- Duration
3 Days
- Attendance
- 09:00 -16.15
- Location
- Plumpton College
Course Overview
Elevate your vineyard management skills with our Advanced Principles of Vinegrowing – Spring Operations course.
Over three days, explore and learn about crucial spring tasks such as tying down, wire work, bud rubbing and shoot selection, vineyard floor management and pest and disease management to prepare for managing vines during their critical growth period. Frost mitigation and monitoring will also be covered. Ideal for vineyard managers, vineyard workers, winemakers, and viticulture enthusiasts seeking to advance their spring vineyard care knowledge and practical skills.
Spring marks the start of the growing season and is a pivotal period for vineyard care. Learn about essential spring operations, including tying down, wire dropping, bud rubbing, crown clearing, vineyard floor management, spring cover crops, pest and disease management, petiole and sap analysis, monitoring for spring frost. Whether you're refining strategies or seeking advanced knowledge, this course equips you with the skills to optimise vine health and crop yield.
Why Attend?
- Enhance understanding of vine health
- Learn from industry experts
- Hands-on practical training
- Comprehensive spring operations coverage
Modules
- Day 1: Tying down, wire management, bud rubbing/crown clearing/ shoot selection, vine replants, frost mitigation, monitoring and what to do if you are frosted
- Day 2: Vineyard floor management & pests and diseases management
- Day 3: Practical Session – Demonstrations of bud rubbing, crown clearing and shoot selection. Sampling techniques for petiole analysis. Vineyard visit, to look at cover crops and vineyard floor management
Assessment
At the end of the course, participants will take part in a short test to assess their knowledge of the course content. Upon successful completion, attendees will receive a Certificate of Achievement in Spring Vineyard Management, showcasing their mastery of critical spring vineyard tasks.
Entry Requirements
This course is ideal for vineyard managers, viticulture students, winemakers, and operations staff seeking to elevate their vineyard care practical skills and knowledge about key spring vineyard operations.
Course Cost
This course is FREE*, thanks to the Plumpton Wine Resilience Fund. More information about this fund can be found here.
Please refer to our terms and conditions below to take advantage of this offer between January - July 2026.
Note that the cost will show on your application form, however please disregard this if you meet the funding criteria to access the Plumpton Wine Resilience Fund.
*Subject to eligibility
Cost for a non-funded learner: £610
What is it like to be a student on this course?
Industry Links & Affiliation
This course is eligible for continuous professional development (CPD) from BASIS. The points available upon completion of this course is shown below:-
BASIS Reference number 175276019951
| Total | CP | E | AP | PN | PD | HS | IPM |
| 20 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Key: | Crop Protection | Environment | Application Practice | Plant Nutrition | Personal Development | Health & Safety | Integrated Pest Management |
Terms & Conditions
1. Course Dates:
All courses must be booked and attended between 1 January and 31 July 2026
2. Commitment to attend:
All courses are fully funded. By enrolling on a programme, you are committing to attend. Failure to attend without notifying the College at least 10 days prior to the course start date will result in a £50 administration charge.
3. Number of Courses:
There is no limit to the number of courses an individual or company may book under this scheme. However, no one course can be repeated by and individual.
4. Materials:
Any required materials or equipment must be purchased separately and are not covered by the funding. These will be clearly stated in the course information.
5. Eligibility:
Free training is offered through the Governments' Adult Skills Fund and cannot be accessed by individuals or organisations from devolved authorities (Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, York and North Yorkshire, North East, East Midlands, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Cornwall, Tees Valley, London)
6. Accommodation and travel:
Plumpton College does not provide free accommodation.
On-site accommodation may be available at a discounted rate, subject to availability and payable separately.
We do have travel bursaries for those in low income please look on our website for further details.
Course Dates
- Start Date
- 8 April 2026
- End Date
- 10 April 2026
Other courses that may interest you
National Wine Training Programme
The National Wine Training Programme offers structured courses at three levels - Introduction, Intermediate, and Advanced - designed to enhance skills and knowledge in areas like vinegrowing, winemaking, and wine business for all experience levels.
