May is the perfect time to go through the vineyard and remove unwanted shoots (growth) from the vines. If the shoots are removed before they get too big, you save the vine energy which would have otherwise been pushed into those shoots. Save the growth you actually want, remove that you don’t, simple! All of the vine’s energy and nutrients are then focused on the top growth, which is where you want your fruit to hang.
Here, Mike is cleaning the trunk of a 1-year old Gewürztraminer vine. You can see the tiny little shoots on the trunk pre-removal, and then the nice, tidy trunk post-removal. Older vines stop producing such shoots as they mature, so most of the maintenance is on younger vines. It takes us a few days to pass through the vineyard, and we will most likely have one more go at it later on in the growing season. Voila!
Before Removal
After
