When the steam bellows from the sugar house it’s the perfect time to start trimming our vines for the upcoming season. Late winter and early spring season is an important time for pruning the vines. This is when it’s safest to cut the vines while they are still dormant and risk of infection is low.
Pruning through the dormant season and into early spring is critical step to ensure the health and crop load of the grapevines. By pruning back the vines in the early spring this ensures the energy from the root system is directed to the limbs.
By methodically pruning the grapevines, the vineyard manager can control the vines’ overall health and crop load for the growing season. The buds returned after pruning burst at bud break and eventually form the leaves, shoots, and fruit harvested in late fall.