Mike,

I was told that laterals are good to keep if at all possible because
of their sugar producing potential. Suckering is just making sure the
suckers don't interfere with the other growth. You could pull them off
in July or cut them back to one bud and use them every year. . Just
make sure the vine can heal itself before winter. As far as the 2003
vintage. I wouldn't say it was a disaster. I left the must on the
skins for only 3 days and put it through MLF. I think it has potential
believe it or not. Maybe a 10% blend with the 2002 vintage. I think
it's going to be a light enjoyable wine. How did the grapes that hung
until Nov. get to 20 brix??? I thought once the leaves were gone the
grapes don't increase in sugar content?

Bob


MikeMTM > wrote in message ws.com>...
> bob wrote:
>
> > Mike,
> >
> > Can't argue with what you said. I live 40 miles north of NYC so I know
> > exactly how much rain you recieved last year and now this year. It's
> > interesting that combing them down decreases vigor. I guess it has to
> > do with apical dominance. Do you get alot of suckers near the ground
> > every year??? If you "sucker" them maybe you can let them grow until
> > they get in the way of the downward shoots. Also I assume you have
> > grass in the row middles and iff your vines are THAT vigourous maybe
> > you should try growing grass UNDER the vines also. What do you do for
> > excess water??? My site is VERY sandy and the vigor while still strong
> > is average I would say. BTW, what was the brix on your Chambourcin
> > last year?? I could only get 16 out of mine.
> >
> > Bob
> Bob,
>
> Funny, I live 40 mi. dead west of NYC.
>
> Apical vigor is exactly the issue with forcing the canes downward. It's
> amazing how a shoot slows down once its redirected. Linear growth
> becomes more manageable, but the axial buds at the high point, usually
> on the bend, pop and try to become leaders. They're easily dealt with by
> rubbing off. Later in the season the game switches to lateral pinching,
> but that's a good practice for all systems I think.
>
> I never really tried using suckers to devigorate a vine, but I've
> thought about it. I'm working out the other parameters of my vines
> still. Soon, probably. Do you know anything about the technique?
>
> Yes, I've got lawn grass in the aisles, kept nice & neat because it's
> very visible from the house. Directly under the vines there's an 18" or
> 24" strip of landscape fabric with crushed stone atop. This makes mowing
> a lot easier, but additional grass, especially unmowed, would probably
> be better from a vigor standpoint.
>
> Because of the slope, almost all rows have excellent surface drainage,
> but subsurface moisture is pretty high, as my place has quite a few
> small springs & streams. Something I just have to live with. One block
> of vines is actually on top of an old vegetable garden, so you can
> imagine the fertility.
>
> Last year my Chambourcin came in at 16 Brix too, on Oct 10. A few
> bunches left to hang made it to 20 Brix by Nov 2, but they didn't look
> too good. On the whole, the crop was a disaster. Your experiences?