Grapevines require a well-balanced nutrient program throughout the season to achieve optimal fruit quality and yield. A combination of foliar and soil-applied nutrition, along with stress mitigation strategies, ensures vines remain resilient and productive.

Soil-Applied Nutrition: Building a Strong Foundation

Soil applications serve as the backbone of vineyard fertility programs, providing essential nutrients that support early-season growth and long-term vine health. Macronutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) promote root establishment, canopy development and fruit formation. Secondary and micronutrients like calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and boron (B) play crucial roles in structural integrity, nutrient transport and flowering success.

A tailored soil nutrition plan should consider soil pH, organic matter content and cation exchange capacity (CEC) to maximize nutrient availability. Incorporating humic acids like our Hydra-Hume® or soil conditioners like Liquid Chisel® can improve nutrient retention and uptake efficiency, preventing leaching and loss.

Foliar Nutrition: Timely Corrections for Optimal Performance

While soil-applied fertilizers provide foundational support, foliar nutrition plays a critical role in correcting deficiencies and enhancing nutrient availability during key growth stages. Pre-bloom applications of zinc (Zn), boron (B) and calcium (Ca) promote uniform flowering and fruit set, reducing issues such as shot berries and uneven clusters. We have a perfect product for this niche called Brexil® CBZ.

Mid-season foliar sprays can help vines efficiently absorb potassium (K), phosphorus (P) and magnesium (Mg) to support fruit sizing, color development and overall vine metabolism. During periods of rapid growth or environmental stress, foliar applications of bio-stimulants and amino acids can enhance nutrient translocation and help maintain vine vigor.

Stress Mitigation: Keeping Vines Resilient

Environmental stresses such as heat, drought and salinity can negatively impact vine performance, leading to reduced yields and lower fruit quality. Silicon-based products, amino acids and seaweed extracts have been shown to enhance plant resilience by improving water-use efficiency, reducing oxidative stress, and stimulating natural defense mechanisms.

Maintaining an adequate balance of calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) is also key to preventing fruit dehydration and maintaining cell wall integrity, ensuring grapes reach their full potential in both size and flavor.

Helena Product Recommendations

For vineyards looking to optimize nutrition and stress mitigation, Helena offers a portfolio of solutions designed to improve plant performance at every stage:

  • Foliar Nutrition: Brexil CBZ (for pre-bloom applications of calcium, boron and zinc to enhance fruit set)
  • Soil-Applied Nutrition: Hydra-Hume, Liquid Onyx®, QHP®+ (for improving soil structure and nutrient retention)
  • Macronutrient Support: Ele-Max® Phos-KMg (for providing phosphorus, potassium and magnesium to support berry development)
  • Stress Mitigation: Megafol®, Orbix® (for improving vine resilience under heat and drought conditions)
  • Biostimulants & Nutrient Efficiency: Standout® (for activating soil biology and improving nutrient uptake efficiency)

By integrating targeted nutrient applications and stress management strategies, growers can ensure vine health, balanced fruit development, and improved quality at harvest. Consult with your Helena representative to develop a customized vineyard fertility plan tailored to your specific conditions and goals.