Which practice reduces frost risk in advance?

• A. Delaying Pruning
• B. Late-Budding Varieties
• C. Site Selection
• D. Bare soils between the vines

Answer: (C)

Frost risk is driven by the microclimate around the vineyard. Cold air is heavier than warm air and tends to pool in low, flat, poorly drained areas, while elevated, well-drained sites with good air movement and sun exposure warm up earlier in spring. Choosing a site with these characteristics reduces the chance that cold air will settle and cause frost damage, making it an proactive, in-advance measure.

Delaying pruning or using late-budding varieties mainly shifts the timing of budbreak, which can avoid frost damage if frosts occur late, but they don’t change the site’s tendency to form frost pockets. Bare soils between the vines don’t reliably reduce frost risk and can even worsen radiative cooling at night.