Binding with “strope”

Growers tie shoots between late winter and early spring while vines remain dormant. Traditional strope are natural bindings cut from flexible, reddish willow commonly grown beside ditches and in damp areas. Each knot must grip the pergola wire firmly enough to prevent wind-driven movement but remain loose around the shoot so that growth is not constricted. The practice depends on manual skill and preserves a slow seasonal rhythm as the vine begins to awaken.