The science of dormancy: a guide to winter pruning of soft fruits and alpine recovery
The silence of February in Verrayes (Aosta Valley) is not absence of life, but a waiting.
It is the time of mountain maintenance, a ritual that we at La Casa di Paglia B&B live with patience, following the slow rhythms of nature.
At this time, plants are in dormancy, a biochemical survival strategy that protects buds from the alpine frost.
The technique: pruning to regenerate
Intervening now allows us to shape the plant without stressing its sap flow.For our raspberries, the rule is strict:
Everbearing varieties: we remove the two‑year‑old canes that have already produced (the dry ones) and select the best ones from the previous year, the most vigorous, trimming them back to where they have already fruited.
These canes, in fact, have already produced on their upper part in the last season and will produce on their lower part in the coming season.
In spring, new shoots will emerge from the ground, allowing the cycle to repeat.
The perfect cut: it must be at a 45‑degree angle, directed away from the bud, to avoid water pooling and rot.
Caring for the land is an heroic act
Maintenance does not concern plants alone.Winter means checking the stability of our dry‑stone walls, our guardians against erosion, and clearing the paths.
It is physically demanding work, done in harsh cold, which really tests muscles and joints.
Alpine biohacking: recovery with CBD
After hours spent among the rows, the body calls for a conscious recovery.Here comes the science of Piccolo Laboratorio Alpino into play.
The Full Spectrum extract from our mountain‑grown hemp leverages the entourage effect: cannabinoids and terpenes work together to modulate the TRPV1 receptors, responsible for pain perception, and to inhibit inflammation.
Taking a few drops of 10% or 20% CBD oil before going to sleep helps to release muscle contractions caused by the cold and improves the REM phase, which is crucial for tissue repair.