Key Points of Vineyard Management Techniques After Grape Harvest
Vineyard management after grape harvest is a problem that some fruit growers tend to overlook, yet management during this period is just as important as management during the flowering and fruiting stages of grapes. Whether it is done well or poorly directly affects next year's grape production. From grape harvest until leaf fall, leaf photosynthesis will show a second peak, and only at the leaf-fall stage will photosynthetic efficiency drop rapidly. Therefore, attention must be paid to this critical post-harvest period, strengthening management, preserving leaves, protecting leaves, and increasing the storage of photosynthetic products. If management during this period is neglected, it will cause premature leaf drop, reduced photosynthesis, and insufficient stored nutrients in the tree, leading to late and uneven sprouting the following year, and even causing inflorescence degeneration and fewer flowers and fruits. In addition, if pest and disease control is neglected during this period, it will lead to a large overwintering base of pests and diseases, increasing the difficulty and cost of pest and disease control next year. Management during this period should focus on the following aspects:
1. Focus on restoring tree vigor, preserving leaves as much as possible, and preventing premature leaf drop. Do a good job of pinching, removing side shoots, removing tendrils and thin weak branches and old leaves, reducing nutrient consumption, regulating the flow direction of nutrients in the tree, and promoting plump and mature buds. For orchards with weak tree vigor and nutrient deficiencies, spray foliar fertilizer promptly.
2. Do a good job of cleaning the vineyard to reduce the density of pest and disease sources in the field. After grape harvest is completed, the pruned branches in the vineyard, the removed dead leaves, diseased branches and leaves, remaining diseased berry clusters, tendrils, removed damaged fruit bags, and weeds in the vineyard, etc., should be cleared out of the vineyard and deeply buried or burned. This helps reduce the density of pest and disease sources in the vineyard and reduces the probability of pest and disease occurrence next year.
3. Apply autumn fertilizer well in combination with deep plowing and loosening of the soil.
Autumn fertilizer is mainly composed of decomposed organic fertilizer (generally 2-3 tons of barnyard manure per mu or 1 ton of refined organic fertilizer), supplemented with 2-3 bags of controlled-release fertilizer or 1-2 bags of compound fertilizer, and 2 kg each of granular boron, zinc, and magnesium. The application time of autumn fertilizer should be “sooner rather than later.” When applied early, the outside temperature is relatively high and soil microorganisms are relatively active, which is conducive to fertilizer decomposition and root absorption, producing more organic nutrients and laying a good foundation for grapes to overwinter safely and grow and bear fruit next year.
4. Pest and disease control
Post-harvest pest and disease control is mainly aimed at downy mildew, powdery mildew, scale insects, and borers. The pesticides used are mainly protective agents such as Bordeaux mixture, 80% sulfur, and 80% mancozeb (if the disease is severe, one or two applications of fungicide may be used before protective agents) plus insecticides.
5. Water management, combining drainage and irrigation. When there is a lot of rain, drainage should be done promptly. If there is autumn or winter drought, irrigation should be done promptly to keep soil moisture content no lower than 60%.