First UK vineyard adopts UV-C technology to boost vine health
Lincolnshire’s Veenow Vineyard becomes the first in the UK to implement UV Boosting technology, aiming to enhance sustainability and vine health.
Veenow Vineyard has taken a big step in British viticulture by becoming the first vineyard in the UK to implement UV Boosting technology. The system, which applies UV-C light to grapevines, aims to enhance plant resilience against fungal diseases such as powdery and downy mildew while also helping to mitigate frost damage.
According to Veenow, trials have demonstrated that the technology can reduce frost risk by up to 50% when applied within 48 hours of a frost event. Additionally, it has been shown to cut the need for chemical sprays by up to 60%, with just three to four applications per season. The vineyard also expects to see a reduction in disease incidence by an average of 40% and an increase in vine vigour that could lead to a 13% boost in yield.
Robert Greenow of Veenow Vineyard explained the decision behind adopting the new system: “We decided to choose UV Boosting due to the patented technology, robust build quality and technical ability within the team, which made it a great partnership.”
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The vineyard intends to carry out four to five applications throughout the growing season, targeting key grape varieties including Pinot Noir, Bacchus, Chardonnay, Meunier, and Cabernet Noir. Co-owner Katie Greenow emphasised the estate’s commitment to sustainable viticulture: “We decided to be the first in the UK as our passion is sustainability while maintaining quality clean grapes for harvest.”
She continued: “Combining this technology with digestate application and specialist cover cropping is hopefully setting an example that monoculture, mass production vineyards are different to us here.”
A growing mission
UV Boosting, the French company behind the technology, has already seen uptake in vineyards across mainland Europe. CEO Baptiste Rouesné welcomed Veenow’s adoption of the system, stating: “We are very excited at UV Boosting to have a first unit running in the UK in 2025. We have seen the British vineyards grow rapidly in the last years and hopefully we will be able to deploy many more units in the coming years.”
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