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Notes From the
Vintner
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Welcome
to our column. We hope that you will return to
learn interesting notes on wine, and related
subjects. Wine is a great gift from God to be used
for the enjoyment of man. It is a food, and should
be treated as such. It is meant to lift up the body
and lighten the soul. 05/1/01
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Time to go work in
the Vineyard?…AGAIN
Why I was just in the vineyard yesterday…Will the work
ever, ever end? The world is full of dumb questions.
Everyone knows that salvation is in the next world and this
world is to work in and from time to time enjoy the fruits
of your labor.
If
you have grapevines planted in your yard to make a bit of
wine, then it is time to take good care of them. Keep the
weeds cleaned out and the soil worked up around the base of
the plant. The vines should have had a little fertilizer to
help the growth. And always give your vines a drink…if
you wish them to supply you with drink. Never over water,
but keep an eye out for the soil getting too dry.
Take
off all the sucker shoots from the main vine, leaving only
the main arms and a replacement arm shoot. Watch that the
young shoots do not use their tentacles to cut off other
shoots and also to bend the shoots in wrong directions.
Also, check to see that the trellis wires are tight. This
helps keep the vines well trained.
You
need to spray the vines, and it would be good to get a copy
of a spray schedule from your County Home Extension Service.
Black Rot is like a thief in the night. One day your grape
bunches look good, and the next day they are starting to rot
and look like raisins. This happens most after a rain which
is a time when you really need to observe the vines. By
following a good spray program, you will have large, good
fruit for the wine. And, good wine comes from good fruit.
There
is a lot of work in the vineyard, all the time…So you
are welcome to come and help. Wages are wine, cheese,
bread….and fellowship.
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