What is it?

The Cordon is a system of vine training during the winter pruning select 5, 7 and positioned lignified shoots well from which you will derive as many spurs to two, three gems. Unlike Guyot that selects a limited number of spurs, the spurs are pruned in this phase of production prevails. The choice between a system of farming and the other varies based on the location of the plant, the characteristics of fertility which are also influenced by climatic conditions and the need to mechanize as much as possible pruning. The choice, therefore, do not ever rely on the personal tastes of the farmer, but only and exclusively on the environmental parameters, geographic and plant indicated.

Features

The Cordon is a system of pruning, that is suitable for vines fruiting buds at the base of the branches, and so it is not recommended for plants with low fertility. The breeding produced with this system consists of a horizontal cordon placed at 90, 100 cm above the ground on which they are left with two short spurs, three gems. One of the features not to be overlooked in this type of farming is the density of the system, ie the number of rows at a distance from each other. To benefit from the Cordon you must comply with certain parameters of distance between a row and the other, but not limited to the distance from the line cord is essential. Influences the quality of the grapes, while the distance between rows, is carried out in order to avoid the gray areas, can influence the production. The planting density, in turn, is influenced by other factors such as physical and chemical characteristics of the soil, the variety of life, climate, the production target. For distances to choose from than others will be tied in part to the farming system, in this case, Cordon, and in part to the geophysical parameters that are not technically controllable. If you use the Cordon distances over one meter in the row are not going well, better to choose distances from 70 to 100 cm. Even for distances between the rows must meet certain "measures": more than two meters and means may, in fact, jeopardize the quality of production. Even the orientation of the rows is important for a successful outcome of the farming system. The rows are arranged to facilitate a higher interception of solar energy. The arrangement varies by region. In North and Central use the configuration East - West. The Cordon for its distinctive features allows you to: get a plant density adjust, ensuring a good balance of production, a good exposure of the leaves and the ability to mechanize the pruning and harvesting. Other features of the Cordon, even the possibility of eliminating the binding of the vine after harvest. The binding is the set of laces (vegetable, synthetic or metal) that tie the vine to the support.

Disadvantages of Cordon

Breeding with the Cordon surely involves the advantages but also disadvantages that you need to know to avoid hitting the wrong in a system which could seriously compromise the quality and the entire production. This system is not suitable, as well as the screws of low fertility, even for those with cluster compact varieties that are easily susceptible to be affected by vine diseases like botrytis and sour rot. The Cordon is also more susceptible to winter damage. The scheme also involves a certain overhead of a strain that could affect the production.

Stages of farming

Breeding with spurred cordon system at some stage is similar to Guyot, the difference is in the winter pruning, which we mentioned in the first paragraph. Ma vediamo nel dettaglio come si svolge l’intera fase dell’allevamento della pianta che comprende  il periodo della vegetazione e quello della potatura. Prima dell’impianto si tagliano le radici fino alla lunghezza di 1, 2 cm; queste, germoglieranno a primavera. In winter you choose the shoot in the best position (and better aligned with the central plant), depending on the force are cut 2, 3 gems, for the most vigorous, 4, 5 gems. The Cordon adapts to less vigorous plants. At the second year, thin out the shoots that have reached 15, 20 cm and extends the line of dock height of 80, 100 cm; in the winter pruning cut all the buds developed better than leaving it reaches the wire shore and cut just under the wire. In the spring of the third year cut all the buds placed on the trunk and leave those places on the horizontal line, in the winter pruning of the same year he left the bud that will become the fruiting. Winter pruning of the fourth year can be carried out in Guyot or Cordon. With this second method selected the spurs of which is the gem will have a distance of 15, 20 cm apart.