So I've just finished going round all the vines cutting back (in fact completely off in most cases) the growing shoots. A lot of them look like they did in late winter after I'd pruned of last year's cane now. It's been a massive setback this frost damage but in most cases there are small buds ready to take over this year's growing already showing on the scion (the bit where the rootstock meets the grafted vine).
Apparently spraying with water that night can avoid frost damage in the morning, something I'll look in to further if another one is forecast - this one struck after a dry spell so the vines had fresh, tender growth that was quite dry, which seems to be a perfect condition to get the damage in.
Already the ants have started building their nests up the tubes, one had reached about 6" by this morning - it has been duly marked for ant powdering. It'll be nice to get the grow tubes off eventually, they're a pain to take off and on with the little wire I've got to secure them in place, but necessary of course.
No comments:
Post a Comment