Bunch thinning grapes.

Bunches closest to the base of the shoot (primary cluster) will generally have better sugar accumulation, sun exposure, and weight than clusters higher up in the canopy. However, depending on your shoot density and cluster size you may choose to remove the odd primary cluster to avoid too much "clumping" (clusters sitting on top of one another), which often results in bunch rot.

Salud!
Peter

• comment by Peter //
• 09-08-10, 11:55PM

• Reply

Thanks for the info Peter! Makes very good sense. Normally I'm not into a bunch thinning situation. I try to keep the vines balanced with just the right number of primary shoots. The weather during the last few years (i.e. hail,rain & some low temperature events) has taken its toll on the old vines and they're looking pretty sketchy these days. I'm trying to encourage some growth at the expense of crop load.
Cheers!
Michael Duric
Cypress Creek Vineyard
Replying to Comment:
'Bunches closest to the base of the shoot (primary cluster) will generally have better sugar accumulation, sun exposure, and weight than clusters higher up in the canopy. However, depending on your shoot density and cluster size you may choose to remove the odd primary cluster to avoid too much "clumping" (clusters sitting on top of one another), which often results in bunch rot.

Salud!
Peter'

• comment by Michael //
• 10-08-10, 5:25AM

• Reply