A Technical Guide
for Wine Producers

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WYNBOER GUIDELINES FOR JULY 2000

1 PLANNING
Short term

  • Determine the fertiliser requirement per block by making use of soil analysis results, production figures and growth vigour. Place order for delivery at the beginning of October.
  • Arrange with nurseryman to collect grafted vines for this year's plantings.
  • Ensure that fertiliser spreader is in good working condition.

Long term

  • Do a thorough analysis of each block's production and profitability using the Block Project and Production Plan results. Check whether your replacement and cultivar patterns are still in line with your overall planning.
  • For the purposes of maintenance fertilisation in existing vineyards, soil analyses should be done every 4-5 years.

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
  • Compare the actual expenditure with the budgeted expenditure on a monthly basis and make adjustments where necessary.
  • For planned capital expansion and the purchase of production resources, obtain quotations from different suppliers in order to buy at the best prices.
2 VINEYARD PROGRAMME
Winter pruning

Pruning is the most important activity this month. Refer to Wynboer Guidelines for June for practical advice. Cultivars that are susceptible to drooping and delayed budding must, however, be pruned much later. To prevent dead arm disease, do not prune on rainy days.

Disease and pest control

  • Dead arm disease caused by fungal infection of pruning wounds can be eliminated to a large extent by applying a wound sealer to large pruning wounds immediately after pruning.
  • Control snails by scattering bait after rain. Where the snail infestation is high, the eggs may be exposed by cultivating the soil with a disk.

Cover crop

If necessary the cover crop should be irrigated and/or fertilised (top dressing).

Weed control

Weeds on the berms may be sprayed towards the end of the month. Broad leaf weeds must be sprayed selectively. Avoid the application of systemic herbicides to fresh pruning wounds.

Fertilisation

  • Apply anorganic nitrogen fertilisation 4 - 6 weeks after budding because leaching and/or evaporation may take place before active root growth and root absorption can occur.
  • Seeing that nitrogen is released more slowly in organic fertiliser, application may take place before cultivation in July and/or August.

Nursery vines

  • Take all possible precautions to prevent vines from drying out during collection, transport, storage or preservation as well as during planting. Drying out is usually the cause of a low take percentage.
  • Keep proper records of scion and root stock clone numbers.

Planting the vines

  • Technical and financial information about marking out vineyards, preparing nursery vines as well as different methods of establishment are dealt with in full in the VinPro (SA) Consultation Service publication "Guide for Establishing a Vineyard" and also in "Wingerdbou in Suid-Afrika" pp. 169 - 178. A video entitled "Wingerdplant" is also available from your nearest VinPro (SA) Consultation Service.
  • Under dryland conditions an attempt should be made to plant early (July/August). Water is necessary if planting takes place at a later stage.
  • Only use SA certified first grade (blue label) vines. Graft joints should pass the "bend and twist" test. Maintain as many roots as possible and only trim the longest ones which make planting difficult. The strongest and straightest shoot is retained and the rest removed.
  • To prevent drying out, only take as many vines as can be planted in 1 - 2 hours. Otherwise vines may be left in a container filled with water.
  • Make a proper hole (30 cm x 30 cm and 30 cm deep) of which the sides have been loosened with a fork. Do not plant when the soil is too wet. Distribute the roots in the hole and loosely trample the soil above the roots to expel air. Ensure that the graft joint is 7 - 10 cm above the surface of the soil to prevent the formation of scion roots. Drench the soil properly after planting.
  • When the end of the shoot starts to bud after planting, it is cut back to two buds. Remove vines that are not budding.
  • Plastic may be laid immediately after planting if the soil is wet enough. Before laying the plastic, cut back the shoot to two buds.
  • Prevent vines from being trampled on or damaged when the trellis poles are being planted and/or the irrigation system is being installed.
  • Vines to be used for filling gaps later in the season may be planted in plastic bags.
  • Take care not to over-irrigate young vines.

A more detailed version may be ordered from Gerda Kriel at (021) 807 3027.

Compiled by: VinPro (SA) Consultation Service

Wynboer is incorporated in WineLand, magazine of the SA wine producers.

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