The size of the vine, done in winter, is a major operation of viticulture, which determines the quality and quantity of the future harvest. It is completed in the spring of operations in green, which allow to refine the selection of buds and to prepare the maturation of the clusters. Physiological bases with practical details, this book gives all the information to properly prune and prepare its vines, in order to obtain the desired quantity and quality of harvest according to the type of vine.

Drawing of wood

The size is completed by the pulling of the woods to bring down the cut branches. Two possibilities to eliminate them: burning or grinding.
Grinding or burning, what are the benefits?
The mechanical grinding makes it possible to go fast, the shredded shoots left in the rows make it possible to regenerate the soil in organic material whereas the ashes produced by the burning bring mineral elements.

Sécaillage

After the descent of the woods comes the moment of caracing, also known as flaking. These words, which are not in the dictionary, are specific to viticulture, which means globally: "Review the entire installation used for the palisage". First of all we check the anchorage of the row (metal plate referred to 1 m deep connected firmly to the stake of the end). We shake all the stakes to detect broken or those who will not support one more campaign. We replace the missing points or crampillons. We repair broken wire (often inadvertently during the size). We tie up all the wires and we finish by replacing the broken stakes, without forgetting to clean the plot with the removal of stakes and dead feet. It goes without saying that the more the parcel wakes up, more caracing is important. The arrival of the metal stakes significantly reduces this work because there are more points to nail, we slide the wire in notches provided for this purpose. Small disadvantage for these metal stakes, they shine a lot in the sun the first years, which disturbs a little the traditional aspect of the vineyard.

Foot wedging

CALCULATION or ATTACHING OF FEET: from February to the end of March
Lay a link holding the vine. Every year, we check each vine. It must be well maintained to prevent the vine from getting bogged down with the weight of the harvest using a plastic tie or a lycra thread

The folding

Once the wedging is completed, the folding is done, that is to say the pruning wood left on the vine is attached in order to encircle the aste and fix it to the carrier wire with the help of an attachment so that the future clusters are on the same level for the harvest. We use battery-powered Pellenc brand fasteners and use biodegradable paper bond.

The suckering

A pampre is a non-fruiting shoot that grows on the stump or on the rootstock. Sucking is eliminating these regrowths.

The suckering allows:
-to eliminate non-fruiting twigs and control the vigor of the vine
-to limit the clutter of the stumps, to allow a better aeration of the vegetation, a better sanitary state by reducing in particular the risk of primary contaminations of mildew
-to limit the risk of phytotoxicity of systemic herbicides in the case of weeding under the row
the passage of machinery and in particular that of harvesting machines. A quality suckering is necessary to ensure an optimal sealing of the receiving system (scales or baskets)

The suckling is carried out between the budding and the flowering in 1 or 2 times. If it is done too early, it may be necessary to iron to remove the vine leaves that come out late. If it is done too late, the work is longer and more difficult.

Duplication

It consists of removing part of the shoots from the development zone in order to remove
foliage (risk of diseases) but also limit yields. It is better to disband when the
risk of losing twigs became minimal (breakage during folding, freezing).
The actual splitting consists in removing the counter buds (or against buttons), because the
branch out is too close to the main branch. It is possible to keep the counter bud instead
the main bud if it is better placed.
Duplication is often practiced at the same time as head suckering and thus assimilated to
first suckling (or disbudding assimilated to splitting and suckering). On young vines in
planting or complantation, disbudding is often followed by the attachment of the feet. Too low for
To be trellised, the young plants are attached to the marking (guardian stake) with links in Lycra.

Lifting, lifting or trellising

This way is to mount the lifting son as the foliage grows, which allows to
keep the branches (or wood) in height and in the row.
They are placed on points located on the wooden stakes or in the notches of the stakes
are held together by staples in order to withstand the pressure exerted by the
foliage. The foliage is stored between the 2 threads (to take the woods).
The operation is usually carried out twice a year in order to follow the growth of the vine, with some
variants on the operating mode

The grooming

It consists in removing the between hearts, that is to say the secondary branches from the buds worn
by the woods of the year. The operation is performed most often mechanically during trimming.
If they are not removed, they will become woody ("sting") and generate extra work at the waist and
fallen from the woods.
Performed manually, it is often performed during manual stripping.

Stripping

Stripping involves removing the leaves that cover the grapes to improve exposure to
light and therefore maturity. Manual stripping is infrequent, linked to the strategy of the head of culture or
to the constraints of the specifications
In the middle of the summer it is only carried out on the rising sun or north side so that the remaining foliage protects the
bunch of a sun too aggressive.
A second leafing is sometimes done late to facilitate the harvest; it is then performed
on both sides of the row because the grapes are fully mature and the sun less aggressive.

Lightening or harvesting green

It involves breaking down clusters to limit yields and improve quality.
It is therefore not systematic, but carried out on the most productive grape varieties (Merlot), depending on the
specification of the plot (limit yield to improve quality), and climatic hazards.
The operation allows at the same time a better aeration and exposure of the grapes, decreasing the
risk of botrytis.

The égrappillonnage

The grappling is a work that mainly concerns cabernet sauvignon / francs. he
is to pass a good part of the foliage in review in order to leave the small grapes located beyond
of the fruiting zone, on the heartbreakers (or anticipated buds). These grapes (verjuice) present the
characteristic of being of a very important maturity and are therefore detrimental to the quality of the
vintage.
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