Situation Report Sylt, March - June 2011

We began pruning and tying the vines on 14 March 2011. The wood has hardened well, but growth is still quite varied. During pruning we noticed that sap had already risen (it is expelled from the cuts left over after pruning) – a good sign of a vine’s vitality and that it has survived the winter well.

Spring-like temperatures at the end of April fostered the start of bud burst and the first baby leaves made their debut. Growth proceeded at a good pace, thanks to warm weather. By the beginning of May, the first little shoots started to appear. At this stage, the young shoots would be damaged by a late frost.

The weather in May started out very dry. The soil began to show cracks and shoot growth slowed down. Fortunately, the roots of the vines have already extended somewhat deeper, thereby alleviating potential damage due to dryness. The long-awaited rain came in late May and in June. The vines have recovered well and are thriving. Cluster formation is good.

Unfortunately, at the end of May, there was a late frost (> -5°C/23°F) that some two-year-old vines did not survive.

Despite sufficient rainfall in June, very cool night temperatures continued to restrain shoot growth. The forecast for warmer nights at the end of June bodes well for flowering in early July.