The first signs of summer have now officially arrived, with temperatures soaring in the mid-90’s by the end of May. By June, the shoots have reached heights of three to four feet long. Bloom is about a week and a half behind normal for most varieties due to the cool wet spring. By the beginning of the month, all of the parcels will be in full bloom. Bloom is the optimum time for sampling a plant for nutrient content, for example how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium the plant has. Nutrient sampling is done by taking petioles (the stem that holds the leaf to the shoot) opposite a cluster and sending them to a lab for analysis. The lab then sends back the results and fertilization is done to fit the needs of each individual parcel. By finding out exactly what levels of nutrients each sample has, we are able to create a more precise fertilization program to meet the needs of each individual block. Along with petiole samples this months tasks consist of canopy management, irrigation, pest monitoring, fungicide sprays, and cultivation.

Most the canopy management practices have the same basic goal, to open up the canopy and allow better light penetration and air movement. These are of utmost importance in grape berry quality as well as disease control. Opening the canopy is a great tool in combating fungal diseases as it decrease the need for fungicide spray and makes the remaining sprays more effective. Through canopy management we can let nature take its course in the fight against fungal diseases and decrease the amount of treatments we administer to the vine. All of these practices help promote St. Supery’s ideals of sustainable farming, keeping pesticides and less environmental friendly practices to a minimum.

There is much work in the way of canopy management to be done this month. Canopy management involves modifying the vine to allow for optimum light penetration and air movement. Canopy management includes leafing, shoot positioning, and removing laterals. Leafing is the act of removing leaves around the fruiting zone to allow for sunlight to penetrate into the fruiting zone. This is usually done after flowering during a period called fruit set, after the flowers become pollinated and the berries begin to grow. Increasing sun exposure helps increase sugars and phenol levels as well as removing some vegetative characteristics and imparting ripe fruit characteristics into the grapes. It also increases the color in red varieties and decreases the incidence of fugal diseases (by increasing air movement and fungicide penetration).

Shoot positioning is another canopy management technique that arranges the shoots in the trellis to allow for better sunlight penetration. Shoots are lifted and tucked into wires to decrease shading and prevent young shoots from breaking off in the wind or by a passing tractor. Most of our vines are trained using a vertical shoot positioned (VSP) trellis. The VSP system arranges all of the shoots vertically upwards using a series of two to three wires. The benefits of the VSP system include sunlight penetration, increased foliar spray penetration, ease of mechanical operations, and increased airflow into the canopy.

Lateral shoot removal also takes place during the month. Any lateral shoots that push from the main shoots are removed. This decreases congestion within the canopy and allows for better air movement and sunlight penetration within the canopy. Removing laterals also gives more energy into berry growth as it removes a sink from the vine (young laterals remove nutrients and water from the vine that should be going to the rapidly growing berries).

The vertical shoot positioning trellis

Cluster in bloom

Vines after leaf removal

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