The first week of February and the climate has been unusually warm, we were worried our vines would start to bud, setting the growing season off to an early start and leaving us with a long period with the threat of frost. So today I greet the drop in temperatures and cold winds with welcome relief and a wooly hat!

Now pruning is completed, next step is tying down the vines, grapevines are unable to support themselves like a tree and in need of training on a suitable trellis system, minimising the risk of frost and to ensure a balanced energy between leaf growth and fruit, we use the Guyot system, a traditional practice popularised by Charles Guyot in the 1860s.

I have posted the video so you can see the the lush carpet of green manure that has sprouted across the vineyard acting as a natural weed killer by smothering the weeds and their roots to prevent soil erosion. When dug into the ground while still green, it returns valuable nutrients to the soil and improves soil structure.

At the end of March I will be applying horn manure, I’ll keep you posted.