April 2001
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Drains, poles and more poles Paul came back with his report on our vineyards and the plan for this year's planting. He also recommended we get "Sunlight into Wine" by Richard Smart and Mike Robinson and "Viticulture 2 - Practices" by B G Coombe and PR Dry both at www.winetitles.com.au Paul's thoughts are that the majority of the SA vineyards are over vigorous due to planting too closely in the row, the use of inadequate trellis systems and over fertilization and irrigation. The first two are long term mistakes and the second two are short term. He also stressed the need for an "even" vineyard i.e. each vine should have approximately the same vigour. By pruning the strong vines more lightly they end up doing more work and so are better balanced than if they are pruned right back. The weaker vines should be pruned heavily so they achieve balance according to their strength. The reason for his advocating wider spacing is to allow the strong vines room to grow to a balanced state. This all seems to make sense. Interestingly he came up with "balance" as being important. Obviously achieving this elusive balance is the aim. Andrew also mentioned it but whereas Paul's emphasis is on pruning and canopy management Andrew's was more on the soil. Andrew said vigour was related to soil potential, rootstock and cultivar, and Paul was very specific on defining balance as; a) shoots must grow 75-100cm and stop growing at verasion b) Internodes of 5-10cm c) Leaf colour light green d) shoot diameter 1.0-1.5 cm thick at the base
Andrew said that there was sometimes a case for increasing competition by closer spacing of the plants which would reduce vigour, although that was not an option with our deep soils and management of the vineyard would be very difficult.
Basically the aim is balance and everyone you talk to has a different emphasis on how to achieve that.
We want to be flexible and not follow any particular dogma. We can steer a middle path and see what works best. Don't forget no one has grown vines on these soils before and at this elevation so no one really knows what to expect. If some vines even have to be removed to make way for very vigourous ones then that can be done and we won't be worried. We can be very selective on irrigation and our organic methods mean we won't be pumping fertilizers in. In the end we believe that in an organic regime the vines will find their natural balance with what the soil has to offer. We trust our soils and we want their character to show through. In the initial stages before cropping we don't mind a bit of vigour as it means root development is good. We can be aggressive in pruning later on and be mean with the irrigation once the plants are established. At least we won't have to worry about over fertilization - as there will be none!
Apart from burning the midnight oil pouring over viticulture books Manie was pressing on with the practicalities. Drainage was on the list with 200 metres of pipe and stone to be laid. He also decided to lay a concrete strip road up to the top plantings as by his estimation no vehicle would get up the unpaved slope once the rains came.
He had the blown-over and dead trees behind his home pushed down and a row ripped for new ones.
During the winter a huge amount of sandy silt had washed into the new dam and was being revealed as it slowly emptied. Manie's plan was to dig it out and use it for road maintenance and at the same time increase the volume of water stored.
He also started digging the trench to take water from the far dam to the top dam, did some running repairs on the old dam where erosion was causing a potential disaster and dug an access to the river bed which would be a very handy source of stones for drainage. He also finished off the weir.
All this time the team were planting poles. After two weeks solid work they had done a quarter of the job and by the end of the month it was starting to take shape. Maybe another 4 or 5 weeks work in it.
Last year's vines were showing signs that they had been infected by grape leaf blister mite. The symptoms only show in the leaves long after the mites have infested the buds while they are still woolly, so there is nothing we could do now. Only about 3% have been affected and it is not a major threat, but we will have to watch this at the bud stage next year and try to introduce either a repellant or some beneficial competition to control them.
The live in staff were given a week's leave when Manie and Jane were away and some didn't return. Apparently this is quite normal and sometimes guys who have worked on a farm for years suddenly walk out for a few months and then suddenly reappear. I suppose it is some sort of freedom. If there is work to be had over the hill of on the other side of the valley they might fancy a change. In modern structured career lifestyles it would be strange to suddenly disappear, but that's life in SA. Fortunately there are always willing temporary hands to be found. There is a change generally from permanent resident staff to contracted specialists, for instance teams of planters, bricklayers, weeders etc hire themselves out when needed. The enterprise culture is starting at the grass roots. Wages are per hour worked and when work is plentiful they get much more than as permanent staff. It also means the incentive to work is there and the freedom not to work is there as well.
Manie thinks the farm needs a couple of reliable permanents to do general maintenance and regular tasks, with skilled labour brought in for specific jobs as they are needed.
In the middle of the month the first rains started with 50mm falling. Winter will soon be here and the farm will look a different place. Copyright © 2000 Tulbagh Solutions. All rights reserved.
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