There are a lot of things happening in the vineyards and lots of questions on vine balance or should I keep crop on the vine to slow vegetative growth, what shoot thinning should I be doing, sucker training, and weed control. A lot to cover! Vine Balance and more Many are commenting on some signs of highly vigorous shoot growth and the question of trying to reduce vigour and/or the use of hedging this year. Excessive shoot growth often leads to the formation of bull wood which has less winter hardiness and poor maturation for the winter ahead. This is to reinforce the no fertilization suggestion I have been making all year and discussed in an earlier blog. Should I be leaving fruit on shoots to help slow them down? The quick answer is yes but only until veraison. Then drop the crop. If there is no intention of harvesting this year, the fruit left behind becomes a prime source for botrytis infection that can not only rot and lead to other problems such as