Upcoming Webinars
Live Pruning Immersion Courses
December 2021
Fritz Westover and Virtual Viticulture Academy are bringing you a whole new level of pruning education by hosting pruning expert Marco Tessari’s Pruning Immersion Course exclusively for Virtual Viticulture Academy Members. This live and highly interactive course immerses you in all aspects of pruning and focuses on your specific pruning questions and the performance of your vines.
Choose from three tracks:
- Cane Pruning
- Spur Pruning
- Refresher for previous attendees
**Dates and times subject to change
Previous Webinars
Spray Program Design Webinar
Learn to build an improved spray program for you location and vineyard issues with special guest and chemical expert Paul Crout, Agronomist with Helena Agri-Enterprises.
Resources for Your Spray Program
- Grape Spray Record Tool – ALL NEW Spray Water PH Tab!
- Phosphorous Acid Products for Controlling Downy Mildew
- Vineyard Management Guide
Members Only
Shoot Thinning – Pop-Up Webinar
Learn the latest strategies for optimal shoot thinning in this fast, fun interactive webinar.
Members Only
Assess, Purchase, and Plan:
Are You Doing These 3 Essential Vineyard Tasks Before Bud Burst?
Bud burst will come; make sure you are ready. Learn about:
- Assessment of dormant pruning
- Working with freeze damaged vines
- Vineyard floor management
- Preparing fertilizer
- Spray product inventories
- Vineyard plan for 2021!
- Live Q&A
Pruning with Purpose,
not Consequence
Pruning sets the stage for your current growing season, and for the future health of your vines. There is a correct way and a wrong way to cut your vines, and knowing the difference will impact the upcoming season and the future health of your vines. Learn:
- Proper young vine training, years 1-4
- Good and bad examples of pruning cuts
- Why the location of your cut matters
- Pruning methods to reduce growing season labor
- Examples of spur and cane pruned vines
- Live Q&A
Members Only
Top 7 Mistakes Made by Grape Growers in 2020 – How to Avoid and Fix Them
Making mistakes is part of learning to Be a Better Grape Grower, and learning how to prevent and/or fix mistakes makes you an even better grape grower. Learn about:
- Problems with dormant pruning techniques
- Vineyard planning gone wrong
- Pitfalls of the WAG (Wild A$$ Guessing) method
- Poorly timed canopy management blunders
- Plus tips and strategies to prevent mistakes & more
- Live Q&A
Diagnosing and Treating
Vineyard Problems
Mid summer is the time of year where vineyard problems will inevitably pop up. Learn the steps to diagnose and treat them, including:
- What your leaf symptoms are telling you about your vine health
- Step-by-step methods for diagnosing both common and rare vine health issues
- New tips for taking plant samples and when and where to send to the laboratory for diagnosis
- Commonly misdiagnosed problems and how to treat them
- And more…
Members Only
Mid Season
Vineyard Strategies
Learn the 4 critical mid-season vineyard management strategies to set your vineyard up for a successful harvest, including:
- Setting your canopy for ideal ripening conditions
- Preparing your spray program for a successful finish
- Estimating & adjusting crop at lag phase
- Fertilizing to promote even and complete ripening
- And more…
Adapting Crop Levels
to Market Demands
In seasons where market demand is lower than your estimated crop level, you may need to thin your crop more than you normally would and try to reduce vineyard costs. Learn the optimal timing, process, , and strategies for fruit thinning.
Members Only
Grape Disease
Management Updates
Learn how to custom build your spray program for a disease free season in 2020.
- Build a spray product inventory to hit your target diseases
- Learn tips for rotating products and preventing resistance development
- Review new products and how they may fit your program
- See examples of successful spray programs
- Hear strategies for safely spraying closer to harvest
- Q&A (get your questions ready ahead of time!)
Members Only
Strategies for Managing Vineyards with Freeze Damage
Panel discussion with vineyard experts discussing the best options for managing a vineyard after severe freeze damage to buds.
Panel Experts Include:
Fritz Westover – Viticulturist | Virtual Viticulture Academy
Daniel Hillin – Viticulture Program Specialist | Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Dick Boushey – Viticulture and Enology Research | Washington State Wine Advisory Board
10 Things Every Vineyard Manager Should Do before Bud Burst
Learn the critical vineyard management actions needed before bud burst, including:
- Have seasonal tools stocked & ready
- Know your management plan & line up labor
- Prioritize vineyard improvements & data points
- Get your budget in shape for the season
- Set your goals and meet them!
- And more…
Pruning Concepts
and Common Mistakes
Learn everything you need to know about pruning and how to avoid common pruning mistakes, including:
- Developing a yield focused pruning protocol
- A review of most common mistakes and how to prevent your crew from making them
- Pruning young vines to prevent over cropping
- Sanitary practices for pruning crews
- And more…
Members Only
Post Harvest
Vineyard Priorities
Learn the most recommended steps to maximize the health of your vines before winter dormancy, including:
- Late season fertilization for maintaining yields
- Post-harvest irrigation strategies
- Diagnosing vine problems and actions for remedy
- Roadmap to planning for next year
- End of Season Checklist – Get your copy here!
- And more…
Members Only
Preharvest Management Priorities
Harvest is what we work for all year. Learn about the critical vineyard activities for the weeks leading up to harvest to prepare your vineyard for the best possible crop
- Preventing bunch rot and diseases before harvest
- Preparing for post-harvest fertilization needs
- Practical berry sampling strategies
- Crop adjustment from veraison to harvest
- Crop estimation tips
- And more…
Members Only
Mid-Season
Management Strategies
Mid-season vineyard management decisions and actions are critical to a successful harvest. Learn about key activities to gear up for a successful harvest, including:
- How to assess your canopy before veraison
- What fertilization, if any, should be considered
- Prioritizing pest and disease management
- Vineyard activities to improve fruit ripening and uniformity
- And more…
Promoting Vineyard Sustainability
Vineyard sustainability is important to the long term growth, economics, and health of grapevines and those who work with them. Learn the critical components of vineyard sustainability in challenging climates; including:
- Pest and disease management
- Canopy management
- Maintaining soil and vine health as vineyards age
- And more…
Co-hosted and brought to you by Virtual Viticulture Academy and The Vineyard Team.
Spray Program Strategies
Learn how to develop a spray program based on local weather conditions, vine growth stages, grapevine variety, and knowledge of how each spray product works, including:
- Selecting spray products
- Critical timing for disease and pest management
- Tips for rotating products (with examples)
- Update on new spray products
- The hows and whys of product tank mixing
- Real life examples of spray programs
Members Only
Managing Disease Resistance in the Vineyard
Learn about the fungal diseases most likely to develop resistance to fungicides and how to properly select, combine and rotate spray products to prolong disease resistance in your vineyard. Topics include:
- Update on fungal disease resistance
- Understanding chemical modes of action
- Selecting spray products for grapes
- Product rotation and tank mixing strategies
- And more…
Members Only
Pruning Review – Techniques & Disease Prevention
Get geared up for pruning season, with our comprehensive pruning techniques webinar covering:
- How to cane prune & spur prune
- Choosing the best pruning method for your vineyard
- Avoiding common pruning mistakes
- Preventing & managing pruning wound diseases
- And more…
Members Only
Vineyard Management Preparation
Comprehensive discussion on annual vineyard management strategies, including:
- Creating a proactive management plan
- Planning farm inputs and inventories
- Troubleshooting vineyard problems
- Bonus: Vineyard Management Guide
Post Harvest Vineyard Care
Interactive review of vineyard tasks that need to be completed before the start of pruning, including:
- Late season fertilization
- Post-harvest irrigation strategies
- Assessing vineyard health
- Roadmap to planning for next year
- End of Season Checklist – Get your copy here!
Verasion to Harvest
Wine grape quality is greatly influenced by conditions during verasion to harvest. Learn about important actions to take during this time including:
- Crop estimation
- Late season canopy management
- Irrigation & nutrition
- Pest & disease management
- And more…
Members Only
Pre-Bloom Vineyard Management
2 weeks before bloom to 4 weeks after fruit set is the most critical time for managing pest & diseases, vine nutrition, and canopy architecture. Learn about:
- Selecting spray products
- Grapevine tissue sampling
- Leaf removal strategies
- Assessing canopy health & crop load
- And more…
Members Only
Grapevine Pruning Techniques
Correct pruning is essential for a successful growing season. Learn everything you need to know to prune your vineyard including:
- Training young vines
- Selecting fruitful wood
- Spacing spurs
- Balancing crop load
- And more…
Members Only
Preparing for the Growing Season
Proper preparation for the growing season is essential for the health of your vines, your yield, and your sanity during the season. Learn about:
- Developing a pruning strategy
- Inventory of spray products & fertilizers
- Grapevine nutrition after budburst
- Monitoring winter soil moisture
- And more…