Excellent grapes with Giussani Gel’s tips, techniques and accessories
The grape harvest is one of the crucial moments for winegrowers; it represents the reaping of the fruits of an entire year’s work. This magical and fascinating event marks the beginning of the transformation of grapes into a fine wine. However, to achieve excellent results and high quality wines, it is essential to give proper attention to vineyard maintenance throughout the year.
In this article we will try to give you all the information you need to take care of your vineyard effectively.
The benefits of vineyard maintenance
Vineyard maintenance offers numerous advantages for both the quality of wine production and the sustainability of the farm in the long term, we list the main benefits:
- Better grape quality: routine vineyard maintenance results in better quality grapes. Pruning, thinning out and specific care help improve the ripening of the grapes, increasing the concentration of sugars and aromatic compounds, which are essential for the production of fine wines.
- Increased production yield: through judicious management, it is possible to increase the production yield in terms of the quantity of grapes harvested per hectare. This translates into higher wine production and potential economic growth for the company.
- Disease and pest control: constant maintenance enables the prevention and control of plant diseases and pest infestation. This reduces the need to use pesticides and allows cultivation in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
- Prolonging the life of vines: by pruning vines correctly and adopting proper care practices, it is possible to prolong their life and productivity over the years, avoiding premature decline and additional replanting costs.
- Reduced production costs: a well-managed vineyard requires less remedial interventions and extraordinary care. This leads to lower production costs and higher profitability of the agricultural activity.
- Development of a quality brand: a well-tended and productive vineyard contributes to building a high-quality image for the winery. This can help create a distinctive brand and customer loyalty, enhancing the reputation of the company in the market.
Vineyard maintenance during the winter months
During the winter months, less vineyard maintenance is required, as the cold weather makes hoeing, for example, difficult During these months, however, it is essential to carry out a proper cleaning of branches and weeds, so as to eliminate all those components that do not allow healthy and lush growth of the vines in the next vegetative cycle.
With the arrival of February and March, it is essential to fertilise the plants and soil in the vineyard to ensure healthy growth and good grape production.
Vineyard maintenance during the spring and summer months
The months of April and May are marked by the “weeping of the vine”. With the mild temperatures following the cold winter, the lifeblood begins to flow again. This is a sign of the rebirth of plant life after their winter hibernation and heralds the arrival of spring.
From June until September, with the budding of the vines, the maintenance phase comes into its own: topping and leaf removal can begin.
Topping is a procedure by which part of the shoots are removed. This operation is essential to obtain the correct quantity of flowers and then bunches, which gives a balanced sugar content and for the quality of the final product.
Leaf removal of the vine, on the other hand, is a green pruning operation that involves removing some of the leaves surrounding the bunches of grapes. The goal is to encourage better photosynthesis and proper ripening of the sugars and aromatic compounds in the grapes.
Finally, it is essential to fertilise the vines in order to provide the plants with the microelements necessary for growth.
During the summer months, it is important to carry out the correct phytosanitary treatments to protect vines from pests.
During this maintenance phase, it is essential to have the best vineyard accessories. At Giussani Gel we have a catalogue of spring spreaders for wooden, iron and concrete piles.
Vineyard spreaders are used during vineyard maintenance to support the double strands used and properly contain the vegetation for their optimal development.
During the vegetative growth of the vine, the spreaders are opened to allow the shoots to develop within the two threads, thus preventing them from breaking. When the shoots have reached an appropriate length, the spreaders are closed to direct the vegetation upwards. As the spacer closes, it collects all the sprouts in the second row that are growing.
Another important function is to keep the threads firmly hinged and in tension during both plant growth and harvesting.
The use of spring spreaders offers numerous advantages. First of all, these accessories save considerable time, allowing winegrowers to devote themselves to other work in their vineyard.
In addition, the vineyard wires remain stable within the spring spreaders, reducing the risk of sagging or breaking. This allows better growth and support of the vegetation, as well as proper oxygenation and light reception, which are basic elements for optimal vineyard development.
At last, the use of spring spreaders optimises time for vineyard management and vegetation trellising, simplifying maintenance operations and reducing the risk of damaging the vine during vegetation support activities.
Vineyard maintenance in autumn
After the summer months, the grape harvest, the culmination of work in the vineyard, begins, lasting until the end of October.
Once the harvest is over, the last maintenance phase of the year is carried out between November and December: the cutting of the vine shoots and the pruning of the vine stocks. These operations are carried out to protect the plants from the winter cold and to promote rainwater runoff. Once these operations are completed, the maintenance cycle is ready to begin again.
Contacts and information from Giussani Gel
We at Giussani Gel are always at the side of winegrowers and wineries for the supply of customised vineyard accessories. Browse our extensive online catalogue or contact us via the form on the contact page.
