Grapevine Pruning

     Winter is a quiet time in Napa Valley.  Tourist travel drops off a little, tasting rooms and restaurants are not as busy, and the grape vines are dormant.  The vines have been dormant since a few weeks after harvest, and need to pruned before new growth begins again.  New growth will begin once the sun is high enough in the sky to provide sufficient solar energy to stimulate growth. Usually in Napa most vines have to pruned from mid December to before mid March.

     Pruning techniques have developed to promote optimum quality of fruit as well as the health of the vine.  An unpruned vine will grow but the shoots will reach the ground and leaves will block sunshine from the grapes.  Also the vine is more susceptible to pests.  By pruning old growth back dramatically and attaching the branches to sturdy trellising, the energy of the vine is channeled eventually into the important leaves and grapes themselves. The trellises also help manage the vines throughout the summer.  Leaves can be trimmed back to allow more sunshine, and grape bunches may be cut back to promote higher quality fruit.

     Grapes will only grow on the new canes, or "wood".  So, during pruning last year's wood must be removed.  Usually the workers prune above the second or third nodule, since the nodule is where new canes or wood will appear.  At the Red Hen Ranch in Napa, workers go through and prune back the old canes to about two feet in length in January.  That will furnish protection in case of frost.

     This year they finished the pruning in late February, cutting back the two foot long canes to just a few inches.  The remaining spurs will be sites of new growth in the spring.  In addition to pruning the workers repair trellising and check irrigation hoses too.

     Following the pruning by a few days, another team of workers goes into the vineyards and ties the branches to the trellising with gardening tape for support.  Here at the Red Hen Ranch I observed a team of women doing the work of attaching the main branches to the trellises.  The day I saw them was sunny but a little cool.  Listening to them speak Spanish and laughing they seemed to be very at home in the vineyard.  It can be hard work, but they smiled for the camera.

     The "bud break" is the appearance of new leaves and shoots from the nodules left behind during pruning.  I wll enclose a picture of last years' bud break, because we will not see it this year for a few more weeks.

     This time of year we see various types of ground cover between the vines.  The beautiful yellow mustard is still prevalent, with three foot tall plants decorating vineyards throughout Napa and Sonoma. Some vineyard managers are cutting back the mustard and cultivating other crops between the vines.  Sweet peas, rye grass, and various wild flowers can be seen.  Ground covers are chosen for nutrient values and erosion prevention.

     February and March can be a great time for the tourist.  There are sunny days, but it also may rain heavily, like last week!  But the reservations in the restaurants are easier and the tasting bars are less crowded.  Workers are in the vineyards and spring is right around the corner.