South Africa teach New Zealand a thing or two about pruning
Sauvignon blanc grape growers in Marlborough might be pruning their vines the wrong way, South African vine physiologist Dr Kobus Hunter suggested at the Romeo Bragato wine industry conference in Blenheim last week.
Most sauvignon blanc vines were generally pruned to four canes layered on two levels of wire, but this was “a high-risk operation” that could cause crowding, Dr Hunter said.
The four-cane system created massive problems in South Africa, he said. Top quality management was needed to get away with this type of pruning.
Marlborough vineyard consultant Jeremy Hyland said the lyre-type two-cane training promoted by Dr Hunter would result in overly vigorous growth in Marlborough conditions. The only place he knew of where this type of vine training was being used in New Zealand was at Kumeu, near Auckland, where the climate was warm and wet.
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