# Come on spring!!! What's it like at your vineyard?



## Kilohertz (Mar 1, 2018)

A this rate, we may see the soil by April, what a winter. Snowfall after snowfall, over 3' still in some places on my property here in the North Okanagan valley.

Anybody snow free yet?

Here is a picture from last week looking out at the hop yard, and soon to be started vineyard with 25 transplants from last summer. Hopefully they take root.

Cheers


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## shrewsbury (Mar 1, 2018)

Snow is gone, and it has been 40 and raining for a few days. Pretty much near flood conditions. The rain is suppose to turn to snow tonight and everything will be iced up come morning.


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## JimInNJ (Mar 1, 2018)

Buds look alive. Looking forward to pruning soon.


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## Johnd (Mar 1, 2018)

Meanwhile, in the Deep South, record highs in the 80’s, pine and oak pollen everywhere, flowers blooming, and almost all of the trees are leafing out. Summers gonna suck.


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## treesaver (Mar 1, 2018)

No snow here. Sun was out today and in the low fiftys, so I went to hacking on my vines! Just got a good start, the sun going down and getting chilly out there! I'm changing some old vines that were trellised on double kniffen over to twc. I lose to much fruit on the lower wire to all kinds of varmits. Funny how everything just helps themselves to your grapes!


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## JimInNJ (Mar 1, 2018)

Moving the renewal zone up has got to be a lot easier than down. I built my trellis for VSP with two fruiting wires so I could experiment. Last year it was Pendelbogen, but I want to shift to Double Guyot on the lower wire.

I also have two Cabernet Franc vines that were leftover when I planted two years ago. I had temporarily stuck them in a corner of the garden and head trained them. That was NOT a good choice in such a vigorous site. This winter I built a lyre trellis for them, but the wires where I want to establish cordons are about a foot below the heads..


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## GreenEnvy22 (Mar 1, 2018)

I was wearing shorts on Tues/Wed. Tonight we are supposed to get 6-12" snow.


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## balatonwine (Mar 2, 2018)

The current Arctic high-pressure system sure has tossed many for a cold snap. It's been -15°C (5°F) at night with -10°C (14°F) days for the past 10 days. Fortunately, weather should turn above freezing both nights and days next week. In any case, Spring should still arrive on schedule in the Northern Hemisphere: March 20th.


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## GreenEnvy22 (Mar 2, 2018)

Ugh,,,


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## Kilohertz (Mar 2, 2018)

I see I'm not the only one with a snow problem, got another 3" last night and just finished a plowing job, off to do one more after lunch. Can hardly wait to see the soil again....come on spring.

Cheers


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## CTDrew (Mar 2, 2018)

It was in the 50s earlier in the week and I was out doing some pruning. Today in the 30s with rain and sleet. Hopefully soon the nice weather will win out!


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## NorCal (Mar 2, 2018)

Cold and wet, no snow and no hints of bud break here in the foothills of Nor Cal.View attachment 46975


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## JimInNJ (Mar 3, 2018)

Morning after the nor'easter.View media item 4571


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## JimInNJ (Mar 21, 2018)

Waiting for the next nor'easter.


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## JimInNJ (Mar 22, 2018)

This is what spring looks like here:


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## wxtrendsguy (Mar 22, 2018)

Looks the same on this side of the Delaware River too....14" of spring covering everything.....


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## havlikn (Mar 22, 2018)

Spring in SE Wisconsin.


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## treesaver (Mar 28, 2018)

All my vines have been shaved! Not a sign of bud swell or sap run yet. Every night it is still getting into the twentys, and now they have snow in the forcast for this Sunday. Easter bunny gonna get a cold butt! Had let the stove (outside boiler) go out about a week ago, but was getting so cold in the house, I started it back again! Come on spring!


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## KevinL (Mar 29, 2018)

Just got done doing the last bit of pruning today. I've got some sap run and the buds look a touch bigger, but maybe it's just wishful thinking. Still pretty cold, but it is giving me time to slack off..


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## wxtrendsguy (Mar 29, 2018)

Starting to see a little sap run in the Chardonnay and Pinot. Snow is down to just a few dwindling piles and melting fast tonight.


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## JimInNJ (Mar 29, 2018)

Planted two Barbera and a Sangiovese yesterday, under those new lyre trellises.

I'd better find some time to prune the rest of my little vineyard this weekend. Buds are starting to get that pusywillow look.


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## wxtrendsguy (Mar 31, 2018)

Too early to plant if you are in NJ.....caution!!! Wait till April 15.


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## JimInNJ (Mar 31, 2018)

This was the planting time recommend by both Double A Vineyards and Grafted Grapevines when I did my original planting two years ago. They are completely covered by mounded up soil now.

In 2016 shoots emerged April 24th. They were immediately eaten by rabbits and birds (with apparently thought they were grubs), but that is another story, and I have grow tubes waiting to slap on them this time.


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## Kilohertz (Mar 31, 2018)

It's been sunny and warm(er) here for a week now, 10-13C days, the snow is rapidly leaving, but like many, we are expecting flurries tomorrow, jeeeez, I can finally see the mound of manure where I stored my 25 or so transplants from last year, hoping to get the vineyard built in the next couple of weeks and put them into their final location. The hop yard is still buried under 8" of snow...will be a while before any shoots pop up.

Come on sunshine and warmth!!


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## NorCal (Mar 31, 2018)

From this morning. Head trained Cab Franc


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## sour_grapes (Mar 31, 2018)

I saw a robin yesterday! Does that count for anything?


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## Kilohertz (Apr 1, 2018)

Here is the manure pile with the 25 or so plants, waiting to go into their permanent home which is right in front of it. Also a picture of the hop yard, right next to it.


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## balatonwine (Apr 1, 2018)

Checking my field notes from last year, and I had first bud break and leaf out on April 1 of last year. Also had a mild winter in 2016/2017.

This year it was a hard, long cold winter. And just started to see the start of some bud swell today. Maybe a 7 to 10 days before any leaf out starts.


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## treesaver (Apr 1, 2018)

Kilohertz, what is that little green car on the right side of the pic? Looks like it could be a Henry J from the lines! Just curious!


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## Kilohertz (Apr 1, 2018)

treesaver said:


> Kilohertz, what is that little green car on the right side of the pic? Looks like it could be a Henry J from the lines! Just curious!



It's a 1974 VW Fastback, with a fuel injected engine, destined for one of our dune buggies, car is beyond salvage with rust and interior damage, but the engine and drive train are all usable.

BTW, it's now snowing here.......ARG!


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## GaDawg (Apr 1, 2018)

High of 78F today


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## JimInNJ (Apr 1, 2018)

Forsythia, crocus and early tulips are blooming. Finished pruning the grapes, and the sap is flowing freely.


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## Masbustelo (Apr 1, 2018)

It was two degrees warmer at the North Pole today than Northern Illinois.


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## Kilohertz (Apr 2, 2018)

Masbustelo said:


> It was two degrees warmer at the North Pole today than Northern Illinois.



Well you know how old people like it warmer...you remember going to Grandma's, heat turned up to 80.


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## GreginND (Apr 2, 2018)

Another round of snow hitting us now. Ugh.


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## wxtrendsguy (Apr 2, 2018)

4 more inches of Spring this morning....yeah me!


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## treesaver (Apr 3, 2018)

We got a couple inches on Sunday, and cold conditions through today. It's supposed to warm up for a couple days, then another 32 for a high day with snow again. I'm ready, but ma nature sn't! lol.


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## GreginND (Apr 3, 2018)

No warmup for a couple more weeks yet. Looks like a low near 0 F tonight. 

The vines are patiently waiting for spring.


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## Johny99 (Apr 5, 2018)

Daffys are in full bloom (frogs are my bride’s thing). Rain in the forecast for the next ten days but snowing in the mountains. Still around freezing in the morning. Have to finish pruning!


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## shrewsbury (Apr 8, 2018)

Hosta by garage door popped up. Going in vineyard to look for bud swell today. If I see any I will be spraying wednesday. (already done y dormant spray)


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## wxtrendsguy (Apr 9, 2018)

And its snowing a little yet again this evening.....sighhhh


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## crooked cork (Apr 9, 2018)

Was sunny and 32 here today, melted yesterdays snow, talking another storm for this weekend, hope its rain this time.
Bottled the last of the concord today. 20 gallons for 2017.


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## GreginND (Apr 11, 2018)

Finally we might thaw out. Time to think about pruning.


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## balatonwine (Apr 11, 2018)

Had start of leaf out on my earliest bud breaking variety yesterday (April 10). Looks like I guessed about right on April 1.

And the cherry tree blossoms started today.


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## VillaVino (Apr 15, 2018)

I have all my primary and secondary pruning done. Going to have to wait for this 12” of snow to melt now. Need to run some top guide wires and gets posts in for another 100+ Marquettes.


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## treesaver (Apr 16, 2018)

Greg, I'm thinking your forcast was off a bit. It has been in the low twentys since Sat morning here, with a stiff north wind. This morning the wind is gone finally, so maybe the warmup can start again. Apricots were just starting to bloom before this started, bet they wish they hadn't tried! Vines are still dormant. What a roller coaster this year! Had snow with this last blow, and they have said we may get some again next weekend! Guess that is what makes the great plains.....great!


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## sour_grapes (Apr 16, 2018)

Our situation turned to nasty. It is not as bad as it was just 50 miles north of us, but it has been slushy snow/freezing rain/sleet since Saturday evening, and it is still going. As far as shoveling, it is “heart attack snow” — heavy and wet. 

I am grateful, in a way, that it had never really gotten warm here. The only activity among the flora was some crocuses. In particular, the trees did not bud, so we won't have lost the cherry crop (yet).


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## wxtrendsguy (Apr 17, 2018)

Snow flurries here again today....sheez record low last Wednesday, then record high 87 on Saturday, and back in the 30s Sunday through today...starting to wonder if we saw our summer already...


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## wpt-me (Apr 17, 2018)

We have two seasons here in Maine,winter and waiting for winter.

Bill


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## sour_grapes (Apr 17, 2018)

wpt-me said:


> We have two seasons here in Maine,winter and waiting for winter.
> 
> Bill



Well, spring is _very_ nice here in Milwaukee. And it was great last year -- it even fell on a weekend!


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## sour_grapes (Apr 18, 2018)

Aww, jeez, just looked up from the computer to see that someone has shaken the snow-globe again!  Another 2-4" coming.


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## VillaVino (Apr 19, 2018)

Well after 12” last weekend, we just got another 5” today. 50’s for at least the next week. Adios winter.


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## Peter Gaulton (Apr 19, 2018)

Here in South East England we've had so much rain this winter plus a bit of snow. Then this week the rain stopped and we've now got a mini heat wave at 28C / 82F today! The vine buds are now looking like their about to burst, whereas 4 days ago there was no sign of life. I'm growing Regent (nice deep coloured red) and Phoenix (which last year started going mouldy so I picked them in mid September and ended up with a wine which is a bit sharp). This year I've planted more cuttings of Phoenix.


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## Kiwi (Apr 20, 2018)

Just finished the season in southern hemisphere and we were in drought by the end of spring and more rain at the end of summer than all of spring. So the season looked completely flipped. We picked about a month early with the grapes completely confused and it looked like spring with the nets attached with new growth... I had new grape sets forming on second growth at the end of summer... I wish you all the best of luck!


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## sour_grapes (Apr 20, 2018)

One bit of news from here is that the robins (and other migratory songbirds) are dying because they can't forage under the snow. They came north and then got stuck when it snowed. Purple martins _only_ eat from bugs that they catch on the wing, and the bugs ain't flying!


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## treesaver (Apr 22, 2018)

Well I do believe spring has sprung......finally! Even had a rain yesterday, drier than a pop corn fart around here! Hope the trend is for warm temps and rain! I do have bud swell through out the vinyard, so things are looking up!


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## balatonwine (Apr 26, 2018)

Spring is definitely here.



In fact, spring hit so fast and so hard this year, I am having problems keeping up with the row mowing. Some places I am wading through thigh high weeds already!!!


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