# Post-Harvest Vine Care – What To Apply And When

- Link: https://rd2.co.nz/post-harvest-vine-care-what-to-apply-and-when/
- Published: 2022-04-12T01:38:14+00:00
- Author: RSF Admin

It has been a difficult end to the season for New Zealand vineyards. What looked
initially like a promising harvest was interrupted by an unusually wet February 
and March, which left a lot of vineyards scrambling to harvest as many grapes as
possible. This hasn’t been made any easier by staff shortages (thanks to the dreaded‘
spicy flu’!) and generally difficult times with restrictions. 

With a shortened harvest period, the intake hasn’t been what it could have been.
However, post-harvest is a critical time to set vines up to come back stronger next
season. With the right approach, you can help to boost and improve quality production
in future years. 

## Clean up and disease check

With heavy rain comes the risk of disease, and many vineyards have reported signs
of _Botrytis _and Powdery mildew has also been problematic. Disease control is a
season-long commitment, particularly if your vine’s nutrition is not given primary
focus, which will undoubtedly lead to continued troubleshooting . A nutritionally
well balanced vine certainly has less problems with disease.

Any diseased tissue should be removed and destroyed and remember to clean up debris
on the ground around vines. Applications of beneficial organisms such as [Superzyme](https://rd2.co.nz/product/superzyme/)
create positive soils providing protection and assist in breaking the cycle of overwintering
pathogens that may cause headaches next season. 

_Botrytis _is a perennial concern that causes a lot of damage and lost profits through
bunch rot. Growers have seen significant reduction in bunch rot through applications
of [Biomin Calcium](https://rd2.co.nz/product/biomin-calcium-organic-mineral-fertiliser/)
throughout the season [1]. Vines take up a large amount of calcium post-harvest 
if it’s available, so a post-harvest foliar application of Biomin Calcium can help
increase resistance to _Botrytis_ moving forward. 

## Post-harvest fertilisation

The time between harvest and leaf fall is critical to ensuring vines have the necessary
store of carbohydrates to get them through their winter dormancy and to ensure a
strong bud break next season. Doing soil and leaf analyses should guide what nutrients
to target. 

Boron deficiency can be devastating, particularly in acidic soils. Boron influences
flowering and fruit set, with the often tell-tale signs of hen and chicken also 
known as Millerandage, as well as increasing sugar levels. Since boron is a particularly
mobile nutrient, post-harvest applications can be very effective in addressing deficiencies.
If boron levels are below expectation, try our [Biomin Boron](https://rd2.co.nz/product/biomin-boron-organic-mineral-fertiliser/).

One of the most crucial nutrients to be targeting is nitrogen. About 30% of a vine’s
nitrogen usage during the season is derived from applications the previous year.
While ammonium-based Nitrogen fertilisers are a popular choice, this can lead to
a significant amount of nitrogen wastage through volatilisation. However, combining
the fertiliser with humic acid can greatly reduce this loss. Humic acid stabilises
nitrogen retention which leads to more efficient uptake, meaning less fertiliser
is needed. Try our [Humax](https://rd2.co.nz/?s=humax&post_type=product) solution.

Humic acid’s ability to stabilise nitrogen appears to be linked to its probiotic
effects on soil. To this end, adding Mycorrhizal fungi can produce similar effects.
As with humic acid, Mycorrhizal fungi also promote root growth, and nutrient uptake
which is important for vines close to dormancy. These beneficial fungi create a 
network of thin fibres that attach to roots and increase their effective feeding
range, while also providing structure to the soil. Our [Rootella](https://rd2.co.nz/?s=mycorrhizal&post_type=product)
line of Mycorrhizal fungi could be the perfect solution for you.

If you have questions, send me an email – rsf@rd2.co.nz

**Molly Callaghan**
**Director**

[1] Controlling Botrytis Organically, [https://rd2.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Controlling-Botrytis-Organically-Dr-Phillip-Elmer-Lincoln-University.pdf](https://rd2.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Controlling-Botrytis-Organically-Dr-Phillip-Elmer-Lincoln-University.pdf)