period of time after harvest. In cooler areas, this may only be for a few weeks, but more commonly it extends from 1 to 4 months in the hotter, inland regions … Continue reading
The role of nitrogen in grapevine function
Nitrogen plays a major role in all grapevine processes and a signifi cant amount of nitrogen is essential for normal vine growth. More than any other nutrient, a defi ciency of nitrogen may affect key metabolic functions and retard shoot development and bunch formation … Continue reading
Managing grapevine nutrition and vineyard soil health.
Nutrition is a cost-sensitive issue in vineyards. In recent years urea has increased in price by about 50% while diammonium phosphate (DAP) has increased by about 80% (Hoare 2008). Importantly, prices are likely to continue increasing as world demand exceeds supply. However, nutrition remains an important part of managing a vineyard since it impacts on vine growth, crop yield, berry composition and ultimately, must and wine quality. A ‘one program fits all’ approach is not achievable since nutritional requirements must tailor to a range of variables including grape variety, rootstock, vine age, soil type and properties, water and irrigation supply, production and wine quality expectations, and management history … Continue reading
Tips for managing post-harvest vines
What works best for vineyards after the grapes are picked? By Sam Bowman A year ago, in the March 2017 issue of Grapegrower & Winemaker, viticulturist Sam Bowman revealed the importance of post-harvest vineyard management and the reasons why it should be a consideration as much as nutrition, irrigation and fungicide programs during the growing season. Now, … Continue reading
