092: Vineyard Nutrition Essentials - Nitrogen Fundamentals with Dr. Markus Keller
About this episode
Dr. Markus Keller discusses the critical role of nitrogen in vineyard management and its impact on vine performance.
In this first installment of a three-part vineyard nutrition series, Dr. Markus Keller joins us to break down one of the most influential nutrients in vineyard management: nitrogen. We explore from the ground up. Dr. Keller explains what nitrogen is, where it comes from in vineyard soils, and why it plays such a critical role in vine growth, fruit set, and overall vine performance. While nitrogen makes up 78% of the atmosphere, vines rely on soil processes to convert it into plant-available forms like nitrate. Dr. Keller details how nitrogen influences vigor, canopy density, fruit set, berry size, phenolic development, and even wine quality. The episode also dives into how soil type, organic matter, temperature, moisture, and cover crops affect nitrogen availability. For growers across diverse regions, this conversation highlights why vineyard nutrition strategies must be site-specific. Whether you're managing high-vigor blocks or navigating lean soils, episode one of our three-part series equips vineyard owners and operators with foundational knowledge to make smarter nitrogen decisions. In this episode, you will hear: Nitrogen primarily comes from soil organic matter, not rock…
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