Dormant Pruning

Dormant pruning is one of the most important and necessary tasks performed in the vineyard. Dormant pruning is the annual removal of last years growth and sets the crop load for the upcoming season. The dormant season in NC is from November through March or April.  The two common types of pruning methods are spur or cane. 

Double or delayed pruning for frost protection

NC commonly experiences late-spring frost events that leads to the loss of fruitful buds, resulting in decreased yield and fruit quality. One method to prevent is to preform double or delayed pruning practices. In short, these are passive methods that delay bud break.

Canopy Management

Grapevines canopy must be managed routinely to achieve high-quality fruit and reduce disease incidence. Canopy management basics.

Shoot Thinning

After budbreak, shoot thinning is the first seasonal canopy management practices. Shoot thinning is the removal of non-count or latent (buds that develop into shoots with no clusters) buds. Removing excessive shoots and shoots with clusters help regulate canopy microclimate and grape quality.

Fruit-zone leaf removal

Fruit-zone leaf removal is a canopy management practice that as the name states, removes leaves around the clusters. It must be done between late bloom and pea-size berries. Done too early, you can hinder fruit set. Done too late, you can increase sunburn potential. Done during the correct window you decrease disease and improve berry quality. This management task can easily be adapted for mechanization.

Hedging

Another important task, this process involves removing shoot tops, retaining only the nodes and leaves needed for adequate fruit and wood maturation. This should be delayed as long as possible, at least 30 days after bloom.