🌿 Annual growth cycle of grapevines

The annual growth cycle of the grapevine is the sequence of stages the vine goes through in a year. It decides what work is needed in the vineyard and when. In winter the vine rests: there are no leaves and growth has stopped. In spring, when it warms, bud break begins. Shoots and leaves grow from the buds. Then comes flowering, after which berries set. The berries grow hard and green until véraison: they change colour and gather sugar. Then comes ripening and harvest, usually in late summer or autumn. In the Northern Hemisphere this is August to October, in the Southern Hemisphere February to April. After harvest the leaves turn yellow and fall, and the vine prepares for rest. Weather matters at every stage. Spring frost harms the buds, rain at flowering lowers the crop, and summer sun helps the berries ripen. A grower needs to know the cycle to prune, spray and pick on time.