We often get the question: “Driving along HWY 29, I noticed a lot of standing water in the vineyards. Does this, or worse, does major flooding damage the vines?”
The answer: “No.” The vines are dormant at this time, so there is no activity either in the roots or the top of the vine. In fact, Australia’s Murray River floods for hundreds of miles every year and each spring, the vines come back as healthy as ever. As long as the soil dries in the spring, the vines will be fine. If the water lingers into the growing season, nitrogen is prevented from penetrating the roots and eventual root rot will occur.
In terms of major flooding, water itself is harmless unless there is a current in which moving debris can wipe out vines and trellising. On the plus side, flooding actually drowns the phylloxera aphids, certain nematodes and other related bad critters, keeping their populations under control, naturally.
Dormant vines at V. Sattui Winery, Napa Valley
