Thinning is a practice that consists of removing shoots from secondary buds on the pruning wood.
This technique minimizes foliage accumulation and bunch overcrowding and contributes to phytosanitary protection. Thinning has a role in regulating production. This practice also reduces the risk of grape shatter in sensitive grape varieties such as Malbec or Merlot, by reducing competition at the fruit setting stage. Thinning can be limited to the base of the vine to facilitate the following year's winter pruning.
2.3.3.a What is thinning and what purpose does it serve?
When should it be done and is it possible to combine it with another task?
Thinning is done in May, when the secondary buds have grown sufficiently and the risk of extreme weather conditions (frost, hail) has passed. Thinning can be combined with desuckering when the latter is carried out by hand. The combination of these two practices is called evasivage in some regions.