Well, after a few fits and starts, spring appears to finally be here in Minnesota! I had thoughts about pruning the vines in mid-March as I usually do, but didn’t feel like dodging snowflakes while working in the vineyard. So I kept putting it off until we finally started seeing normal temps again. This weekend we finally got the spring weather we have been expecting.

Pruning went quite well. I did not run into any unexpected surprises - for once. I had slight concerns over the new Marquette vines surviving the winter. But it was pretty mile overall and the Marquettes look great. Overall I have not settled on a specific pruning style for each variety. On two of the Frontenacs, I’m trying spur pruning this season. Looks for further updates as the season progresses.
After completing the pruning, I see reason to be pretty optimistic about this season’s crop. Barring any late frosts - the vineyard is set for it’s best crop yet. The only vines in less-than-optimal condition are the Valiants. And I don’t think I can do much with them.

The Frontenacs look great. I replaced the one vine that was killed by a gopher with one I grew last year in a temporary location.

The Prairie Stars also look great. They came on so strong last year and appear ready for another breakout year. They will be allowed to crop a small amount this season.

The Foch also look great. Unlike last year, they aren’t even close to budswell yet. This is good as they have been hit by late season frosts both of the last two seasons.

The Sabrevois are in great condition. Three of the four vines exploded with growth last season. One is still a bit on the small side, but is ready for a jump in growth this season.