Grape growers have many tools to help them manage crop load and develop vine “balance,” from matching site and variety to using trellis design, pruning, nutrition, irrigation, and canopy management techniques. But as growers manipulate the crop load and canopy, they must remember the grapevine will compensate for such changes. Growers must keep in mind the “rules of play” that guide the vine’s response to canopy manipulation, Dr. Markus Keller said during a canopy management session at the annual meeting of the Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers in February. Overall vine capacity is limited, he said, adding that there’s […]