This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
The extreme cold of winter can have devastating consequences on many crops in Quebec: frozen roots, broken stems, completely destroyed plants. A good preparation in the field is necessary… as well as a big snowfall.
Simon Naud, from the Vignoble de la Bauge, in Estrie, smiles when he sees the first snowflakes falling. The snow completes his hastily completed winter preparations in mid-November. Indeed, very quickly after the harvest, Quebec winegrowers must prepare their vines so that they do not suffer damage during the winter.
“We have to hurry to install canvases on our viniferas”, explains Mr. Naud, who is especially afraid of extreme cold without a snowfall. “We don’t want to have bare ground during the first major frosts, which can occur early in the fall. The land would become hard and difficult to work afterwards,” he adds.
European grape varieties accustomed to a warmer climate than ours, such as Pinot Gris, Riesling or Chardonnay, need more care and protection than hardy hybrid grape varieties, such as St-Pépin, Sabrevois or Frontenac. which, themselves, spend the winter in the open air without any problem.
“The roots are kept warm in the ground, under the snow. The fruiting parts are about five feet high. It never falls enough snow to fear it will reach them. »
Even though, in fact, there is never enough snow, period.
The example of the wild blueberry
Maxime Paré, agronomist and teacher at the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi, specializes in northern crops, including wild blueberries. “And for this little fruit, snow is a major ally,” he admits straight away. Moreover, he believes that, to ensure the sustainability of the crop, we must find a way to put more snow in the fields.
He explains: “To protect a blueberry plant 15 centimeters high from the winter cold, it takes a good 45 centimeters of snow, or 30 centimeters above the plant, in order to protect the flower buds against the winter cold. This buildup will keep the soil temperature at around 1 or 0 degrees, allowing the microorganisms to function. Otherwise, the cold burns the roots and stems since without snow the ground temperature reaches around -15 degrees Celsius.
In a context of climate change where the amount of snow falling on the ground varies from year to year, how can farmers maximize their chances of properly covering their crops? “There are not 1001 ways,” frankly admits Maxime Paré. According to him, it is enough to bet on the windbreak hedges. These rows of trees or shrubs planted along the edges of the crops reduce the speed of the wind on the ground and thus promote the accumulation of snow.
He issues a warning all the same: “Do not block the wind because it could create a whirlwind and dislodge the snow, which is no better. You must therefore make sure to “choose the right species of trees or shrubs, plant them perpendicular to the prevailing winds and prune them regularly in order to maintain a porosity of 50 to 60%”.
If he doesn’t foresee Quebec winters without snow anytime soon, Maxime Paré warns that we must still be prepared to face mild spells in the spring – earlier and earlier and warmer and warmer.
“But again,” he continues, “if the snowpack has been significant enough over the winter, even if it’s mild for a week, there should still be enough snow to protect the plants until the spring frosts have passed. »
Then, when the snow will melt for good, it will soak the ground with water, which will help to get through the drier periods to come.
It is therefore with relief that the agronomist and the winegrower await the next storms.
Ice wine, happy in the cold
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, relating to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.
This special content was produced by Le Devoir’s special publications team, reporting to marketing. The editorial staff of Le Devoir did not take part.