Vineyard Management


Foiling frost


Location and terrain can be critical ‘passive’ factors to consider for minmizing the risk of damage.


By Gary Strachan T


he popularity of the British Columbia wine industry has encouraged new entrants to establish vineyards on sites that are less expensive, sites that have not formerly supported viticulture. This factor, along with the more extreme weather events that seem to accompany climate change, has made us more aware of the risk of late spring frost that occurs after grape vines have emerged from dormancy and buds have begun to swell.


There are several passive ways to minimize this risk. One way is to locate on a slope with good air drainage, not in a valley bottom where cold air can collect like water in a puddle.


Another is to examine the surrounding terrain. Is there a slope or trough above the site that will channel cold air from higher elevations toward the property? Look below the site. Are there features that will block air flow from leaving the property — features such as a wooded area or a nearby hill? On the site itself, are there depressions in the terrain? Even


though the depressions may seem shallow and insignificant, if they allow cold air to puddle, they can lower the temperature of the canopy above the depression and contribute to frost damage or delayed ripening. Get rid of the depressions by carefully removing the topsoil. Fill with the depressions with typical subsoil and restore the topsoil. Even on a well-drained, uniform slope that has been undisturbed, there can be problems. Soil


s


composition is typically sandier at the top of a slope and loamier at the bottom. The loamy soil will hold more water and nutrient and vines will typically break bud earlier than the less vigorous plants at the top of the slope.


It may take years to overcome this problem by building up soil humus at the upper part of the slope by careful observation and good vineyard management.


The temperature of fruiting buds is Producerrs of Quality


 Chardonnay  Dunkelfelder  Foch  Gamay


 Baco Noir  Cabernet Franc  Cabernet Sauvignon


 Chardonnay  Dunkelfelder  Foch  Gamay


 Baco Noir  Cabernet Franc  Cabernet Sauvignon


 Gewurztraminer  Malbec  Marsanne  Merlot  Mourvedre  Muscat Ottonel  Orange Muscat


 Gewurztraminer  Malbec  Marsanne  Merlot  Mourvedre  Muscat Ottonel  Orange Muscat


 Petite Verdot  Pinot Blanc  Pinot Gris  Pinot Noir  Riesling  Sauvignon Blanc  Sovereign Coronation


MORI VINES INC. MORI VINES INC. CONTACT:


 Petite Verdot  Pinot Blanc  Pinot Gris  Pinot Noir  Riesling  Sauvignon Blanc  Sovereign Coronation


 Seyval Blanc  Shiraz  Syrah  Vidal  Viognier  Zinfandel  Zweigelt


 Seyval Blanc  Shiraz  Syrah  Vidal  Viognier  Zinfandel  Zweigelt


NOTE: These vines are Canadian made!Many different clones are available. Rootstocks available are Riparia, S04, 3309 and 101-14. CONTACT:


R.R. #3, 1912 Concession 4, R.R. #3, 1912 Concession 4, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0 Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario L0S 1J0


Phone: (905) 468-0822  Fax: (905) 468-0344 email: morivines@sympatico.ca


British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Spring 2013


Phone: (905) 468-0822  Fax: (905) 468-0344 email: morivines@sympatico.ca


(250) 498-3350 (250) 498-3350


Ron Fournier, Oliver, BC


25


Ron Fournier, Oliver, BC


NOTE: These vines are Canadian made!Many different clones are available. Rootstocks available are Riparia, S04, 3309 and 101-14.


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