@thewinearound: In Japan, pressure washing grapevines is a specialized dormant-season technique used for two main reasons: Pest Control: It strips away old, shaggy bark where mealybugs, mites, and fungal spores hide during winter, reducing the need for chemical sprays later. Decontamination: Following the Fukushima disaster, it became a vital method to remove radioactive particles trapped in the bark, preventing them from migrating into the fruit. Warning: too much pressure can "girdle" the vine, killing it by damaging the living tissue (cambium) under the bark. #thewinearound #japan