Page 41 - Grapevine March-April 2020

Around The Vineyard

product and the environment that we’re growing
in,” said Mike Loconto, viticulturist for Barbour Trim-N-Prun’ BTS-104HD
Vineyards, a vineyard management and develop-
ment company in Napa, California. “You know,
we do all the normal tasks, like suckering, tucking,
shoot positioning and hedging, but the winemak-
er’s end goal determines the amount and timing
of these tasks and the best canopy management
practices for their situation. For example, we like to
leave 12, 14, or 16 leaves per shoot to get two clus-
ters of fruit out of each one, but when to remove
those leaves is different for each client. We always
like to open up the fruit zone, including below the NEW Concept in
clusters, but you have to leave just enough shade
to baffle the sunlight and produce a great environ- Vine Trimming & Pre-Pruning!
ment all around the fruit zone. It’s about getting • Universal Hydraulic Vine & Bush Trimming, Cutter Bars.
sunlight and airflow to that bloom at the right time • Opens foliage for better dust and spray penetration.
to deter disease and increase the quality of the • Adapts to almost any trellising system or terrain.
fruit.” • Reduce Pruning cost over one third.
• Cuts harvest labor by easier access to crop.
For More Information Contact...
Loconto told The Grapevine Magazine that canopy Bechthold Tractor Service
management in Napa is all about controlling the 10755 E. Hwy. 12 • Lodi, CA 95240
heat and sun exposure to provide the highest qual- Phone: 209-368-2031
ity fruit and the highest volume of product. When Website: www.bechtholdtractor.com
some of the older vineyards were installed, they
preferred open, wide spacing between the rows.
Over time, in an attempt to increase grape produc-
tion, the vineyards started tightening up and leav-
ing less and less spacing between the rows. Some
were tightened to the point that they lost volume,
quality, or both by inadvertently limiting light and
decreasing airflow, increasing heat retention and
inferior growing conditions.

“Heat prevention here in Napa is big and prov-
en to directly affect quality, so now we try to
stay around the seven-foot mark for row spacing
and utilize cross arms to provide shade and heat
prevention for the fruit,” said Loconto. “In any
vineyard installation, you want to be smart about
canopy management and factor in the ability to
mechanize the farming now or in the future. Labor
is so expensive that even if you can find it, you may
not be able to afford the amount you’ll need to get
the tasks done on time. Canopy size and row spac-
ing need to be used jointly so that at some point,
mechanized tools can be used for leafing, pruning
and harvesting. By using between eight and 12-inch
cross arms, you make more effective use of avail-

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