VitiForce - Vineyard Management Services

05/09/2026

04/08/2026

🍇 VitiForce Weekly Update | 04/08/2026

Hello vinegrowers,

We can't believe it's already August! It feels like only yesterday we were on frost watch, and now we're in full veraison. It's an exciting stage of the season, especially for vineyards that escaped the spring frosts and have established, mature vines.

Unfortunately, the same can't be said for young vineyards. With the fourth heatwave in a row, many newly planted vines are under significant stress.

🍇 Veraison

Veraison is one of the most exciting stages of the growing season. It marks the beginning of grape ripening and is most noticeable on red varieties as the berries begin changing colour.

Across many mature, non-frosted vineyards, veraison is now well underway. The earliest varieties continue to be Pinot Noir Précoce, Rondo, Regent, and Ortega, with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier now progressing well into this important stage.

🌱 Vineyard Floor Management

Last week we continued several vineyard floor management trials to evaluate different methods of improving soil moisture retention.

Rather than simply mowing, we're assessing how maintaining additional ground cover can provide shade to the soil surface, helping reduce moisture loss and minimise soil cracking during prolonged hot weather.

Every vineyard is different, and the most effective approach depends on soil type, site conditions, and available equipment.

☀️ Drought Stress in Young Vines

While mature vines are generally coping well with temperatures reaching 38°C on some sites, young vines are showing clear signs of drought stress, with wilting becoming increasingly common.

Their developing root systems cannot yet access deeper soil moisture, making them much more vulnerable during extended dry periods.

Management options may include green harvesting to reduce crop demand and, where possible, targeted irrigation to help vines establish successfully.

📉 Yields and Vintage Outlook

Current observations suggest many vineyards are carrying smaller bunches with smaller berries, which is likely to reduce yields. However, these conditions can also produce excellent fruit concentration and outstanding wine quality.

Blago-Vitiforce

26/07/2026

🍇 Vineyard Update & Canopy Management
26/07/2026

This week, we'll be focusing on the following canopy management operations:

• Wire lifting
• Vine trimming
• Leaf stripping
• Vineyard floor management

🍇 Grape Development

Current growth stage: Bunch Closure
Take a look at the bunch size of Pinot Meunier, which is progressing well as the season continues.

If you have any questions about vineyard management or grape development, feel free to leave a comment or send me a message.

Blago
VitiForce Vineyard Management

22/07/2026

🍇 Vitiforce Weekly Update – 22/07/2026 🍇

Hello vine growers,

It's time for our weekly update, covering the operations completed over the past week and the latest fruit development across vineyards.

1. Bunch Closure & Veraison

Veraison is the first visible sign of grape ripening, and some vineyards with Pinot Noir Précoce (Frühburgunder) are already showing the first signs of colour change. While Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are still some way from reaching this stage, the main focus across most varieties right now is bunch closure, an important milestone in the growing season.

2. Downy Mildew

We are currently seeing some presence of Downy Mildew, although infection levels remain low. This is a good time to stay vigilant. Look out for yellow oil spots on the upper side of leaves and white spores underneath, especially after periods of humidity and rainfall. Early identification is key to keeping infections under control.

3. Vine Trimming

Vine trimming should be carried out when shoots have grown well above the top foliage wires and excessive vegetative growth begins to develop. Timely trimming helps redirect the vine's energy towards fruit development rather than continued shoot growth. A big thank you to for helping us get the machine set up and the job completed on time.

4. Under-Vine Cultivation

W**d management remains a priority at this stage of the season. Dense w**d growth can hold moisture from morning dew beneath the canopy, creating a favourable environment for disease development. We use a Boisselet under-vine cultivator to keep w**ds under control organically while improving airflow around the vines.

5. Spraying

Disease protection remains critical. A well-timed spray programme is essential for maintaining a healthy canopy and protecting the crop from diseases that can significantly impact yield and fruit quality.

🍇 Successful vintages are built on strong canopy management, effective under-vine cultivation, and a robust spray programme.

Have a great week in the vineyard!

Blago Dishkov
Vitiforce – Vineyard Management Services

15/07/2026

Fendt promised to gift me a 210V vario tractor if this reel reaches 2mil views...

For all nickelback fans and vineyard operators out there working day and night to catch up with tractor ops.

28/06/2026

🍇 Vitiforce Weekly Update – 28/06/2026 🍇

Hello everyone!

I hope you've all managed to get through the recent heatwave. I never expected temperatures to reach 35°C in the shade, with some areas close to 40°C. After 2 pm it became almost impossible to work safely, making it one of the toughest weeks of the season.

Here's a quick recap and what to focus on this week.

🍇 Fruit Set

Flowering is now complete across all sites, and the vines are entering the fruit set stage. Extreme heat during flowering can reduce fruit set, particularly if vines were in full bloom during the hottest days. Over the next few weeks we'll begin to see the results.

🌿 Canopy Management

Canopy management remains a priority before vine trimming and leaf stripping.

Check that foliage wires are lifted correctly and secure any loose sections with biodegradable clips. Keeping the canopy upright improves airflow, makes future operations easier, and helps maintain healthy vines.

🚜 Spraying

Spraying has been very challenging after weeks of heavy rain followed by extreme heat. The suitable spraying windows have been very short, often leaving only late evenings or very early mornings as safe options.

The good news is that the weather now looks much more favourable, so the next few days should provide an excellent opportunity to catch up.

🔧 Machine Repairs

This week I experienced something completely new.

One of my client's Kubota ride-on mowers blew a fuse because of the heat—and unfortunately it was the fuse that shuts the engine off! 😅 I had to replace the fuse while the mower was still running just so I could switch it off. Thankfully it's repaired and back in action.

🎣 Fishing Trip

After a busy week, Jamie and I enjoyed an evening fishing on the coast. The fish seemed to be hiding in deeper water because of the heat, but we still had a great time and are already planning another trip next month.

Thanks for following these weekly updates. I hope they help, even though there's far too much happening in the vineyards to cover everything in one post.

Have a great week, stay safe in the heat, and I'll see you next Sunday!

Blago 🍇
Vitiforce

21/06/2026

Vitiforce Weekly Update | 21/06/2026

Hello vine growers,

A special week for two reasons: it's my very first Father's Day and the start of English Wine Week! 🍷

Last week's highlights:
✅ Applied biostimulants to support vines affected by the May frosts, particularly those in rabbit guards.

🌼 Flowering is now well underway across vineyards, with many sites reaching 100% flowering. The weather forecast looks very favourable, which means we could start seeing the first signs of fruit set within the next week.

✅ Continued crop walks to monitor vine health, nutrition, and disease pressure across vineyards.

What's next in the vineyard?
🍇 Leaf stripping
🍇 Crop walking
🍇 Spraying
🍇 Undervine Management
🍇 Vine Trimming

Jobs that should be completed by now:
✔️ Bud rubbing
✔️ Wire lifting
✔️ Shoot thinning

Regular crop walks remain the foundation of successful vineyard management, helping identify issues early and make informed decisions throughout the season.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! I'm feeling incredibly blessed to celebrate my first Father's Day and looking forward to taking my little one on a fishing trip tomorrow. 🎣

Have a great week in the vineyard, and enjoy English Wine Week!

15/06/2026

🍇 Vitiforce Weekly Update – 15/06/2026 🍇

What a week it's been!

Over the last 7 days, we've visited vineyards across East Sussex, West Sussex, Bedfordshire, Surrey, Hampshire, and Essex, helping growers stay on top of this crucial stage of the season. Next week, we're heading to Norfolk and the Cotswolds.

🔍 Crop Walks
This week was all about monitoring vine development, checking for disease and nutrient deficiencies, and planning the next steps for each vineyard.

A special mention to Andrew and Chablis (the levely dog) at Hungerhill vineyard. The vineyard is looking better every week, and we're excited to see how drone technology can support future vineyard management.

👏 Great progress is also being made at Woodvalley vineyard, where Kevin and Keeley have worked incredibly hard and did lots of new improvements on the site and new wine release is amazing. Well done!

☀️ The Corboulds in Surrey is currently one of the most advanced sites we've visited, with all varieties now in full flower. It feels more like the South of France than Surrey!

🌸 Flowering
Some vineyards are just starting to flower, while others are already in full bloom. Over the next week, we expect growth stages across the UK to become much more aligned.

🌿 Canopy Management
If you haven't already, the first foliage wire should be lifted and shoots tucked in. Good canopy management remains a top priority.

🚜 Spraying
After Wednesday's rain and the warm weather that followed, disease pressure has increased significantly. These conditions are ideal for fungal development, so now is the time to stay vigilant and keep spray programmes on track.

Need help with crop walking, vineyard management, disease monitoring, or spray planning?

📩 Get in touch.
[email protected]

See you next week!

31/05/2026

Vitiforce Weekly Update – 31/05/2026

Hello everyone,

Here’s a quick update on the current vineyard work and seasonal challenges across our sites. With rain forecast next week, we expect the first real disease pressure of the season, so timing and vineyard management are becoming increasingly important.

Woodvalley Vineyard – First Wine Release

One of my proudest achievements so far.

In 2025, I began working with a fantastic family-run vineyard, providing consultancy and vineyard management support. Together, we successfully produced quality fruit that has now been bottled for their very first wine release.

A huge congratulations to Woodvalley Vineyard — this is only the beginning of an exciting journey.

Vineyard Challenges

This season’s frost events have left vineyards at very different growth stages, from early shoot development to flowering vines, making operations far more complex.

Within just 10 days, temperatures moved from 0°C to 36°C, pushing rapid vine growth across many sites. Current work includes:

shoot thinning,

wire lifting,

biostimulant applications,

adapting frost recovery strategies.

Spraying & Flowering

Recent heatwaves made spraying impossible during peak temperatures, meaning we now have a very tight window before next week’s rain but manage to fit a spray.

Flowering has already started on varieties such as Rondo, Pinot Noir Précoce, and Ortega, which also changes spray programme decisions moving forward. On some very advanced vineyards we witnessed 5% Flowering on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Next Week’s Focus

bud rubbing,

shoot selection,

wire lifting,

mid-wire dropping.

•undervine cultivation/mowing using bossolet from

If you need vineyard support, consultancy, or labour anywhere in the UK, feel free to get in touch.

— Blago | Vitiforce

17/05/2026

Vitiforce weekly update 17/05/2026

Hello guys, here’s what happened last week at the vineyard and some of the jobs we’ve been busy with.

Frost Damage

On Monday 11th of May, temperatures dropped to -1°C and the vines were even more vulnerable than before, which unfortunately caused further frost damage. In some vineyards it affected the first growth, which is manageable, but in most cases the secondary shoots were damaged, reducing potential yield by up to 90%.

However, even in the worst affected areas, we are already seeing new shoots emerging from the crown of the vines. These will help produce healthy growth for next year. In my opinion, this has been the worst frost season in the history of English wine production.

This doesn’t mean we won’t make wine this year — we absolutely will, and it will still be amazing wine — just in smaller quantities.

Regenerative Viticulture Meeting

We attended a viticulture meeting at the wonderful Arun Valley Vineyard / Wildkite, where we discussed frost protection, cover crops, and vineyard machinery supplied by . It was a really valuable day looking at different ways to improve soil texture and structure through regenerative viticulture practices.

A big thank you to Arun Valley for hosting us!

Fertilising

It’s never too late to improve soil health, whether with NPK or natural fertilisers. I also had the pleasure of returning to where my viticultural journey first started — Plumpton College — to help spread fertiliser and give the vines the nutrients they need for the season ahead.

What’s Next?

I believe the frost events are now behind us, and it’s time to focus on the next vineyard operations:
bud rubbing, shoot selection, and preparing the trellising for the new vintage.

Thank you for following and supporting the journey!

Blago – Vitiforce