Grapes vineyards involve labor year round, and grape farmers take pride in maintaining their vineyards by season with the hopes that their efforts will produce the sweetest grapes. During spring, grape farmers tie the vines to the wires, replace posts and old vines, and mow between the rows to prepare the vineyard for the blossoming grape leaves and fruit. Grape farmers have a few weeks after spring jobs end before summer arrives, bringing with it a series of vineyard tasks. Below is a basic description of summer vineyard chores.
Starting New Growth
This task can be completed in spring or summer. As grape vines age, they stop producing. Old vines will be brittle and have few longer vines spreading from the base. In order to replace them, you want to start a new vine (you should start the new vine as soon as you notice an older vine wearing out to give it time to grow). Usually, small grape vines will grow in between the vines on a row in early summer. To start new growth, you will take one of those small vines and tie a string around it. Tie the string to the top wire of the grape row. Eventually, that small vine will grow into a large, thriving plant. If there is no growth below the old vine, another option is to bury one of the long vines that produced fruit connected to the old, base vine. Stretch the producing vine and allow part of it to touch the ground and cover it in dirt. Then, take the remaining length and attach it to the top wire with a string. This vine-like branch will grow sturdier over time and form a solid base vine.
Removing Competition
As the grapes flourish and blossom, so do the weeds, brush and small grape seedlings. It’s important to clear this competition from the producing grape vines because it will affect the quality and quantity of the harvest. Some grape farmers use herbicides to manage the growth and pesticides to manage insects which is why it is always very important to wash grapes thoroughly before you eat them. If you do choose to use herbicides, it is important to put tubes around young plants because the toxic sprays will kill them.
Others remove competition by keeping up with mowing between rows and by clipping the young seedlings or “suckers” by hand. You just walk up and down the rows and clip small seedlings and any other tree or vine-like shrubbery growing around the base of the main grape vines. It is not a difficult task, but one that is performed best during early morning or late evening in order to avoid working in hot weather. This method is preferred by many grape farmers because it keeps the end product free of toxins and gives the farmers the pleasure of getting to know their vineyards. In addition, you can also remove competition and start new growth at the same time as you walk up and down each row.
To read more about Spring, Fall and Winter chores view the other articles in this series.
