Really late cleaning

 

If the stems haven't been collected when you lift the double thread, you have to place them manually afterwards.

The mood changes between confident optimism like "We'll make it, don't worry" and black despair "I've never seen anything like this".

This year nothing is normal however, and the vines have grown like crazy between the first lifting, where things were still rather tidy, and the second, where about time is a moment long gone. Read more about lifting.

This means, that the stems have grown so long, that they now break very easily, when you manipulate them. And also that the two plots at the moment are far too fragile and unprotected, should one of the regular thunderstorms of summer arrive with it's unpleasant mix of wind, rain and hail. We've already seen a couple of them, but without damage for us so far.

 

The stems have grown so long, that the lines are anything but neat and nice.

All possible hours - that means, when it doesn't rain - we go to the vines to lift, put back stems and place the little plastic clips that keep the whole lot together.

No stems the wrong way
Many of the stems have grown longer than one and a half meter. Some grow nicely along the fence, others try to work their way towards the neighbouring one. It is about time to remove them, otherwise the tractor, that will cut the tops of the vines, cannot go through.

The last task is to place the little plastic clips, where it is necessary. The idea is one per plant, that is a bit less than one per meter. The clip keeps the two threads in the same heigth together, and that makes the stems stay where they are. Only after the clips are placed, the wind cannot lift the double thread off the hooks on the iron posts anymore.

 

Stems with an unwished direction towards the next line, at the end of the stem the sensitive point, that will seize and twist itself around whatever obstacle it meets.