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Story: Viticulture

Frost sprinklers

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Frost sprinklers

Frosts can destroy vines and the grape crop. Many growers use water sprinklers to protect their plants when frosts are forecast. When water freezes on the vine it releases latent heat, keeping the growing buds or grape berries at a temperature where damage does not occur. These sprinklers are in the William Hill vineyards, near Alexandra, Central Otago.

Using this item

Otago Daily Times

Reference: 18 October 2006, p. 18

by Diane Brown

Permission of the Otago Daily Times must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Maggy Wassilieff, Viticulture – Cultivation requirements, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/18308/frost-sprinklers (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 1 March 2009.