Setting and Achieving Goals with Nutrient Programs
After a recent visit with PCA turned vineyard manager Brenda Wolgamot, we decided to share some of her secrets to success with you.
Brenda is a General Manager for The Wine Group and oversees vineyards in Monterey County. She’s been a viticulturist for over 20 years and is a well-respected professional in the grape growing industry.
She also happens to be a passionate advocate for Nutrient TECH’ products and has relied on Tech-Flo and Tech-Spray products since she first discovered them as a PCA. What compelled her to try the Tech-Flo products was that she knew the micronized particles would provide maximum surface area coverage, making more nutrients available to the plant. She also like that they came in a convenient flowable formulation and finds them very easy to use.
Early Season Nutrition Tips from Respected Wine Grape Grower
When we asked Brenda what she looks for in nutrient products for her fields, she says, “the bottom line is vine response. When you see it at the end of the season… when you’ve increased your quality, you’ve increased your yield, and your plants are doing well… and you come back and see the same results the following year, you have something. And that’s why I like these products.”
A goal of this early season nutrition program is elongation of bunches. Goal achieved.
Early in the season, Brenda is looking for elongation- that stretch in the bunches that gives berries room later in the season. She uses a combination of Zinc and Phosphorous to accomplish this found in TECH-SPRAY ZnPK 0-16-9 plus 1% Zinc.
TECH-FLO Phi is another go-to product in spring. When she sees yellowing of the foliage before budbreak, experience has taught her that it is more likely an iron availability issue than a nitrogen issue, so she adds TECH-FLO Phi 2-4-0 plus 2.5% Ca and 5% Iron to her spray tank.
Since Brenda took over as manager, yield has increased by 33% and the consistent high quality of her wine grapes is envied in the region. If you’d like to see how her early season nutrition tips might work for you, contact your PCA or schedule a free evaluation with one of our PCA and Sales Managers today.
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