On Mon, 7 Apr 2003, Nick Maclaren wrote:

Yes, but I shall need to cut back shoots. Not drastically, but
somewhat. Hence my question of when the sap run STOPS.

Incidentally, late January is an average - it could be a lot
different in different years and parts of the country.

Traditionally vines are pruned in December or January when the sap is at
its lowest. Circumstances often make me do some pruning in late February
and there is already a certainly amount of bleeding (I'm talking about
both southern England and northern France - I have vines in both
places). But when the buds begin to swell it's probably a good idea not
to do any drastic pruning.

What's drastic? Well, anything around the thickness of a pencil or
greater. Thinner shoots one can probably get away with.

A week ago I was finishing maintenance in my vineyard. I managed to
break one or two mature canes and they bled a drop every two or three
seconds. :-(

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