Post-winter freeze: Pruning and vineyard recovery

Post-Winter Freeze: Pruning and Vineyard Recovery Webinar
Michigan State University Extension

Severe winter temperatures can significantly impact grapevine health, making early-season decisions critical for vineyard recovery and long-term productivity. In this recorded MSU Extension webinar, we discuss practical strategies growers can use to evaluate winter freeze damage and adjust vineyard management practices for the upcoming season.

This interactive session goes beyond theory by demonstrating hands-on bud dissection techniques, allowing viewers to see how freeze injury is assessed under the microscope. The webinar walks through real examples of bud evaluation, helping growers better understand vine survival, pruning decisions, and recovery potential after cold events.

Topics covered include:
- How winter conditions affect grapevine cold hardiness
- Identifying and assessing bud injury
- Step-by-step bud dissection and evaluation
- Pruning adjustments following freeze damage
- Vineyard recovery strategies for the growing season

Whether your vineyard experienced winter injury or you simply want to be prepared for future cold events, this webinar provides practical, research-based guidance that can be applied directly in the field.

This was a highly interactive and informative session designed to help growers make confident management decisions after challenging winters.

👉 If you work with grapes in cold-climate regions, this webinar is well worth watching.

Presented by:
Esmaeil Nasrollahiazar
Viticulture Extension Educator
Michigan State University Extension