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RECENT ARTICLES | WYNBOER HOME
WYNBOER GUIDELINES FOR APRIL 2000
1. PLANNING
Short term
- Evaluate block records and decide which blocks have to be replaced. Make scion and root stock selections in conjunction with your cellar manager and/or viticultural consultant as well as market trends.
- Confirm orders of vines for 2000 with nursery.
- Order weedkillers in good time for application to the berm area, calibrate weedkiller pump and ensure that pruning shears are in a good condition.
Long term
- Determine plant widths, irrigation and trellising systems for new plantings in conjunction with viticultural consultant and order the required material.
- Sow a cover crop in autumn on soil that has to be deep delved after the winter so that optimal moisture content for soil preparation may be achieved at an earlier stage. If contractor does not arrive in time, use weedkiller on the cover crop and chop it off with a shrub beater to retain soil moisture content until later in the season.
- Order vines for establishment in 2001 from a registered nursery.
Financial
- Contact VinPro (SA) agricultural economists for information about:
- Purchase of additional land or farm evaluation
- Feasibility studies and breakeven analyses
- Establishment planning and cost
- Budgets and cash flow statements
- Arrange financing for the establishment of vineyards and order trellising and irrigation material.
- Draw up a budget and cash flow statement for the coming production year.
- Compare the actual expenditure with the budgeted expenditure and make adjustments where necessary.
2. VINEYARD PROGRAMME
Complete the post-harvest programme following the guidelines for March.
Disease and pest control
- A post-harvest spraying programme is very important where vines are infested with late oidium and/or downy mildew. Healthy foliage is essential for optimal accumulation of reserves.
- Disease control in young vines is essential for optimal establishment.
- Post-harvest is the best time to control nematodes in older vineyards.
- Monitor mealybug infestations and mark infested vines for effective control in the winter months in accordance with IPW guidelines.
- Control snails just after the first autumn rains to limit the snail population, seeing that snails lay their eggs in the rainy months.
Post-harvest fertilisation
- This important fertilisation, especially with regard to N, must be based on the vigour of the vines. Excessively vigorous vines do not receive N-fertilisation. To prevent regrowth in intensive irrigation areas, wait 3-4 weeks before fertilising.
- Only fertilise with regard to required elements since often mixtures are unnecessary. Application of phosphate and potassium as well as liming of soil with low pH (<5,5) should be determined by soil analyses.
- Weed control of perennial problem weeds such as quick-grass should be done by means of spot spraying with systemic weedkillers, while avoiding contact with the green sections of the vine.
Post-harvest Irrigation
- A post-harvest irrigation is recommended to the full extent of the root depth, so that post-harvest fertilisation may be absorbed. This also promotes root growth and the accumulation of reserves.
- Since young vines grow actively until late autumn, irrigation should not be insufficient.
Sowing of cover crop
- To produce the desired amount of dry material, a cover crop should be sown as early as possible in April.
- A winter cover crop prevents erosion, improves the soil structure, limits the washing out of nutrients, controls annual weeds and improves microbe dynamics in the soil. Various cover crops are available, such as rye, triticale, oats, Saia oats and barley, which means that the right cover crop for your specific soil type should be chosen in conjunction with your viticultural consultant.
- After the application of fertiliser in terms of soil requirements, a shallow seed bed is prepared for the sowing of cover crop and the seed is then grubbed in.
Taking out old vines
- Vines that have served their purpose are taken out after the harvest. As much as possible of the old roots should be taken out to minimise the survival of harmful soil-borne pests such as nematodes.
Young vines
- Install anchors and plant poles in young vines that have to be trellised.
New soils
- Soils that have been prepared for planting this year, sandy soils in particular, must now be fumigated against nematodes in accordance with the requirements for fumigation.
- To limit erosion, establish a cover crop on soils that were prepared in winter for planting in the growing season.
- Once the cover crop has come up, measure out vineyard rows and spray a broad berm area ± 3 weeks before planting the vineyard. Alternatively rows can be measured out now and only working rows sown with the cover crop.
- To prevent recompaction of prepared soils, limit tractor movement to the absolute minimum.
A more detailed version may be ordered from Gerda Kriel at (021) 807 3027.
Compiled by: VinPro (SA) Consultation Service
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