Hello! In this article we are going to explain what vineyard pruning is and why it is done. The pruning of the vineyard depends on many factors, such as the type of vineyard, the variety, the area where it is located, the weather conditions that affect it… Today we are going to talk to you about the pruning referred to the Montilla-Moriles area.

What is vineyard pruning and why is it done?

Vine pruning is a task that is carried out on the vine when its vegetative state is stopped and consists of clearing the thumbs and cutting them, normally cutting the shoot that will later become the thumb through the second bud.

The dates in which this work can be carried out range from the month of December, which is when the leaves completely fall off the vine due to the drop in temperatures, to the months of February-March, which is when they begin. temperatures rise again and the buds begin to sprout, known as budburst.

This work is fundamental in the vineyard, the most important thing that must be done. The goal pursued is to be able to limit the vine from various excesses that, without pruning, would lead to inadequate production, since, when all the buds of the shoot bloom, it would produce many bunches of grapes, very small and of poor quality.

With pruning, the number of thumbs and buds is limited, with this it is possible to obtain an adequate balance to obtain a quality grape. We also provide the strain with a much higher quality of life, since only the thumbs that the plant can bring to fruition will be left. Another purpose pursued with pruning is to be able to carry out work on the vineyard, by limiting the thumbs we ensure that they interfere as little as possible with tillage work and/or application of phytosanitary products, among others.

Different types and varieties of vineyard

Currently in this area of Montilla-Moriles there are two types of vineyards, the glass vine and the trellis vine. The first one has been here for a long time, it is the first one that was planted and it is the one that until recently had the largest area of land within the framework of the Montilla-Moriles Denomination of Origin. With the drops in the price of grapes, the increase in the price of expenses such as: phytosanitary treatments or labor, was promoted through aid granted by the administration, the planting of trellised vineyards, this type of vineyards are more profitable than glass ones because they can be machined much better.