ANNUAL WINE GROWING CYCLEOnline version Match the months of the year to the activities grape growers have to do in the vineyard. by Uncork yourenglish 1 Months 2 Months 3 Months 4 Months 5 Months 6 Months 7 Months 8 Months 9 Months 10 Months 11 Months 12 Months January Wet weather and grey skies. The vines are dormant. Grape growers monitor the vines against frost damage. February Grape growers prune the vines, preparing for the cycle to start. March The visible growth cycle starts – the buds on the vines begin to break. This is called bud break. April New shoots are growing. Now is the time for Mother Nature to cooperate and keep things from frosting. May Shoots continue to grow. The vines begin to bloom. we begin to put them between wind wire for shoot support. June We fertilize the vines and watch the moisture levels in the ground. If needed, we water the ground around the vines. We thin the grape bunches to improve the overall quality of the grapes. July The ripening begins, “white” grapes change color from green to yellowish-green and the “reds” turn from green to purple. We monitor disease and pest. August In some vineyards, irrigation is reduced or stopped. Attention now turns to the sugar and acid levels in the grapes. September This is a wonderful time in the vineyard. Harvest is approaching and the weather is fantastic. The sugar level are carefully monitored and the wine makers and grape growers decide when bring in the harvest. October In most places, harvest takes place. When the grapes are harvested, grape growers water the vines in preparation for the following year. November The last of the harvest is completed by the middle of the month in warm climates like California. December Grape growers prune the vines and perform tests to predict how fruitful the next buds will be. The degree of pruning depends on these tests.
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