Join us through the experiment


Comparison of the work in the vineyard
Standard management compared to the Experimental Vineyard
Mech (M): Mechanical operation with chain tractor and attachment
Elek (E): Working with use of a device with electric drive
Works from January to March 2019
Pruning in January / February, sowing in MarchThe working year in the vineyard begins with the winter pruning. In the operation, the woody rods that grew in the previous year are shortened or removed. The type and extent of the thinning depend essentially on the vineyard and the cutting method of the vineyard ab.Am most common is the total cutback, in which all old shoots are removed to a suitable tail at the head of the vine. These rods are later tied in a separate operation, the device, arcuately within the lowest strains of the wire frame. In this form of education in the trellis is designed in the lines of the usual wire frame, within which the later shoots grow from bottom to top. In the Rebzeile it consists of up to 7 wire tensions, which are struck fixedly or movably at intervals on the posts. The trellis device is in the wine region Mittelrhein and many more the standard. Less common are the reversal education, the minimal cut and other forms.
Experiment-WeinbergIn the autumn of 2018, thoughts were given on the possibilities of changing the existing kind of education. In addition, the partial thinning of the plant was considered by clearing individual rows of vines. In January 2019, it was decided to try in minimal cut. The rods grown in the previous year are only partially shortened or removed. Here economic considerations played the main role. Because the plant had already been cut back above average during the foliage work in the previous year. In this respect, in contrast to a regular winter pruning the partial cuts were completed in a short time. The pruning was done with a pair of scissors. The intense step of the Gertens also dropped.
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Pruning in the trellis: a rod or minimal

There are a variety of forms of education and types of winter cut. Standard in the trellis is the one-rod cut. Except for a suitable all rods of the previous year are removed (red paper cut in the diagram). In the rare minimum cut, the rods are shortened at a certain height and the structure largely preserved (green paper cut).

One-rod cut in the standard vineyard

The last year's fruit trotter was separated (in the foreground picture). A long fruit rod and a short cone were left at the head of the vine. During later fermentation, the long tail is tied in an arc in the trellis (in the background).

Devices according to standard cut

After the standard cut, the only remaining rod (red) is bent in the operation of the device in the lower part of the wire frame and fastened (red symbols hands). From its few buds sprinkled in the spring usually uniform fruit rods at the base of which form the grapes.

Minimal cut in the experiment vineyard

On the shortened last year's rods drive the future fruit rods from a comparatively higher number of Knopsen. The strength of their growth and the grape variety are different. Naturally, the vine places the vegetative heavyweight on the upper area.

Nature and culture in good neighborhood

The Experimental Vineyard is lined on both sides by fallow land. The exchange of flora and fauna in the border area is positive. In the immediate vicinity, however, a strip of vegetation must be released. Otherwise, the competition for light, water and nutrients for the vine culture would be too large and the line ventilation restricted.

Biotope vineyard wall

A drywall, as here at the foot of the Experimental Vineyard, is beautiful to look at and a special biotope. Unpretentious succulent plants, for example the fat hen, especially loves this location. Heat-loving animals, such as lizards, and many species of insects, such as the earth bee, find there ideal living conditions.

Blossoming vineyard embankment

On vineyards in steep slopes are sometimes extensive embankments. Dry-loving grasses and flowering shrubs settle there. However, some care is essential and the growth must be curtailed from time to time.

Natural management

At the foot of a vineyard row, a young oak wants to establish itself. In the first years this is an enrichment and management compatible. However, a larger tree is out of place right in the vineyard.
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Working in April and May
Tillage and crop protection in the spring In April, depending on the weather conditions, the vegetation is more or less strong. In 2019, due to above-average temperatures, an early vegetation spurt occurred. In the Rebgassen sprout grasses and wild herbs due to the good lighting conditions strong. Because a shading by the few early shoots of fruit rods in the vine rows is then hardly given. The vegetation is usually first cut back in May in a single operation with the crushing of left on the lane waste wood from the Winterrebschnitt. This operation is done with the chain tug and a mounted mulcher. In the middle of April when the buds sprout, a shoot topping can be carried out as the first plant protection measure. This has been renounced in many companies in recent years. The first regular plant protection spraying takes place in the middle to the end of May. Here, preventive pesticides are applied essentially against the real and downy mildew. This with the chain tug and an attachment that generates a spray by means of a blower, which should be reflected on the young vine shoots. In May, the breakout usually takes place. In this operation, short shoots are removed by hand, which sprung directly from the vine trunk. If left, these would become so-called water guns without fruit set, which can create unfavorable foliage compaction close to the ground and in the wire frame.
Experimental VineyardBecause of the minimum cut, the vine had comparatively many old rods remaining, which were released from a variety of buds at the beginning of April. Already in the middle of April a compression of the rows of vines by the Jungtriebe was visible. The top young shoots showed the strongest growth and soon shaded the Rebgassen. The light competition significantly reduced the growth of grass and wild herbs at the bottom of the lanes. The mulching or other operation of tillage was therefore not necessary. Further, on the bottom of the loch, there were no major altrutes from the winter pruning, so they would have to be chopped. As a result of the minimal cut, the growth of the vines was altered in comparison to vineyards with standard upbringing. The dominance of the high number of fruit rods and knocked-out buds resulted in a comparatively high number of grape bouquets (young grapes). Especially on the top fruit rods, which partially protrude over the wire frame. Within the bloom a strong trickling was to be noted. This is a thinning within the young racemes, in which the fruiting of the later berries dry more or less and fall out. Factors are the weather conditions during flowering and natural processes of self-regulation by the vine. The large number of young shoots and the dominance of the superiors reduced the unwanted spewing of water shoots on the vine trunk so significantly that it was possible to dispense with the operation of breaking out. Crop protection measures were not planned anyway. In this respect, there was no work to be done in the experimental vineyard from April to May.
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Self-regulating vineyard greening

Individual berries within the grapevine were damaged by disease infestation, sunburn or hail. They dry and fall out. In the Experimental Vineyard, in a loose grape structure, infections are naturally defused in many cases.

Trickling during flowering

Sedimentation is the name given to the self-thinning of young grapes during and after flowering, during which the fruiting of the later berries is more or less dry and falls out. Factors are the weather conditions during flowering and natural processes of self-regulation by the vine. The Riesling was higher in the Experimental Vineyard because of the higher fruit set than in the standard vineyard.

Grape stalk dense and loose

The extent of the trickle affects the panicle shape of the grape. Left a young grape from the standard, right from the experiment vineyard. In loose grape vine the berries have little contact and disease infestation can not easily skip from one to another. This inhibits the spread of disease in the vineyard.

Natural disease control

Individual berries within the grapevine were damaged by disease infestation, sunburn or hail. They dry and fall out. In the Experimental Vineyard, in a loose grape structure, infections are naturally defused in many cases.
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Working in June and July
Foliage work and crop protection in early summer By the end of May / beginning of June, there is a strong growth spurt in vine growth. The shoots then proliferate considerably beyond the wire frame in and across the streets. In the standard vineyard the few young shoots show a very strong growth in length. The same must then be manually inserted into the wire frame. Otherwise, going on or off the lanes would soon be impossible. This operation is called pinning and repeats itself at least once in late June or early July. Phytosanitary measures will be scheduled for two in June and two more in July. These periods between the mechanical spray inserts are regularly about 2 weeks. In between, think of the care of the headland, which are open spaces at the head of the vineyard property. This happens by means of a tractor and attached shredder. Depending on the weather conditions, the top shoots of the vines have grown so long that they can project beyond the wire frame to a height of one meter and later obstruct the alleys by laying them sideways. Then a special operation is necessary for its shortening, the summit. This is done using the chain tug with an implement for foliage cut. In the process, the side shoots of the vines, which stand out from the rows of vines, are also shortened. With dense foliage wall, ie if the area of the wire frame is strongly compressed by an excessive number of leaves, defoliation of the grape zone is often carried out. This is to achieve better ventilation and hardening of the growing grapes. The operation is carried out, if not carried out by hand, usually using the chain tug. As an attachment, a suction device is used.
Experimental vineyard In the spring, grasses and herb perennials have grown abundantly on the slopes of the head and foot of the vineyard. The perennials reach heights of up to 1.5 m and are partially already discontinued. The long blades of grass are yellowed and all already dead. For the mowing on June 10, a trimmer and for the already partially woody stems of herb shrubs a hedge trimmer used. Both cordless tools charged with regenerative current. Perennials have also become established in the fissures of the drywall at the foot of the foot. The biggest ones are taken out by hand. In June, the shoots had formed a veritable roof at the top of the upper fruit rods over the streets. Because of the shading, the growth of the shoots in the lower wire frame area was suppressed. The same was observed with respect to the grass and herbaceous vegetation on the ground. From June 27, a strong pruning of the shoots took place. This was done selectively. Because the extent of the shortening determined the number of remaining young grapes. In the operation, the lanes were accessible passable and provided for improved ventilation. As a result of the shading by the vine roof in the lower part of the wire frame no strong leaf mass had formed, could be dispensed with a defoliation, comparable to the described in standard systems.
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Skill vine shoots skillfully

In the Experimental vineyard, the upper shoots show the highest growth in length and the highest fruit set. When pruning expert attention must be given: Depending on how much shortened, more or less young grapes remain on the vine. This can control the quantity and quality of the harvest.

Natural soil cover

The cut vines, which were grown to a comparatively high degree in the Experimental Vineyard, cover the bottom of the alleys. This reduces unwanted grass and herbaceous growth and reduces the water evaporation of the soil. This is particularly advantageous in the case of a dry summer when the grapevines rely on the stored water in the soil. Like this year.

Good line ventilation prevents diseases

The vines in the Experimental Vineyard put the heavy weight of their growth at the top of the trellis, where most of the leaves and grapes sit. Thus, the lower and middle region of the wire frame, despite the large number of shoots remains relatively loose. This promotes a good ventilation and a fast Abtrochnen of leaves and grapes. For the sooner there damp precipitation disappears in the morning, the lower is the risk of disease infestation.

Dense foliage wall

The standard vineyard has in the central area of the trellis the highest compression by lush leaf mass. Within this belt are also most of the grapes. Therefore, for better ventilation and application of pesticides and other positive effects on the grapes, the middle zone of the wire frame is usually mechanically peeled several times.