Marechal foch

[OilnH2O]

I searched for a thread on Marechal Foch and mostly turned up only my own posts (Missoula Vineyard) and a few other threads, so...

In my vineyard I've had best production on Foch (and Leon Millot... and the Pinot when the WX cooperates). So I was pleased to see the recent article in Winemaker Magazine on Foch. I just re-read it since I'm doing my first pruning of leggy and fast-growing vines.

Here's my question - the article says "...pruning the spurs longer improves typical yields." I've read and re-read this and don't quite know what it means - whether it means the spurs selected in the spring, or the resulting growth from spurs at this time.

Any ideas or thoughts? Of course, if you know exactly what the point is, I don't mind you pointing out I'm just slow....

-Dave

 

[grapeman]

They are talking about the spurs pruned in the dormant pruning. Instead of pruning to one or two buds per short spur, you leave fewer spurs, but leave them longer, say 4 to 6 buds per spur. I don't care for that type of pruning since the shoots tend to clump up and all droop in the same spot making a tangled mess.

When you say you are doing the first pruning, do you mean you are doing summer pruning? If so remember when you cut that shoot off, it will force summer laterals to grow and will soon become overgrown. I wait to shorten the shoots until the heat and dryness of summer have arrived.

 

[OilnH2O]

Thanks, Rich - I'm doing this on my vines that are so "leggy" that they are tangled and crossing over to other plants, and such - thinning out, but not the full - "summer" pruning.

Concerning the spurs, that's what I was wondering, if the comment meant to leave more than two good buds. In fact, on some of those spurs with more than two buds, I've got some that look like 5 or 6 shoots coming up like a bush! So I understand your point.

Thanks for the tip - I appreciate your experience!

 

[spaniel]

I grow Foch, I've been leaving about 4 buds per spur. Not a lot of years of full production to speak from, but weather-wise last year was decent and I got 5 full gallons of finished wine from 17-18 vines harvested. That's a bit lower than the production sources online will quote you but given the conditions here I'm pretty happy with that.