# Good Morning 2021 Growing Season



## Cynewulf (Apr 21, 2021)

It’s spring and everything seems alive and well in Northern Virginia.

Marquette:



Itasca:



The Cabernet Franc is a few weeks behind the hybrids:



Interested in knowing how things are progressing in other parts of the country/world.


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## srcorndog (Apr 21, 2021)

How did you up load your pictures I try it says your download is to large


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## Cynewulf (Apr 21, 2021)

srcorndog said:


> How did you up load your pictures I try it says your download is to large


I just click on the photo icon then select a smaller size, usually large.


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## mbrssmd (Apr 22, 2021)

Your Cab Franc looks just about a week ahead of mine, here to the north in Carroll County Maryland.
We appear to have dodged one last night (especially my more-tender Barbera), getting down to 33 overnight. Continual wind probably helped as well.


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## srcorndog (Apr 22, 2021)

We had a heavy frost last night and the wind layed down it reached 28 degrees I'm on my 4 leaf in West Georgia USA will be walking my vineyard today this will be the second time this season a frost hit my vines


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## wood1954 (Apr 22, 2021)

In northern Wisconsin it got down to 26 last night thankfully the plants are just starting bud swell so should be safe, looks like one more good freeze Saturday and then spring will finally arrive.


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## Cynewulf (Apr 22, 2021)

Ugh, it looks like it was colder last night than I thought it was going to be: 28F. Did a quick walkthrough on my lunch break and saw a good bit of frost damage on the hybrids though the Cab Franc looks ok.


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## srcorndog (Apr 22, 2021)

Welcome to farming my vineyard has 80% frost damage this is the second time I have had damage this year. You can smell the frost damage


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## Cynewulf (Apr 22, 2021)

srcorndog said:


> Welcome to farming my vineyard has 80% frost damage this is the second time I have had damage this year. You can smell the frost damage


Sorry to hear it. Mine is about 40-50% damage on the hybrids (2/3 of my vineyard) and none on my Cab Franc. Looks like it’s going to be cold again tonight so we’ll see what happens.


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## srcorndog (Apr 22, 2021)

Cynewulf said:


> Sorry to hear it. Mine is about 40-50% damage on the hybrids (2/3 of my vineyard) and none on my Cab Franc. Looks like it’s going to be cold again tonight so we’ll see what happens.


Pray tonight doesn't finish off your hard work


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## Cynewulf (Apr 22, 2021)

srcorndog said:


> Pray tonight doesn't finish off your hard work


Glad once again that this is my hobby and not my livelihood. Just wish it would be a more cooperative hobby sometimes.


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## srcorndog (Apr 22, 2021)

Cynewulf said:


> Glad once again that this is my hobby and not my livelihood. Just wish it would be a more cooperative hobby sometimes.


This is my livelihood that grew from a hobby my retirement job! Love every day not in a classroom I like my outside classroom


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## Cynewulf (Apr 22, 2021)

srcorndog said:


> This is my livelihood that grew from a hobby my retirement job! Love every day not in a classroom I like my outside classroom


It’s definitely an outdoor classroom.
2017 - I learned about black rot and Japanese beetles 
2018 - I learned about suffocating rains 
2019 - I learned about hornworm caterpillars 
2020 - I learned about downy mildew and grape cane girdlers 
2021 - I’ve learned about frost and can’t wait to see what else!


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## srcorndog (Apr 22, 2021)

Cynewulf said:


> It’s definitely an outdoor classroom.
> 2017 - I learned about black rot and Japanese beetles
> 2018 - I learned about suffocating rains
> 2019 - I learned about hornworm caterpillars
> ...


Welcome to farming!


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## NorCal (Apr 23, 2021)

We are doing our first suckering pass here in Nor Cal, head trained Cab Franc.


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## Cynewulf (Apr 23, 2021)

NorCal said:


> We are doing our first suckering pass here in Nor Cal, head trained Cab Franc.


Gorgeous. I can almost hear the contentment of those happy vines from 2300 miles away. I’ll never stop being jealous of you west coast guys. I’m originally from there myself and my father lives probably not too far from you in Rocklin but I ended up in Virginia for work so get to fight the full spectrum of rots, mildews, bugs, and frost while dreaming of California growing conditions!


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## TurkeyHollow (Apr 24, 2021)

Just curious... what happens after frost/cold damage? Does the growth & harvest just get pushed back a couple of weeks or does the vine produce little or no fruit that year? My vineyard's in its second year now in the north east (RI) and have not yet experienced any cold damage (to greenery). We've experienced a little winter dormant damage but they are young plants and expected it.


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## Cynewulf (Apr 24, 2021)

TurkeyHollow said:


> Just curious... what happens after frost/cold damage? Does the growth & harvest just get pushed back a couple of weeks or does the vine produce little or no fruit that year? My vineyard's in its second year now in the north east (RI) and have not yet experienced any cold damage (to greenery). We've experienced a little winter dormant damage but they are young plants and expected it.


This is my first year with frost so I’ll have a better sense of what will happen in my particular vineyard later in the season but my understanding is it depends on the variety and how fruitful their secondary and tertiary buds are. What I’ve read says that Marquette tends to have fruitful secondary buds so I’m hopeful that I’ll still get a decent crop this year. Other varieties can have less or unfruitful secondary and tertiary buds and may not set a crop if the primaries are damaged but can come back the following year if the new shoots are cared for. On a side note I thought this photo that President Macron tweeted a couple weeks ago of vignerons in France burning special candles to try to protect their vines from the frost was really interesting. They’re having a tough year there.


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## srcorndog (Apr 24, 2021)

I would like to buy some of those special candles picture is impressive


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## Cynewulf (Apr 24, 2021)

srcorndog said:


> I would like to buy some of those special candles picture is impressive







__





Anti-frost Candle - Stopgel Green


STOPGEL GREEN is the 1st anti frost candle of 100% natural origin. Your partner against spring frost for the protection of your vineyards and orchards.




stopgel.fr


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## Obbnw (Apr 24, 2021)

NorCal said:


> We are doing our first suckering pass here in Nor Cal, head trained Cab Franc.


Very nice. How old are those vines?

The aesthetics ( and probably usability) of the head trained system are great for your location.


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## NorCal (Apr 24, 2021)

These vines are 20 years old, still producing strong. The 88 homes in the community have vines in their front yard, as well as other vineyards. The head trained work out well for aesthetics, as well as flexibility because all the front yards are different (lots range from 1/2 acre to 20 acres).


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## druedy (Apr 26, 2021)

Cab franc coming in. I got the northern VA frost last week, too. In the past, I've found the cold air pools into the dips and swales of my gardens and vineyard and frost tends to hit the same southern-most row very hard each time. I was able to get out and tent everything up with light weight drop cloth. Took about three hours but did the job


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## Cynewulf (Apr 26, 2021)

druedy said:


> Cab franc coming in. I got the northern VA frost last week, too. In the past, I've found the cold air pools into the dips and swales of my gardens and vineyard and frost tends to hit the same southern-most row very hard each time. I was able to get out and tent everything up with light weight drop cloth. Took about three hours but did the job


This is going to be our year, @druedy ! Even with a little frost.


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## balatonwine (Apr 27, 2021)

Cold bitter spring this year.

A prior year's end of April vine growth:




This year's end of April vine growth:




Side note: The winter was equally weird. Some weeks so cold it broke pots, pipes and my weather station. Then weeks of weather so warm I was wearing a t-shirt outside.


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## srcorndog (Apr 27, 2021)

Vines look good


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## berrycrush (May 3, 2021)

I heard that turning on sprinkler helps to ward off frost


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## Rob Kneeland (May 5, 2021)

Up here between Ottawa and Montreal my 10 Marquette vines are just beginning to bud. I think May 15 is a "safe" frost date here. The forecast looks OK.

Just ordered another 25 vines so I guess I am hooked. Gotta get the trellis happening!


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## srcorndog (May 5, 2021)

Beautiful country in the deep south we are getting to start flowering spraying like every 14 days yesterday 4 inches of rain not a common occurrence.


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## wood1954 (May 8, 2021)

My vines got hit by frost last night, about 10% loss, frost danger is almost over. Otherwise looking good, my pruning didn’t kill any.


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## Cynewulf (May 27, 2021)

Late May update.

The hybrids have recovered fairly well from the frost; I’d say 75-80% of what I had expected. 



The Marquette set berries this past week:



Itasca too:



Cabernet Franc is looking pretty good and just starting bloom:





It’s been a fairly dry spring so the plants are looking nice and clean so far, though late summer is the real test for the Cab Franc. Fingers crossed.


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## srcorndog (May 27, 2021)

You must not have bird pressure with all the trees around. I hope you net tight. why do you leave all the weeds under your vines but spray around the post?


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## Cynewulf (May 27, 2021)

srcorndog said:


> You must not have bird pressure with all the trees around. I hope you net tight. why do you leave all the weeds under your vines but spray around the post?


I definitely have to net. Last year was the first year I let the vines ripen grapes and the nets seemed to work.

Lol, good eye on the spray. I till the rows in early spring but don’t spray the weeds after that. My wife wants to spray strictly for aesthetic reasons but I won’t let her until all of the younger vines are better established as I have some that are still developing trunks and have foliage close to the ground. So instead she sprays around the posts because she doesn’t like the way they look when the weeds grow up around them.


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## wood1954 (May 27, 2021)

Looking good!
my Marquette hasn’t even opened their flowers yet. It’s getting down to 39 tonight. My plants have recovered from frost as well but I’m still looking at a small crop this year.


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## Cynewulf (May 27, 2021)

wood1954 said:


> Looking good!
> my Marquette hasn’t even opened their flowers yet. It’s getting down to 39 tonight. My plants have recovered from frost as well but I’m still looking at a small crop this year.


Glad things are coming back to life!


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## Rob Kneeland (May 28, 2021)

My marquettes were ahead of sched this year, but last night, May 27/28...frost! Very light but small droplets of ice on the leaves. I think it only just touched 0C/32F. Wait and see I guess. Also had 25 new vines just beginning to bud.
Garden is probably toast. Between Montreal and Ottawa.


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## Seck Family Vineyard (MN) (May 28, 2021)

Need Help!

My Marquette’s are on year three and they have usually been the most healthy and robust when compared to my la crescents. This MN spring was bizarre with some May frost, hitting the 80s and lengthy periods of drought. I kept up with watering but I can’t figure out if they are suffering from lack of moisture, nutrient deficiency or if crown gall hit them hard after the frost. What looked like a prime year at first with healthy buds and good canes after pruning in March many of my Marquette’s have not done anything and my healthiest plants started then seemed to have died or dried out. I did cow manure last spring which seemed to do well and opted for a nitrogen addition I worked in earlier this month. I also just added some compost around them for some additional help. I’m looking to get the soil sampled this next week.

Any thoughts and help is appreciated, currently have 50 struggling 3rd year Marquette’s and 40 3rd year La Crescent that seem to be somewhat okay so far.


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## Cynewulf (May 28, 2021)

RiverBendWine said:


> Need Help!
> 
> My Marquette’s are on year three and they have usually been the most healthy and robust when compared to my la crescents. This MN spring was bizarre with some May frost, hitting the 80s and lengthy periods of drought. I kept up with watering but I can’t figure out if they are suffering from lack of moisture, nutrient deficiency or if crown gall hit them hard after the frost. What looked like a prime year at first with healthy buds and good canes after pruning in March many of my Marquette’s have not done anything and my healthiest plants started then seemed to have died or dried out. I did cow manure last spring which seemed to do well and opted for a nitrogen addition I worked in earlier this month. I also just added some compost around them for some additional help. I’m looking to get the soil sampled this next week.
> 
> Any thoughts and help is appreciated, currently have 50 struggling 3rd year Marquette’s and 40 3rd year La Crescent that seem to be somewhat okay so far.


Sorry your Marquette isn’t doing well. It’s hard to say but it looks like frost damage to me. When did you notice it?


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## Seck Family Vineyard (MN) (May 28, 2021)

Cynewulf said:


> Sorry your Marquette isn’t doing well. It’s hard to say but it looks like frost damage to me. When did you notice it?


The lower canes on my biggest plant started wilting a week ago and the top canes maybe a few days ago. It’s odd because we haven’t had a frost in a few weeks it’s been pretty hot up until last night it got into the upper 30s. The La Crescents seem to be unaffected but very strange the Marquette’s aren’t doing much of anything.


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## wood1954 (May 28, 2021)

Looks like my plants with frost damage


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## swv (May 30, 2021)

This happens regularly with my Marquette vines. So much that I am replacing them this year. A vineyard operator near Carver, MN told me several years ago that he had the same problem and took out all of his Marquette. He told me it is from freeze damage to the trunk. Most of the capillaries(?) freeze during the winter and when the growth starts in the spring, the vine does not have the capacity to support it and the vine dies.


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## Bazza (Jun 16, 2021)

Hey everyone, new member here.

I have 6 marquette vines growing in Eastern British Colombia. My growing zone is 4/5 and is prone to late frosts so I read this forum thread with interest. 
I recently came across a new youtube video highlighting a new/modified training system that seems to help in addressing the potential damage of late frosts and was curious as to whether anyone here had heard of it or had any experience using it? The Professor giving the demonstration advocates for leaving many more buds on the spurs. If the frost kills the first two or three buds as they push out, the buds further down the spur will survive as they haven't leafed out yet thus giving you a "backup plan". 
My vines are only five yrs old so my experience is minimal. I'd love to hear what some of the more experienced growers think of th.is system though.



B.


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## wood1954 (Jun 16, 2021)

I’ve read of this and will try it next year as I had a lot of frost damage, tho it’s hard to tell now


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## CTDrew (Jun 17, 2021)

Bazza said:


> Hey everyone, new member here.
> 
> I have 6 marquette vines growing in Eastern British Colombia. My growing zone is 4/5 and is prone to late frosts so I read this forum thread with interest.
> I recently came across a new youtube video highlighting a new/modified training system that seems to help in addressing the potential damage of late frosts and was curious as to whether anyone here had heard of it or had any experience using it? The Professor giving the demonstration advocates for leaving many more buds on the spurs. If the frost kills the first two or three buds as they push out, the buds further down the spur will survive as they haven't leafed out yet thus giving you a "backup plan".
> ...



I do something basically like this for my Marquette vines. They tend to always be a week or better earlier than the rest of the vineyard to break and therefore more likely to get a late frost hit. Leaving extra buds at least gets me shot in those years. Neat to see the video and thanks for sharing it with us!


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## Cynewulf (Jul 20, 2021)

Here’s a quick update from Northern Virginia. Marquette and Itasca began veraison around June 28 and it is mostly complete. I took readings on 7/17:
Marquette 17 Brix 2.82pH
Itasca 17 Brix 2.94 pH
The hybrids have bounced back from the spring frost but it makes me wonder what might have been had there been no damage. I left for France for two weeks in early June which was unfortunate timing but it couldn’t be helped. The vineyard was reverting to a jungle when I returned and it took some work to get it kind of under control. The canopy is still a bit of a mess but I don’t have the time to make it pristine. The Cabernet Franc is coming along but looking a lot weaker than last year. Probably some combination of the downy mildew infection from last season and the relatively low rainfall we’ve had this summer.

Marquette:



Itasca:



Cabernet Franc:


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## wood1954 (Jul 20, 2021)

Looks great thanks for sharing, birds must be a problem.


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## Cynewulf (Jul 20, 2021)

wood1954 said:


> Looks great thanks for sharing, birds must be a problem.


They are for the reds for sure. I’m not sure about the Itasca yet. They left it alone last year when I only let about a half dozen experimental clusters ripen, but I’ve seen a little damage this year. I might get some nets on it just to make sure it doesn’t get worse as it ripens further.


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## mainshipfred (Jul 20, 2021)

Looks a lot different from when I saw them. I bet you have a nice Marquette harvest.


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## Cynewulf (Jul 20, 2021)

mainshipfred said:


> Looks a lot different from when I saw them. I bet you have a nice Marquette harvest.


Thanks, Fred - I hope so! It’s always interesting how quickly things start progressing after veraison begins. Glad you finally made it out!


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## Snafflebit (Aug 4, 2021)

We have véraison happening on the Cab Sauv. I wish all my vines were this nice. I am still fixing this mess of a vineyard.


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