dragonfly on vine leaves
vine moth caterpillarvine moth caterpillar Growth is now rampant and the vineyard is teeming with life. Long-nosed Lycid Beetle (Porrostoma rhipidium) long-nosed lycid beetle

In our vineyard there are no good bugs and bad bugs.
There is simply a balance between many different species.

vine moth caterpillarvine moth caterpillar Darkling beetle (Chalcopteroides sp.)darkling beetle
dragon fly

The vineyard is a favoured hunting ground for dragon flies.

dragon fly
Yellow flower wasp (Radumeris tasmaniensis), a predator on Scarab beetle larvae.yellow flower wasp A tiny Robber fly (Atomosia sp.?)robber fly A long-legged fly  (Dolichopodidae sp.) a predator on aphids and other soft-bodied insects.long-legged fly
Case moth (Psychida sp.) the caterpillar hides in a case made from dry plant material and silk.case moth caterpillar Common spotted ladybirds (Harmonia conformis) feed on aphids, scale and mites.ladybird  
shoot thinning

But there is work to do!

With the vines growing so fast thinning becomes necessary. All shoots are hand-sorted and unwanted watershoots removed.

trimming the vines
inter row vegetation mowing and mulching Depending on the season, mowing and trimming start. A special mower throws the cut grass as mulch under the vines.
Suckers growing from the trunk are rubbed off, usually at least three times during a season. echidna between vine suckers suckers
vineyard early morning In hot weather the work is best done early in the morning. vineyard early morning
vine rows
vine inflorescence

Flowering starts with the little cap over the bud falling off and the stamens shedding pollen.

Grape vines are wind pollinated, so now we need kind weather with not too much wind and rain for a good fruit set.

vine inflorescence
vine inflorescence
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to October to December