Training
Cleaning and Maintenance Guide for Pruning Equipment
At Pulverizadores Rocha, we believe that true efficiency in the field begins with informed decisions and the sharing of consistent day-to-day best practices. That is why we continue our monthly feature dedicated to Agricultural Best Practices. Every month, we bring you an essential topic to help optimise your results, reduce waste and promote a more sustainable agricultural production.
Today's article focuses on Cleaning and Maintenance of Pruning Equipment — the key to ensuring operator safety, high-quality pruning and the long service life of your equipment.
After discussing the calibration, cleaning and maintenance of sprayers in previous articles, today we broaden our focus.
Because Pulverizadores Rocha is much more than just sprayers, we are taking a closer look at our range of green pruning equipment (hedgers). However, please note that the cleaning and maintenance guidelines shared here are, in essence, applicable to our entire range of woody crop cutting equipment for vineyards, olive groves and orchards.
What Are Hedgers and Why Are They Important?
Hedgers are essential agricultural machines in modern viticulture, playing a key role in what is commonly known as green pruning (or summer pruning).
Mounted on the front of the tractor (using a mounting frame attached either to the front weight support or to the front hydraulic linkage), these machines are designed to remove excess vegetation (shoots and leaves) growing beyond the desired canopy profile. Their cutting bars are powered either by the tractor's external hydraulic system or, optionally, by a dedicated hydraulic power pack mounted on the rear linkage and driven by the Power Take-Off (PTO). As the tractor moves forward, the blades efficiently trim away excessive growth.
This cultivation practice provides several immediate benefits:
- Improved ventilation and sunlight exposure: Removing excess foliage allows the fruit to receive more sunlight and air circulation, improving ripening while significantly reducing the risk of fungal diseases such as downy mildew and powdery mildew.
- Greater efficiency and productivity: A task that would otherwise require several days of manual labour from an increasingly scarce workforce can be completed in just a few hours using a tractor.
- Improved plant balance: Helps direct the plant's energy towards fruit development instead of excessive vegetative growth.
- Easier subsequent operations: Keeping vineyard rows clean makes it easier to carry out other essential operations, such as crop protection treatments or harvesting.
Types of Hedgers and Cutting Systems
Depending on the layout of your vineyard and the terrain conditions, hedgers are available in different configurations:
- "L" configuration: Cuts the top (canopy) and one side of the vine row, making it ideal for growers who wish to control the height and width of one side at a time.
- "I" configuration: Cuts only one side of the vine row, ideal for controlling the width of a single canopy face.
- Single-row or Double-row models: Simpler machines designed to work on one row at a time, or more robust models capable of trimming two rows simultaneously.
- Inverted "U" configuration: Encloses the vine row completely, trimming both sides and the top in a single pass. This is a highly efficient solution for flat, uniform vineyards.
There are also two main cutting technologies available:
- Reciprocating blades: Operate using a blade and counter-blade system (similar to a giant pair of scissors). They provide an exceptionally clean and precise cut, which is highly beneficial for plant health, although they require a more moderate working speed.
- Rotary knives: Operate using high-speed rotating blades. They allow higher working speeds and perform particularly well when cutting soft shoots and leaves, although the cut is generally less precise than that achieved with reciprocating blades.
⚠️ Safety Notice: As these machines operate with high-speed rotating components or extremely sharp blades, handling and adjustment must always be carried out with great care and using appropriate tractor safety protection, such as an enclosed cab.
The Maintenance Plan: Step by Step
Regular maintenance and cleaning have a direct impact on your equipment's performance, service life and, above all, operator safety. We have divided the recommended maintenance practices into three key stages:
1. Before the Season Begins (Preparation)
This is the stage for a thorough inspection to ensure your equipment performs reliably throughout the working season:
- Visual Inspection: Check the machine frame for cracks, excessive play in articulated arms or worn components.
- Hydraulic System: Inspect hydraulic hoses for cracks, wear or oil leaks. Also check the hydraulic oil level in the tractor or hydraulic power pack, ensuring that the quick couplings are clean and in good condition.
- Cutting Components: On rotary knife models, ensure the blades are sharp, correctly balanced and free from cracks, as unbalanced blades generate vibrations that may damage the machine. On reciprocating blade models, check the clearance between the blade and counter-blade, sharpening the cutting teeth whenever necessary.
- Lubrication: Grease all designated lubrication points, including spindle bearings, using the appropriate grease.
- Safety Systems: Check the anti-shock safety springs, ensuring the cutting bar can safely retract should it accidentally strike a vineyard post.
2. During the Season (Daily and Weekly Maintenance)
Continuous work in the vineyard exposes the machine to dirt, sap and demanding operating conditions. Regular maintenance is therefore essential.
- Daily Cleaning: At the end of each working day, remove accumulated sap, leaves and branches from the cutting blades. Once dried, sap forms a hard residue that restricts the movement of the cutting mechanism and dulls the blades.
- Bolt Tightness Check: Constant vibration may gradually loosen bolts and fasteners. Regularly inspect the tightening of blades and main structural components.
- Routine Lubrication: Apply grease to all articulated joints every 8 to 10 working hours.
- Leak Inspection: Regularly check for hydraulic oil leaks or pressure losses during operation.
3. At the End of the Season (Storage)
Preparing the machine for several months of storage helps prevent corrosion and ensures it will be ready for work when the next season begins.
- Thorough Cleaning: Pressure wash the machine to remove all dirt, dust and plant debris.
- Drying and Protection: Allow the machine to dry completely before applying an anti-corrosion spray (or a light protective oil coating) to the cutting blades and any exposed metal surfaces where the paint has worn away.
- Storage Lubrication: Grease all lubrication points thoroughly to expel any moisture that may have entered during washing.
- Pressure Release: Disconnect the hydraulic hoses, ensuring that the system is completely depressurised, and protect the hydraulic couplings with suitable caps.
- Storage: Store the equipment in a covered, dry and level location, supported on its original parking stands to prevent structural deformation.
⚠️ The Golden Rule of Safety
Never take shortcuts. Any cleaning, sharpening or maintenance operation must always be carried out with the tractor engine switched off, the ignition key removed, and the equipment fully lowered onto the ground or securely supported using appropriate mechanical stands.
Never rely solely on the tractor's hydraulic system to keep the machine suspended while carrying out maintenance work.
Quick Reference Tables
To make maintenance planning easier, we have prepared two summary tables indicating the recommended inspection and maintenance intervals.
Inspection Checklist
| Inspection Item | Daily | Weekly | Annually |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolts and fasteners | ✓ | ||
| Hydraulic oil leaks | ✓ | ||
| Overall structural integrity | ✓ | ||
| Foreign objects (wire, debris, etc.) in the cutting modules | ✓ | ||
| Cutting module protection mechanism (clutch) | ✓ | ||
| General condition of nylon strips in cutting modules (reciprocating blade models) | ✓ | ||
| Drive belts and pulleys (rotary knife models) | ✓ | ||
| General condition of the moving components of the central frame | ✓ | ||
| Condition of the cutting blades | ✓ | ||
| Wear components | ✓ | ||
| General cleaning | ✓ |
Preventive Maintenance Schedule
| Maintenance Operation | Daily | Weekly | Annually |
|---|---|---|---|
| General lubrication | ✓ | ||
| General cleaning of the machine | ✓ | ||
| Sharpening and protection of cutting blades | ✓ | ||
| Adjustment/replacement of anti-friction discs (nylon) | ✓ | ||
| Adjustment/replacement of drive belts (rotary knife models) | ✓ | ||
| Guide roller adjustment | ✓ | ||
| Adjustment/replacement of nylon strips in cutting modules (reciprocating blade models) | ✓ |
At Pulverizadores Rocha, we support farmers throughout every stage of the agricultural cycle.
A well-planned preventive maintenance programme saves time, prevents costly breakdowns during the season and ensures clean, precise cuts throughout the entire pruning campaign.
If you need to replace genuine wear parts or require specialised technical assistance, please contact your nearest Rocha dealer, who will be pleased to assist you with the full support of our technical team.
We also encourage you to share this article with fellow winegrowers and agricultural professionals. Together, we can promote a stronger, safer and more sustainable agriculture.
