Merlot on spurred cordon

[Tecla]

Hey guys!

I pruned last year on a vineyard in Queretaro, Mexico. They have Merlot, pruned on a spurred cordon training sytem. This past winter we pruned leaving only 2 buds per vegetative point. However, grapes were few and I think we might have to go back to leaving 4, or even 5 buds per vegetative point since I read that Merlot benefits from medium pruning. If so, the shoots of distal buds 4 and 5 will have the best fruit possibility which would thus be selected during the green pruning. However, the issue will arise during next winter pruning. The lowest spur option available would be from shoot 4 but that would mean a lot of wood on the vegetative point and we would be up in the wire in a couple of years. Any recommendations without changing to Guyot?

Grazie mille! Tecla

[Rocco]

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Hi Tecla

the merlot is fertile from the third node. I advise you to convert all the plants to Guyot.

• This reply was modified 6 months, 2 weeks ago by  Rocco.

[Tecla]

Hi Rocco,

Thank you so much for your quick reply – would you happen to know if the same is true for Malbec (fertile as of bud/node 3)?

And one more question: there seems to be a growing concern for late spring frost. Would it be an idea to leave 3 instead of 2 buds during the winter pruning?

Thank you so much!

[Rocco]

Hi Tecla, I think that for fertile varieties from the third/fourth node it is better to prune with guyot.

I think pruning the cordon to three buds/knots is not good.

For frosts I prune the cordon to 4 buds in winter and before budding (repeat) prune to 2 buds

[Tecla]

Hello Rocco,

First of all apologies for my late reply and thank you so much for your answer. Not exactly what I wanted to hear 🙂 since changing to Guyot will be quite a bit of extra work and we just don’t have that much manpower. Maybe we can change over little by little.

3 buds is not ideal, I like your idea….

Thank you so much!

Tecla

[Tecla]

Whoops, forgot to ask: does anybody happen to know what deficiency the discoloration of the leave could be? Some leaves turned brown on the edges a little later, and some fell even off. Thank you so much!!!!!

[Piet]

Hello Tecla,

This is magnesium deficiency for sure. You can use some leaf fertiliser in summer. Did you take some soil samples last year? A surplus of potassium can also cause this.
Magnesium is mobile in the growing shoots, so you see the deficiency in the older leaves, it will be transported to the young leaves if they need it. So if you should spray, you must spray the young leaves.
Regards,
Piet

[Tecla]

Hello Piet,

Thank you SO much for your reply!

We are indeed taking a soil sample (don’t have the results yet).

Would you have any recommendations regarding the spraying (what exactly to apply, how many times etc)? And would you apply something to the soil as well or would leaf-spraying suffice?

Again, thank you so much for your help and have a nice weekend!

Tecla

[Piet]

Hi Tecla,
Here in The Netherlands we use bitterzout (epsom salt?), MgSO4 for spraying the leaves.
Normally you apply every few years calcium to the soil, for keeping the pH at a good level. Dolokal als calcium fertiliser contains 5 – 10 % Mgo, so that’s a good way to rise your Mg level if there is a deficiency.
But some grape cultivars do have problems to take op MgO in there youth. Even if there is enough MgO in the soil, you see deficiency on the leaves. After 5-7 years, it becomes beter.
Regards,
Piet

[Tecla]

Hello Piet,

Thank you so much for your reply, I truly appreciate it.

What a small world: I’m Dutch as well! I hope you don’t mind me asking but do you have a vineyard here – I would love to visit (and buy some wine:) if that would be a possibility.

Prettige avond en nogmaals bedankt!

Tecla

[Piet]

Beste Tecla,

Kleine wereld inderdaad.
Mijn kleine praktijkwijngaard voor educatieve doeleinden is in Gendt, oost betuwe.
Niet in Mexico helaas…
Groet,
Piet

[Tecla]

Hoi Piet,

Kleiner dan je denkt:). Ik ben in Tilburg tot 27 december dus als je het leuk vindt kom ik langs!

Prettige avond, Tecla