Vineyard Underground

This week we are joined by 3 highly successful experts who train and run crews for a living as they share their first-hand experience and advice on training your pruning crew in this informative, in-depth episode.

Our guests today are Ivan Gonzales of Vineyard Professional Services in Paso Robles, California, Jake Busching of Jake Busching Wines in Charlottesville, Virginia, and Rob Warren of Desert Willow Vineyard in Seminole, TX

In this episode, you will hear:

• How experts train their crews
• Strategies for working with crews of different background and experience levels
• Common challenges for training a pruning crew
• The most common pruning mistakes crews make (and how to avoid them)
• Top tips to help you train your pruning crew

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Learn to Be a Better Grape Grower with VirtualViticultureAcademy.com.

Upcoming FREE Virtual Learning Events:

Using Soil Moisture Monitoring for Irrigation Management - February 9, 2023 | 6:00-7:30 PM CST

Episode Resource Links:

Listen to Episode 6 Why Pruning is the Most Important Vineyard Activity with Marco Tessari Watch the Pruning Shear Sharpening Grower Guide View the full Grower Guide Library

Today's Guests:

Ivan Gonzales Vineyard Manager Vineyard Professional Services | Instagram Paso Robles, California

Jake Busching Founder of Jake Busching Wines | Virginia Winery and Vineyard Consultant Jake Busching Wines | Facebook | Instagram Charlottesville, Virginia

Rob Warren Owner – Warren Farms & Desert Willow Vineyard Facebook | Instagram Seminole, Texas

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

You may know how to prune, but does your pruning crew know how YOU prune? Whether you're getting your friends or neighbors to help you out or you're hiring a large contracted crew, how they prune your vineyard can impact not only the success of this season but also the long-term health of your vineyard.

In today's episode, we are going to talk about some things you need to consider for hiring a pruning crew, training options for your crew, and my top tips for training your pruning crew.

Pruning is arguably the most critical management task for setting your vineyard up for a successful season so you must plan early. Your goals can change from season to season. Therefore, you need to ensure your vineyard is properly pruned for the age of your vines, the location of your vineyard, and your vineyard goals for the season.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Planning the size and timing of your crew
• The challenge with blending in-house talent with outside labor
• Why you should invest in trained labor
• Training the crew - yourself, training videos, or a vineyard consultant
• Why you need to teach from multiple examples
• The importance of assigning each worker to their own vine rows

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Learn to Be a Better Grape Grower with VirtualViticultureAcademy.com.

Upcoming FREE Virtual Learning Events:

Top 10 Dormant Pruning Mistakes in Your Vineyard - January 19, 2023 | 6:00-7:30 PM CST - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/pruning2023/

Using Soil Moisture Monitoring for Irrigation Management - February 9, 2023 | 6:00-7:30 PM CST - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/sms/

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

We can't help you make (or keep) your fitness resolutions, but today we will give you the information you need to make your vineyard healthier, happier, and more productive in the new year.

On today's episode, we're going to talk about vineyard resolutions, specifically, the top five actions to Be a Better Grape Grower in 2023. These are actions that can be applied by growers of all experience levels. So stick around and make some New Year's resolutions for your vineyard.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Why you must measure and monitor the pH of your water
• The importance of irrigation distribution uniformity
• Why monitoring your irrigation cycles is critical for vine health
• How nutrient sampling is essential for your vine health and your wallet
• How pruning impacts the longevity of your vineyard

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered, and check out the episode blog post for a printable version of the vineyard resolutions from this episode.

Learn to Be a Better Grape Grower with VirtualViticultureAcademy.com.

Upcoming FREE Virtual Learning Events:

Top 10 Dormant Pruning Mistakes in Your Vineyard - January 19, 2023 | 6:00-7:30 PM CST

Using Soil Moisture Monitoring for Irrigation Management - February 9, 2023 | 6:00-7:30 PM CST

Episode Resource Links:

Resolution 2 - Irrigation Distribution Uniformity

Irrigation Distribution Uniformity Testing (University of California)

Resolution 4 – Nutrient Sample at Bloom and Veraison

Target Nutrient Values – Petioles

Target Nutrient Values – Whole Leaves

How to Properly Sample Leaf Tissue for Analysis

Know Where Your Nutrients Come From

Instructions for Grape Leaf Blade Sampling

Instructions for Grape Petiole Sampling

Resolution 5 – Prune for Vineyard Longevity

Episode 6 - Why Pruning is the Most Important Vineyard Activity - With Marco Tessari

Preventing Grapevine Trunk Disease

Pruning Shear Sharpening

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

This week we are joined by a few growers who have recently started their own vineyards as they share their personal experiences and advice for you if you are considering planting a vineyard. Even if you've already planted your vineyard, you're still going to get some great advice from this fun episode.

Vineyard owners come from many walks of life, so today with chat with a working professional that developed his vineyard with his family along side of his current career, a family that left the corporate world at a young age to start their vineyard, and a lovely couple who started their vineyard to keep them busy as they enter into retirement.

Our guests today are Craig Little from the award-winning Stone Ashe Vineyards and Winery in Hendersonville, NC, Daniel and Kristina Limoges from the breathtaking Limoges Cellars in Cleveland, GA, and John and Rebecca Greenan from Las Huertas de Tejas Vineyard in Clairette, TX. In this episode, you will hear:

• About our guests and what made them want to start a vineyard
• Their most and least favorite parts about growing a vineyard
• Common mistakes to avoid and what they wish they could have had done differently
• Their advice for anyone considering establishing a vineyard site

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Craig Little

• Stone Ashe Vineyards: https://www.stoneashevineyards.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stoneashe_vineyard/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StoneAsheVineyard/

Daniel & Kristina Limoges

• Limoges Cellars: https://limogescellars.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/limogescellars
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/limogescellars/

John & Rebecca Greenan

• Las Huertas de Tejas Vineyard: https://lashuertasdetejas.com/ (website coming soon)

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Learn to Be a Better Grape Grower with VirtualViticultureAcademy.com.

If you are considering whether vineyard ownership is right for you, check out the Prospective Wine Grower Course on VirtualViticultureAcademy.com and review the FREE Vineyard Establishment Checklist.

If you have land and are planting in the next 2-4 years, you can check out the Vineyard Establishment Package. This is a very affordable way to ensure that you get your vineyard planned and planted correctly with help on all aspects from me and the team.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

Are you dreaming of starting a vineyard? If so, then this special 2-part episode is for you! Starting a vineyard can very quickly turn from a dream into a nightmare if you aren't properly educated and prepared for what it takes to start, own, and grow a successful vineyard. On today's episode, Fritz shares some key factors you need to consider before you start a vineyard. In Part II, you will hear from growers like you who have recently planted and established their first vineyards as they talk about their experiences being new vineyard owners.

In this episode, you will hear:

• What makes for a good or bad vineyard location
• The importance of topography and soil
• Why you absolutely must have a proper and adequate water source
• The reasons why land use history for your site and the surrounding areas are important
• What it takes from you as a vineyard owner to be successful
• Common mistakes growers make in starting a vineyard, and how to avoid them

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Learn to Be a Better Grape Grower with VirtualViticultureAcademy.com.

If you are considering whether vineyard ownership is right for you, check out the Prospective Wine Grower Course on VirtualViticultureAcademy.com and review the FREE Vineyard Establishment Checklist.

If you have land and are planting in the next 2-4 years, you can check out the Vineyard Establishment Package. This is a very affordable way to ensure that you get your vineyard planned and planted correctly with help on all aspects from me and the team.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

Pruning has consequences, but only through awareness, can you improve your technique. We need to prune every year, but we have to do it properly and in a way that's respectful to the vine. After all, how your vines grow largely depends on how you treat them. In today's episode, international pruning expert Marco Tessari imparts his wisdom and knowledge about pruning as well as some tips and strategies to either start applying now or at least be thinking about as you're trying to develop your permanent vine structure. Sharing his expertise, whether traveling around the world or through online consultation, Marco is literally revolutionizing how growers are pruning their own vineyards. Marco also teaches an annual premium course for our Virtual Viticulture Academy community of growers that has been a huge success and has really helped a lot of growers learn how to prune properly and improve their vine productivity and longevity. Through his consulting, he's able to teach people how to prune and follow them through the process day by day, not just giving instructions but spending long hours in the vineyard. When he's not in the vineyard, Marco spends his time bobsled training. The fastest he has gone is 90 miles per hour!

In this episode, you will hear:

• Important aspects of pruning
• ​​The common reasons that pruning goes wrong
• Signs and examples of poor pruning practices
• Tips for training your crew
• How to renew a trunk while keeping the vine in production
• How to get past the fear of the spur creep
• Understanding the actual trunk structure of the vine
• Tips for new pruners

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Resources:

Do you have pruning questions for Marco or Fritz or other vineyard questions? Click the Ask Fritz button at VineyardUndergoundPodcast.com.

Get more information on Marco's 2023 Virtual Viticulture Academy pruning courses by contacting us at [email protected] or visiting 2023 Pruning Courses.

FREE Pruning Guides

• Preventing Grapevine Trunk Disease
• Pruning Shear Sharpening

Learn from 100+ winegrape growing videos and how-to-guides on the Grower Guide Library on Virtual Viticulture Academy.

Today's Guest:

Marco Tessari is an international pruning expert based out of Montebelluna, Italy. Marco works with vineyards all over the world in person and virtually and is revolutionizing the art and science of vineyard pruning. Follow Marco or contact Marco.

Other Mentions:

Hear Fritz on episode 155 of the Sustainable Winegrowing podcast from the Vineyard Team.

Check out Montecalvi Winery in the Chianti Classico area of central Tuscany that Fritz and Marco mention in the podcast.

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

If you're an experienced grape grower, you likely already have a good grasp of your pest and disease management program, your general fertilization strategy, and your vineyard management and labor. As your vines grow and age, there's another set of challenges that you may have to face as an experienced grower. On today's episode of Vineyard Underground, we turn our focus on the three common challenges experienced growers may encounter. As your vineyards age, hopefully, they grow like fine wine. If you're a seasoned grower, this episode is made for you. And if you're a beginner grower, you can get ahead of the game by listening to this episode and learning what to expect as your vineyard matures. But make sure you've also listened to the previous episode on the top three common challenges for new growers and how to navigate those. Finally, if you're a grower with a troubled vineyard, maybe your vineyard is ailing or declining, Fritz is also sharing some special insights just for you. In this episode, you will hear:

• Dealing with premature vine decline
• Things to think about when marketing your brand
• Scaling your vineyard for future growth
• What to do when your vineyard has already declined

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Access grower guide resources at Virtual Viticulture Academy - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Starting a vineyard is exciting, but it also presents some unique challenges that new growers are often unprepared for. You have to be wary of things like pests and diseases or make sure you're not overfertilizing your soil. Not to mention, finding an experienced crew that can handle complex and skilled activities in the vineyard. All that can be overwhelming – unless you have a great plan in place.

In today's episode, Fritz talks about the top three most common challenges for new grape growers and how to avoid them. If you're an experienced grower, this episode is also a good measure for you to see how far you've come in your vineyard journey.

Hopefully, being aware of these challenges and knowing how to prevent them or deal with them will get you prepared for the actual challenges that will come your way as a new grower.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Designing and implementing a pest and disease management program
• Knowing whether to fertilize and when to apply a fertilizer
• Identifying the timing and delivery of your fertilizers
• Determining what fertilizer to use
• Understanding the soil mobility of certain nutrients
• Finding and managing vineyard labor

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Free Resources:

Download the Preparing for New Plantings guide to learn about soil sampling for new plantings - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/preparing_for_new_plantings/

Download the Target Nutrient Values in Soil reference chart- https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/target-nutrient-values-in-soil/

Download the Vineyard Establishment Checklist for a comprehensive list of tasks to complete for starting a vineyard- https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/vineyard-establishment-checklist/

View all Grower Guide resources on Virtual Viticulture Academy https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/

Get Help/Learn More:

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Get the Prospective Wine Grower Course https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/prospective-winegrower-course/ to learn everything you need to start and grow your vineyard successfully.

Get help from Fritz to get your vineyard planned and planted with the virtual Vineyard Establishment Package - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/product/vineyard-establishment-package/

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Whether you're new to grape growing or you just need a bit of confidence to assure you're doing things alright, there may be some questions that you might be asking yourself that need some clarification.

In today's episode, Fritz reveals the top three questions about growing grapes that he hears all the time. He also shares practical tips to give you the solution and confidence that you need in your vineyard.

Fritz has been helping grape growers achieve success in their vineyards for over 20 years through various positions he had held within the industry. Having worked with universities as a private consultant and educator, Fritz has definitely heard a lot of questions related to grape growing. Hopefully, you'll find some things you can apply to your vineyard as well.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The best method to train your newly planted vines
• What causes the spots on the leaves and what to do with them
• Spraying vines before or after a rain event
• Examples of curative products applied after the rain
• Understanding the modes of action in products

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Access grower guide resources at Virtual Viticulture Academy - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Why underground? You may ask.

Well, have you tried sorting out a vineyard problem? You probably searched for answers in a textbook or some online resource. But what you see online or in textbooks doesn't always apply to your exact situation because there is a lot of variability from one vineyard to the next. You've got to figure out how to get to that perfect picture of what a vine should look like – but the routes can be numerous.

Sometimes, we have questions that need a little bit more digging and more effort to get to the right answers. That is what the Vineyard Underground podcast is here for – to help you dig deeper into resources you wouldn't have otherwise gotten from what you see on the surface.

Let this podcast help you dig deeper into the problems you find in your vines and help you find the solutions. The Vineyard Underground is your very own underground that allows you to access experts and information about all aspects of grape growing.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The #1 objective of the Vineyard Underground podcast
• About the Virtual Viticulture Academy and the resources you'll find there
• Making grape growing education fun, portable, and useful
• Some experts coming on the show – soon!
• What you'll get from this podcast week after week

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Click the "Ask Fritz" button at vineyardundergroundpodcast.com to get your vineyard question answered.

Access grower guide resources at Virtual Viticulture Academy - https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/grower-guides/

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.