Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/112023
WineEast Clusters growing on Watson System-trained vines hang free under the catch wires, allowing them to be easily sprayed and hand harvested. To do so, the trellis was modified by installing 4-foot V-cross arms at an angle of 120�� just above or below the 66-inch fruiting wire and installing foliar catch wires at 12- and 24-inch intervals on those cross arms on both sides of the fruiting wire. Shoots are trained at a wide ���V��� from the central cordon, horizontally dividing the canopy down the middle. This split allows for an increased number of shoots per linear foot of cordon (up to eight, compared to three to five for VSP), and the fruit hangs under the catch wires, where it is more apt to be shaded from full sun exposure (see photo on page 55). The Watson System (perhaps similar to the French system livre ouvert) has been reported to produce yields in the range of 4 to 6 tons per acre for Blanc Du Bois on 8-foot in-row vine spacing Need a Better Cork Supplier? All Natural Cork Closures Fresh Corks Directly From Portugal 4th Generation Family Cork Producer Free Branding Free Shipping Free iS Better Grapegrowing and 12-foot between-row vine spacing. Newer vineyards are being planted with variations of in-row spacing. A minimum of 11 feet between rows is favored due to the width of the cross arms and foliage; 12 feet between rows is the standard spacing. Clusters in the Watson System hang free under the catch wires, where they can easily be sprayed and hand harvested (see photo at left). Shoot positioning is required to keep the canopy open, and hedging may be required to keep vigorous shoots from reaching the vineyard floor. Row orientation perpendicular to seasonal wind direction may also cause difficulties with maintaining canopy division. The Watson System also is being implemented with red hybrid winegrapes including Lenoir.5 Modifications of VSP Occasionally a vineyard is installed using a VSP system, only to find when it comes into production that the system and vine spacing may not have been the best match for soil, climate and grape variety. For example, a grower may plant on a soil with high vigor capacity, perhaps with a vigorous rootstock, and then find that the shoot length grows considerably above the allotted trellis height, with excessive production of lateral shoots and large-caliper ���bull canes,��� and the need for seasonal hedging more than twice per year. This is a common problem in the eastern United States, and much research has been devoted to finding methods to balance vines in these situations (such as by using competitive cover crops and strategically reducing fertilizer and water input). Another alter- The Kuriyama Value��� Wine and Beverage Hoses POLYWIRE�� PLUS Suction & Discharge CLEARBRAID�� Discharge WSTF��� Series Suction & Discharge FT��� Series Suction Ask about our Progressive Discounts Experience the Slimcork�� Advantage CALL TODAY phone (203) 681-7743 Cell (860) 335-0667 1968 A 45th Anniversary ��� um 2013 o is Sc ha 408LL Series Suction & Discharge AMER OF IC INC. A, 350LL Series Washdown KURIYAM email: reliablecork@gmail.com www.reliablecorksolutions.com burg in , Ill Kuriyama of America, Inc. 360 E. State Parkway ��� Schaumburg, IL ��� 60173-5335 USA (847) 755-0360 ��� Toll-Free FAX: (800) 800-0320 International FAX: (847) 885-0996 ��� sales@kuriyama.com www.kuriyama.com 56 W in e s & V i ne s M AR C H 20 13