🌿 Sulphur dusting

Sulphur for grapes is a yellow powder dusted on the vine against powdery mildew. This is a fungal disease that leaves a white coating on leaves and berries and hurts the crop. Powdery mildew, also called oidium, came to Europe from America in the 19th century. Sulphur began to be used for protection at that time, and it has remained one of the oldest remedies since. The powder is dusted on the leaves in warm, dry weather. It creates a surface on which the fungus finds it hard to develop. Sulphur works as a fungicide and is allowed even in organic viticulture. But it has drawbacks: it works only within certain temperatures, must be applied repeatedly, and in heat it can scorch leaves. Residues on the berries affect fermentation, so its use stops some time before harvest. Sulphur also appears in winemaking: burning a sulphur strip in a barrel protects it from mould, and sulphites in wine act as a preservative. These are different uses of the same substance.