The first of the table grape vines are waking from their winter slumber. This is a critical year for us as we have to make sure that they are trained to their proper shape on the trellis system that we spent a great deal of time installing last year.
Our first job is to weed whack away the weeds around the vines. There is too much growth to allow the flame weeder back in. We have to clear away the weeds to stop the flames blowing upwards and damaging our precious vines.
It will take one person, I am told, three days per week to train the vines this summer on one acre. This sound like a lot but not a s long as if we do not do it right then have to go back in to correct the mess. So this is a number one priority job. We hope to harvest our first crop next year.
