A leafy sucker with flower cluster.
It’s May and the grape vines in our vineyard are bursting with new growth from all the rain we’ve had. These new, vibrant green shoots with their fresh leaves and tiny flower clusters that look like baby capers on a stick are delicate and easily broken off. Which is good because it’s time to SUCKER!
Suckering is basically breaking off the unwanted shoots (suckers) that grow on the grapevine. Suckers end up taking energy away from the plant and affecting grape quality. But since all shoots are delicate at this stage, breaking off only the unwanted shoots is our goal. You can almost run your hand up the base and off the suckers drop. We have about a week and a half window before the young volunteer shoots become lignified (hardened) and not as easy to deal with.
One of the two grapevine "arms"
Suckering the ‘arms’ (two per trunk) of the vine is a little more involved. There is growth coming from each node/bud position and the key is to keep only 6 such ‘spur’ positions per arm. From these nodes will grow the grapes for Kerry’s Vineyard Cabernet.
First mowing the 3-foot high cover crop before suckering keeps us from trampling down the weeds, which would have made them harder to mow. Mowing also makes it easier to work back and forth between rows. You also get a better view in case there’s a snake lounging in the sun but it’s still a little early for snakes, thank goodness.
Tom 'suckering' in Kerry's Vineyard
The work can be backbreaking with lots of bending so it’s important to stand up from time to time. I like taking two rows at a time and working back and forth. This reduces the amount of bending time and adds a little standup time in between as we move across the row.
A special thanks to Larry and Brandon, friends who helped us sucker Kerry’s Vineyard this year. I wonder if they’ll want to ever do THAT again? Ha!