107: Is It Time to Pull the Block - Assessing Decline in Older Vines with Dr Kendra Baumgartner

Fritz welcomes back Dr. Kendra Baumgartner, a longtime friend and one of his very first podcast guests, to tackle a question every grower eventually faces: when does an aging vineyard block cross from struggling to done? Kendra walks through the trunk diseases, root pathogens, and viruses that build up in vines over decades, explaining which problems a vine can carry for years and which ones signal it's time to act. Fritz and Kendra cover how to sample and diagnose these issues in the field, when retraining a vine still makes sense, and when replanting is the smarter call. Kendra brings decades of USDA plant pathology experience and now runs her own vineyard consulting practice, giving growers a clear framework for reading the signs before decline spreads across a whole block. Growers walking their older vineyards this fall will find plenty to take back into the rows. In this episode, you will hear: Trunk diseases like esca, Eutypa, and Botryosphaeria dieback, and how fast each one actually kills a vine Sawing into a vine to find wood cankers and confirm a diagnosis before ripping anything out When retraining or "vine surgery" saves a declining vine, and when it's a waste of time Root diseases including armillaria, black foot, and phytophthora, and the wet soil conditions that invite them Leafroll and red blotch virus, how they spread, and their long term drag on fruit quality Grape root borer, cane borer, and nematodes as hidden causes of vineyard decline A practical framework for deciding whether to retrain, replant, or rip out an aging block Follow and Review: If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts! Your support helps us reach more listeners. 💜 Click the '+' in the top right corner of Apple Podcasts to follow now. Episode Resources: Register for Fritz's FREE live virtual post-harvest learning event - Vineyard Rx: Post-Harvest Diagnostics and Action Plans on October 7th at 6:00 PM Central. Have a vineyard question?  Go to VineyardUndergroundPodcast.com and click the Ask Fritz button. Today's Guest: Dr. Kendra Baumgartner is a retired Research Plant Pathologist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service and is based at the University of California, Davis. Connect with Kendra at nextvintageconsulting.com or email her at [email protected]. Episode Sponsor: Today's episode was brought to you by Vigneron Toy Store. Thank you to Vigneron Toy Store for sponsoring today's episode. Vigneron Toy Store specializes in Harvesters, Sprayers, Frost Mitigation Equipment, Canopy Management Trimmers, and more. As grape growers themselves, they can expertly help you determine the best equipment for your specific vineyard needs. And, as a special offer for our podcast listeners, you can save 5% off in-stock machines by entering the promo code Underground on the contact form at vignerontoystore.com. Episode Credits If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com. Let them know we sent you.