Vineyard Underground

Fritz welcomes back Dr. Kendra Baumgartner, a longtime friend and one of his very first podcast guests, to tackle a question every grower eventually faces: when does an aging vineyard block cross from struggling to done? Kendra walks through the trunk diseases, root pathogens, and viruses that build up in vines over decades, explaining which problems a vine can carry for years and which ones signal it's time to act. Fritz and Kendra cover how to sample and diagnose these issues in the field, when retraining a vine still makes sense, and when replanting is the smarter call. Kendra brings decades of USDA plant pathology experience and now runs her own vineyard consulting practice, giving growers a clear framework for reading the signs before decline spreads across a whole block. Growers walking their older vineyards this fall will find plenty to take back into the rows. In this episode, you will hear: Trunk diseases like esca, Eutypa, and Botryosphaeria dieback, and how fast each one actually kills a vine Sawing into a vine to find wood cankers and confirm a diagnosis before ripping anything out When retraining or "vine surgery" saves a declining vine, and when it's a waste of time Root diseases including armillaria, black foot, and phytophthora, and the wet soil conditions that invite them Leafroll and red blotch virus, how they spread, and their long term drag on fruit quality Grape root borer, cane borer, and nematodes as hidden causes of vineyard decline A practical framework for deciding whether to retrain, replant, or rip out an aging block Follow and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more listeners. 💜 Click the '+' in the top right corner of Apple Podcasts to follow now. Episode Resources: Register for Fritz's FREE live virtual post-harvest learning event - Vineyard Rx: Post-Harvest Diagnostics and Action Plans on October 7th at 6:00 PM Central. Have a vineyard question?  Go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button. Today's Guest: Dr. Kendra Baumgartner is a retired Research Plant Pathologist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service and is based at the University of California, Davis. Connect with Kendra at nextvintageconsulting.com or email her at [email protected]. Episode Sponsor: Today's episode was brought to you by Vigneron Toy Store. Thank you to Vigneron Toy Store for sponsoring today's episode. Vigneron Toy Store specializes in Harvesters, Sprayers, Frost Mitigation Equipment, Canopy Management Trimmers, and more. As grape growers themselves, they can expertly help you determine the best equipment for your specific vineyard needs. And, as a special offer for our podcast listeners, you can save 5% off in-stock machines by entering the promo code Underground on the contact form at vignerontoystore.com. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

In this episode, Fritz talks with Shiraz Mottiar, Team Principal and GM at Malivoir Wine Company in Ontario, Canada, about three sustainability practices any vineyard can put into place, whether or not they are pursuing certification. Shiraz shares the story of Malivoir's growth on the Beamsville Bench and his long involvement with Sustainable Winegrowing Ontario and research at Brock University's Cool Climate Enology and Viticulture Institute. Fritz and Shiraz compare certified sustainable vs organic approaches, focusing on how sustainability balances environmental care, community impact, and business viability. Listeners learn how Malivoir manages soil health through semi-permanent cover crops, alternating tillage, compost and manure, and careful mowing to reduce erosion on sloped, clay-based sites. Shiraz explains how they trial biological soil and foliar products in small blocks, leaving untreated controls and collecting data like cluster weights before adopting anything widely. Listen in to learn about the sustainability practices every vineyard can implement. In this episode, you will hear: How semi-permanent cover crops and alternating tillage cycles can build soil structure and reduce erosion. Why Shiraz shifted from organic certification to a broader sustainability framework that includes economics and community impact. How to set scouting protocols and thresholds so you are spraying pests only when you truly need to. Simple ways to trial biological products using side‑by‑side comparisons and vineyard data instead of marketing claims. Why packaging and glass reuse may be the next major frontier for vineyard and winery sustainability. Follow and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more listeners. 💜 Click the '+' in the top right corner of Apple Podcasts to follow now. Resources: Have a vineyard question? Go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button. Come grow with Fritz at https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com! Save $75 off your first year of membership with the code Underground at checkout. Today's Guest: Shiraz Mottiar is a highly celebrated Canadian viticulturist and wine executive. He currently serves as the General Manager, Team Principal, and Winegrowing Director at Malivoire Wine Company on the Beamsville Bench in Niagara, Ontario.  Connect with Shiraz - https://malivoire.com/ Episode Sponsor: Today's episode was brought to you by Sunridge Nurseries and Clemens Technologies. Thank you to Sunridge Nurseries for sponsoring today's episode. Sunridge Nurseries is the exclusive nursery sponsor of the Vineyard Underground podcast. They have been a family-owned company for over 45 years, and their dedicated focus on quality and consistency has grown them into the largest supplier of grapevines in both North and South America and the industry leader in nursery standards. Visit them today at SunridgeNurseries.com and mention the code Underground to receive a podcast listener discount on your vine order. Thank you to Clemens Technologies for sponsoring today's episode. Clemens Technologies is the market leader in machinery for all elements of vineyard management. Visit https://www.clemens-online.com/us/ and provide the code UNDERGROUND to receive 5% off your order of in-stock machinery. Or reach out to Thomas Clemens directly at [email protected] with any questions. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

In this bonus episode, Fritz shares key lessons from his week in Ontario as the invited speaker for the 13th Triggs International Premium Vinifera Lecture Series, hosted by Brock University's Cool Climate Enology and Viticulture Institute. Speaking directly to cool-climate vineyard owners and managers, Fritz explains why nutrient management is a pressing topic for Canadian growers, particularly in non-irrigated vineyards that rely on ground-applied fertilizers. He walks through current practices in Ontario, contrasts them with fertigation approaches used in British Columbia, and highlights where growers have strong foundations and where there is room to refine their approach. Listeners will come away with specific ways to fine-tune sampling, fertilizer timing, and nutrient sources to support vine balance and fruit quality in cool-climate vineyards. In this episode, you will hear: Why the Triggs Lecture Series matters for cool-climate vineyards How Ontario growers currently manage nutrients without irrigation When and why to add leaf blade sampling and bloom-time tissue tests Smarter timing for soil vs foliar nitrogen, magnesium, and boron applications Common nutrient issues in Ontario and better options for addressing them Follow and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more listeners. 💜 Click the '+' in the top right corner of Apple Podcasts to follow now. Resources: Have a vineyard question? Go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button. Come grow with Fritz at https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com! Save $75 off your first year of membership with the code Underground at checkout. Episode Sponsor: Today's episode was brought to you by Clemens Technologies. Thank you to Clemens Technologies for sponsoring today's episode. Clemens Technologies is the market leader in machinery for all elements of vineyard management. Visit https://www.clemens-online.com/us/ and provide the code UNDERGROUND to receive 5% off your order of in-stock machinery. Or reach out to Thomas Clemens directly at [email protected] with any questions. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

In this Q&A episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz answers real-world questions from growers across the U.S., covering late-season disease management, water and nutrient strategy, and vine removal decisions. Fritz talks through post-harvest care for young, non-bearing vines, how to handle irrigation and foliar disease pressure in different regions, and clears up confusion around growing degree days.  He also explains how to work with phosphorous acid fungicides and spray tank pH, why and how to remove struggling vines when repurposing a block, and ways to improve fruit acidity and yeast-assimilable nitrogen for better fermentations. The episode closes with guidance on supporting weaker replants surrounded by mature vines. Listeners will gain clear, field-tested guidance they can apply right away to protect vine health, improve fruit quality, and make smarter long-term decisions in their vineyards. In this episode, you will hear: How to manage irrigation and disease control for non-bearing young vines heading into fall Why negative growing degree days are set to zero and how to choose a realistic start date Best timing and methods for removing underperforming vines  How phosphorous acid fungicides fit into a spray program and why spray water pH matters Ways to boost fruit YAN and acidity, while supporting pale, third-leaf replants facing competition with mature vines Follow and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more listeners. 💜 Click the '+' in the top right corner of Apple Podcasts to follow now. Episode Sponsor: Today's episode was brought to you by Vintner's Vault and Vigneron Toy Store. Thank you to Vintner's Vault for sponsoring today's episode! Vintner's Vault is the #1 winery equipment company that I recommend to my growers, who are also winemakers. Visit TheVintnerVault.com and use the code UNDERGROUND5 (all caps) to save 5% off of your online order or mention that you heard about them on the Vineyard Underground podcast when contacting them for a larger piece of equipment, consulting services, or turn-key packages, and they will provide a podcast listener discount for you. Thank you to Vigneron Toy Store for sponsoring today's episode. Vigneron Toy Store specializes in Harvesters, Sprayers, Frost Mitigation Equipment, Canopy Management Trimmers, and more. As grape growers themselves, they can expertly help you determine the best equipment for your specific vineyard needs. And, as a special offer for our podcast listeners, you can save 5% off in-stock machines by entering the promo code Underground on the contact form at vignerontoystore.com. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.

In this episode of Vineyard Underground, Fritz talks with Dr. Mark Krasnow of Thoughtful Viticulture about how to tell real vine stress from false alarms in the vineyard. Mark explains why grapevines are often tougher than they look and breaks stress into three main categories: water, heat, and wind. He and Fritz highlight common misreads and show how these assumptions lead to overwatering, shallow roots, excess vigor, and higher disease risk. The conversation focuses on using data instead of guesswork, pairing tools such as pressure bombs, porometers, and soil moisture probes so growers can set meaningful irrigation thresholds. Mark also shares why he prefers early-season water stress for red varieties to influence berry size and phenolics, while keeping vines better supplied after veraison. They compare stress responses in young versus mature vines and touch on Mark's work with powdery mildew spore monitoring, which suggests many early-season sprays may be unnecessary.  In this episode, you will hear: Why grapevines are often more resilient than growers assume How overwatering can create shallow roots, excess vigor, and more disease risk The difference between perceived water stress and measured stress How to pair soil moisture probes with pressure bomb readings to set a real "red line" for irrigation Why early-season water stress can improve red wine quality when managed correctly How vine age affects stress tolerance and root development Follow and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more listeners. 💜 Click the '+' in the top right corner of Apple Podcasts to follow now. Resources: If you're starting a vineyard or thinking about starting a vineyard, visit https://www.virtualviticultureacademy.com/growsmart to get Fritz's online Prospective Winegrape Grower Course to help you get your vineyard planned and planted correctly from the start. Use the code PODCAST at checkout to save $89.99 as a thank you for being a podcast listener. Have a vineyard question? Go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button. Today's Guest: Dr. Mark Krasnow is a renowned plant physiologist and consultant and the founder of Thoughtful Viticulture – a company that helps vineyards grow the highest quality fruit in the most sustainable and efficient manner possible. Connect with Mark at thoughtfulviticulture.com and follow him @drkraz or on his blog https://www.thoughtfulviticulture.com/blog. Episode Sponsor: Today's episode was brought to you by HydroGeo Environmental and SensorInsight. Thank you to HydroGeo Environmental for sponsoring today's episode. For over 20 years, Bubba Beasley and his team have helped vineyard growers with site assessments, mapping, soil and groundwater evaluations, and optimal vineyard layouts. Using the latest technology and industry expertise, HydroGeo brings clarity to even the most complex landscapes. Visit HydroGeoEnvironmental.com and mention the Vineyard Underground podcast for a special discount on your service. Thank you to SensorInsight for sponsoring today's episode. SensorInsight is a leader in vineyard soil moisture and weather monitoring. SensorInsight designs state-of-the-art, remote satellite monitoring of soil moisture and weather, bringing actionable information for your vineyard operations straight to your phone, with real-time data so you can best decide when to turn on your irrigation, how long to run the system, and learn how the dynamics of soil moisture can change over a given season. Visit them today at https://sensorinsight.io. And don't forget to mention the code Underground to receive a discount on your SensorInsight solution. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.