Grapevines are fungus magnets! Powdery mildew, bunch rot, black rot, and numerous other fungi are out there all the time looking for a home. Our job in the vineyard is to make sure that our vines are not hospitable environments for fungus to grow. So, we spray a different fungicide every 7–10 days to make sure that we mix it all up and keep the fungi on the defensive all the time. The reason? Once fungus is established, it is VERY hard to completely eradicate! We frequently survey the vineyard blocks looking for fungus, insects, and other problems. Some of the regular sprays may include insecticide to deal with insect pressure.
We will also hand spray herbicide in our Steuben block. These vines are very fragile so we are treating them with TLC.
We will remove suckers at Newport Lane and water new plants if we don’t get enough rain by Monday.
