Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/766392
134 WINES&VINES January 2017 GRAPEGROWING PRACTICAL WINERY & VINEYARD S ince 2008, Bryan Babcock in the Sta. Rita Hills AVA of Santa Barbara County, Calif., has radically reshaped Babcock Vine- yards using a new approach he calls "pedestular cane suspen- sion" (PCS), which has reduced vineyard costs by 25%. Babcock coined the term "pedestular" to note the innovative use of metal pedestals that support and contain the vine's fruiting canes and support the subsequent crop. The PCS system has a superficial similarity to a high-trellised simple curtain (or California sprawl) in that the canopy grows outward and downward. The critical difference is cane prun- ing in the fruit zone without wires. "A cordon is too rigid and, over time, re- quires too much space in the core of the system," Babcock explains, "leading to the same problems that the industry experienced years ago, when the dominant system was the California sprawl. Simply taking the California sprawl and lifting it 3 feet higher above the ground does not solve all the con- gestion issues that led to powdery mildew, bunch rot and a lack of control of sunlight on the fruit prior to the advent of vertical shoot positioning (VSP)." The PCS system employs layered cane pruning, which allows for a very strategic selection of buds in the fruit zone. This results in higher potential for the placement of strong, productive shoots in a location on the vines that is notoriously weak (mid-cane), resulting in a more symmetric delivery of down-line crop placement overall. Babcock's goal is to retain approximately 18 to 22 buds per vine with his main variet- ies: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. About 25%-35% of the shoots are removed during shoot and cluster thinning. However, only 15-20 buds are retained on Chenin Blanc vines since this more vigorous variety typically yields fewer buds and the internodes are longer. "This is commensurate with the fact that Chenin Blanc clusters are bigger," Babcock notes. "You need fewer of them, and thus you need fewer shoots overall to hit your produc- tion target." The heart of Babcock's patented system is the pedestals, each topped with a metal spiral helix that holds two fruiting canes—one from each neighboring vine. The canes are not tied or wired, they are loosely captured in a 2-inch diameter metal helix. Vines are spaced 42 inches apart with 8-foot-wide tractor rows. Although the canes are not in contact with wires, there is a 10-gauge high-tensile wire that supports the pedestals 52 inches above ground. There is a lower support wire 32 inches above ground with a drip line wire underneath at 18 to 24 inches above ground. There are two pedestals between adjoining vines. The fruiting canes are suspended in space, creating a production platform that, on average, is 66 inches above ground (about eye level). The canopy is not confined to a two- dimensional "wall" as in VSP. It can grow natu- rally in all directions and undulate in the wind, leading to more sunlight-exposed leaves. In- creased airflow and a larger space between clusters helps mitigate the spread of powdery mildew and bunch rot. Fewer sprays translate into cost savings. PCS saves money in canopy management, pruning and harvest Another advantage of PCS is a reduction in labor costs for both canopy management and pruning. In VSP or other "wire-dense" sys- tems, tendrils encircle and harden around the wires, making pruning more labor-intensive. Small pruned pieces may litter the berm and become vectors of disease or insect infesta- tion. With PCS, each vine only needs four—or The Radical Reshaping of Babcock Vineyards Revolutionary farming using a cane-suspension trellis system By Tama Takahashi Two fruiting canes are supported by two pedestals between neighboring vines.