Early Vine Training,

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Early Vine Training, Nutrition, and Canopy
Management
Joseph A. Fiola, Ph.D. Professor and Specialist
in Viticulture and Small Fruit University of
Maryland Extension
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Canopy Management Basics Early Vine Training

• Straight up!
• Keep graft union above ground
• Keep off ground
• Tie to stake
• 2 trunks
• Trim off suckers and clusters
• Eliminate weed competition

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April 6, 2001
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April 24, 2001
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Canopy Management Basics
Remove young clusters
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Canopy Management Basics
Grow tubes
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Canopy Management Basics
Grow Tubes

• Benefits
• Animal damage
• Moisture
• Herbicide
• Growth rate
• Replaces stake
• Physical protection

• Limitations
• Cost
• Growth rate
• Trunk twist
• Promotes single trunk
• Diseases, insects
• Removal
• Winter damage

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The use of milk cartons is a good, low cost
alternative. It can disintegrate by the end of
the season Larger space allows for less
humidity/moisture gt1 trunk
Canopy Management Basics
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Canopy Management Basics
Train multiple trunks
Train 2 trunks
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Canopy Management Basics
Young Vine Training
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Grapevine Nutrition

• Avoidance and correction of common nutrient
  deficiencies in mid-Atlantic vineyards
• Pre-plant
• soil testing
• - important in both pre-plant and in vineyard
  maintenance
• First-year vine nutrition
• Mineral nutrients organic matter and CEC

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Essential Grapevine Nutrients
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Soil Testing

• Pre-plant
• Sampling procedure
• number, distribution, depth
• Sample handling
• Labs for analysis
• Results (extent of detail will depend on lab)
• pH (this will usually decrease over time why?)
• Availability of macro- and micro-nutrients (lbs/A
  and ppm)
• Organic matter
• can be increased with organic amendments (e.g.,
  compost) if there is a clear need

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Target values for soil sampling
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Newly-planted vines

• Most new vineyards DO NOT require a fertilizer
  application.
• Apply only as needed to maintain growth
• Do not mistake need for water vs. need for
  nitrogen
• On high sand soils, a small (10-20 pounds of
  actual N) nitrogen application may advance vine
  development in the first year.
• If needed apply a nitrogen based fertilizer not
  a complete fertilizer.
• Applying small amounts and splitting applications
  via drip irrigation is very desirable.

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Phosphorus

• Fertilizer phosphorus is not used efficiently
  much of the added P is fixed or rendered
  unavailable to plants
• Less available at low (lt5.5) and at high pH
  (gt7.5)
• Soil test should be in gt 20 ppm (gt40 lbs/A).
• Grapes are efficient at extracting P from soil,
  even with low P content
• Most new vineyards DO NOT require P
• Best determined with pre-plant soil sample
• adjust based on soil samples
• Nutrient management plan needed

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Potassium

• Deficiency most apt to occur with high soil pH,
  under conditions of drought, and with young vines
  (small root system).
• Moves slowly in soil
• Preplant incorporation is important
• Critical for cold hardiness
• Can disrupt fruit maturity fruit pH

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Nutrient Management Regulationsin Maryland

• A nutrient management plan is a formal document
• Balances crop nutrient needs with applied
  nutrients
• commercial fertilizer, animal manure, or
  biosolids
• The plan contains soil test results, manure and
  biosolids analyses (where applicable), yield
  goals, and estimates of residual nitrogen to
  generate field-by-field nutrient recommendations.
• Required if over 2500 in sales
• Contact your local Extension Office
• Nutrient Management Advisor meet with you

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Canopy Management Basics
The Goal Ripe grapes
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Key Viticultural Goals

• Balanced vine
• Uniformly, fully mature, pest free grapes
• Ripen wood to maximum maturity for cold hardiness

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Canopy Management Basics
Sunlight into Wine Good Fruit Exposure
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Canopy Management Basics
Light Exposure Air Exposure Pesticide Exposure
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Canopy Management Basics Benefits of
Proper Canopy Management

• Fruit Exposure
• Uniform Ripening
• Decreased Disease
• Increased Color
• Decreased Acidity
• Increased Volatiles

• Vine Balance
• Vigor management
• Bud Fruitfulness
• Uniform Bud Break
• Uniform Shoot Vigor
• Ease of harvest

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Canopy Management Basics
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Canopy Management Basics
Balance of vegetative and reproductive vigor
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Canopy Management Basics
Training System Terms
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Canopy Management Basics
Vertical
Lateral
Varietal growth habit
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Canopy Management Basics
Training System Types

• Single Canopies
• VSP Vertical Shoot Positioning
• High Cordon Training
• Split Canopies Vertical
• Smart-Dyson
• Scott-Henry
• Split Canopies Horizontal
• Lyre
• Geneva Double Curtain GDC

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Canopy Management Basics Vertical Shoot
Positioning
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Canopy Management
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Canopy Management Basics High Cordon Training
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Canopy Management Basics
High Cordon Training
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Canopy Management Basics
Reactive- Leaf pulling
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Shaded fruit 2 weeks later maturity
Increased light and temperature helps fruit to
mature
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Canopy Management Basics Benefits of
Proper Canopy Management

• Fruit Exposure
• Uniform Ripening
• Decreased Disease
• Increased Color
• Decreased Acidity
• Increased Volatiles

• Vine Balance
• Vigor management
• Bud Fruitfulness
• Uniform Bud Break
• Uniform Shoot Vigor
• Ease of harvest

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Joseph A. Fiola, Ph.D. Professor and Specialist
in Viticulture and Small Fruit Western MD
Research Education Center 18330 Keedysville
Road Keedysville, MD 21756-1104 301-432-2767
ext. 344 Fax [phone] jfiola_at_umd.edu www.grap
esandfruit.md.edu