MSU grape spring meeting focuses on season prep

Michigan State University Extension’s (MSU) grape spring kick-off meeting is scheduled to help growers prepare for the 2024 growing season.

The meeting is scheduled for April 19 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Northwest Michigan Horticulture Research Center in Traverse City, Michigan.

Winegrape growers and producers across Michigan are invited to join the hybrid (in-person or virtual) 2024 Statewide Michigan Grape Spring Kickoff meeting. Experts are scheduled to share insights on vineyard health, weather, pest control, organic practices and more.

Hosted by Parallel 45 Vines & Wines and MSU Extension, “this event serves as a crucial opportunity for vineyards and wineries to prepare, adjust and adopt new practices as they kick off the growing season,” according to a news release.

The agenda includes:

• A Holistic Approach to Vine Health, Production and Longevity in a Vineyard System, Fritz Westover, Westover Viticulture
• Weather summary and forecast, Jeffrey Andresen, MSU Department of Geography
• Understanding and Enhancing Grapevine Cold Resilience, Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar, MSU Extension
• Panel discussion on grape pricing survey results + trends in grape purchase contracts, Tony Jacobson, P45
• Protecting berries against insect pests, from bloom to harvest, Rufus Isaacs, MSU
• Panel discussion on converting to organic, Derrick Vogel, Folklor Wine & Cider
• Satellite and machine learning-based vineyard monitoring: soil, maturity, disease, Matthew Homyak, Deep Planet
• Tannin Management, Aude Watrelot, Iowa State

Three Michigan restricted use pesticide applicator recertification credits for private and commercial fruit (1C) will be available for in-person attendees.

For questions or more information, please contact Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar, MSU Extension viticulture educator, at nasroll2@msu.edu or here.

For more information, visit here.