Editor's note: This article was produced in 2002 in response to the frost conditions. The original article can be found at: http://www.ipm.msu.edu/CAT02_frt/F04-30-02.htm#6

As a result of last week's frost, many grape growers are looking at vineyards that will not produce an economic crop this year. Following on the heels of last year's poor crop, growers will not want to spend much money on their vineyards. It is tempting to just ignore your vineyards this season and cut your losses. An important thing to remember is that many of the buds that push now may be fruitful. It is important to get a handle how much crop you may actually end up with. Areas that look like a disaster now may have a marketable crop at harvest. The vines will also be growing wood for next year. With little fruit on these vines, their energy will go into shoot growth. Like last year we will end up with lots of shaded wood that makes for poor fruiting canes. Shaded buds have reduced fruitfulness. In frost-damaged vineyards you need to keep costs down and develop good wood for next year.

The same goes for herbicides. Stick to your scheduled herbicide applications to keep weeds in the trellis row down. You still want to maintain a clean vineyard. Suckering is expensive and many growers will just burn them off, but this frost does give you a good opportunity for trunk renewal in your vineyards. Many growers will reject this out of hand as too expensive in the middle of two bad crop years. Many of our vineyards would benefit from this and you might choose one or two vineyards to improve this year. You might make back your losses later with increased yields.

Many growers will cut back on their fertilizer program. Most growers have already put on part of their nitrogen and all of their potash. I do not see a reason to put on more nitrogen after last year's growth and what looks like two years of light crop. I would recommend applying nitrogen only and only to vineyards where shoot growth is poor. I do not see a need for other nutrients.