Bud Hardiness Data

Grapevine Cold Hardiness Monitoring

Winter low temperatures that fall below a critical value can damage grapevine buds.  The critical temperature for bud injury varies over the dormant season, and responds to daily changes in temperature.  We can measure this critical temperature through a procedure called differential thermal analysis, which involves controlled freezing of a sample of buds collected from vineyards. In 2021-2022, we are modifying the monitoring plan used in previous years and are now reporting cold hardiness for 12 cultivars.  

We monitor samples weekly from November to March, and every two weeks for samples from Finger Lakes and Lake Erie vineyards between mid-winter and March.

The data presented here is part of the Fruit Crop Physiology Research and Extension program at Cornell University. Below is a link to our new interactive cold hardiness app. Please give it a try and let us know if you experience any problems with the interface.