Bud Break on Spring Mountain
Bud Break marks the beginning of the growing season. It is always a thrill to see the first tender leaves in the vineyard. The main thing we are looking for at bud break is that the vineyard is breaking evenly. If the vines aren’t uniform, we worry that the fruit won’t ripen evenly. After bud break begins, there isn’t much that can be done to make it better.
Our bud break came through pretty evenly. I noticed that the rockiest portions of the vineyard had bud break at the same time as the rest of the vineyard. That showed me that we did a good job of watering those sections properly last fall.
In the fall, after harvest, it is important to get enough water and fertilizer into the roots to support the vine through dormancy. The initial bud growth isn’t powered by photosynthesis but rather by stored carbohydrates in the vine.
george livingston said...