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w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m M a r - A p r 2 016 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 3 5 mately 90% of what he farms is VSP. He says the positive attributes of this training system are higher vine density and uniform light and spray penetration. However, with improper row orientation, there's a propensity for sunburn and uneven ripening from one side of the cano- py to the other. This is why the Cali- fornia sprawl system has continued to be the most widely used in the hot San Joaquin County area. MODIFICATIONS Verdegaal explains that many V S P s y s t e m s w e r e i n s t a l l e d between 1990 and 2004, but, ulti- mately, many were converted to a modified VSP with less wires or less foliage support. He adds that VSP does have some negatives, as it can encourage excessive vine vigor in deep or fertile soils, requires the need for more hand labor (shoot positioning) than other systems (such as sprawl), and the wine qual- ity isn't always what was expected. On the positive side, the system tends to use less water and is adapt- able to mechanization with machine hedging, pruning and harvest. Even in the cooler North Coast, McMullen has seen VSP modifica- tions that help alleviate the issues o f s u n b u r n a n d u n e v e n r i p e n- ing. Sets of cross-arms are often installed, typically at widths of 10, 10 and 14 inches if hot; or 6, 8 and 8 or 10 inches in cooler sites. The width of the cross-arms also depends on aspect and row direc- tion. They have sites where the cross-arms are off-set, meaning they aren't centered on the stake, but the side of the vines at the highest risk of sunburn have lon- ger extensions of the cross-arms than the other side. Misters have also helped cool the grapes in the hottest part of the day during heat waves, but that requires additional expense for increased water use and infrastructure. E NG INEERI N G G ERMA N PA Trellising Systems Inc. 74 Woodlake Dr · Charlottesville, VA 22901 Tel. 404 992 6236 · www.wv-care.com WWW.PATRELLISING.COM PICKING We've been producing one of the most reliable and long-lasting Trellising Systems for more than 50 years to make our client's growing and processing more profi table and a lot easier. THE RIGHT TRELLISING SYSTEM C AN MAKE A WORLD OF A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR BUSINESS Visit us at www.vinbiz.com Vineyard Industry Products Everything you need for new installations and daily operations! http://kaywa.me/Jl8lA Download the Kaywa QR Code Reader (App Store &Android Market) and scan your code! Three locations to serve you: Paso Robles, CA: 800.491.9833 Los Alamos, CA: 805.344.1700 Windsor, CA: 800.544.2210 • T-Posts • Hwy Stakes • Rebar • Pencil Rod • End Posts • Anchors • Wire • Clips • Crossarms • Grow Tubes and more in stock now! Luke McMullen, vineyard manager for Barbour Vineyards in Napa Valley, says about 90% of what he farms is VSP. SOIL & CELLAR REMI COHEN