Beginning of the annual vegetation cycle of the vine after the winter dormancy (see also under BBCH code). At an average daily temperature of 8 to 10 degrees Celsius, the buds (winter buds) that were intentionally left during the winter pruning break open. This can be recognized some time in advance, as with the coming spring and thawed soil, the roots begin to pump plant sap into the above-ground part of the vine stock, causing droplets of water to emerge at the cut points of the cut shoots, poetically referred to as "the vine bleeds." As the warmth increases, the buds visibly swell until the woody bud scales break open, revealing a felt-like, ball-shaped hair structure that initially protects the underlying shoot tip from external influences such as sun and rain.
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