Chateau Michaelena Vineyard

[Runningwolf]

Mike the gardens look great. We played around with ours just a bit tonight.

 

[ibglowin]

Man it is to die for nice outside this afternoon. I turned on the drip for just a little bit.

Time to plant the Dahlia's!

 

[TJsBasement]

Mike them flower pics are amazing. I read your thread and it's just great that your plowing thru the weather and coming out with great results. I wish you all the best.

 

[ibglowin]

Thanks!

Can't wait to see what they do this Summer. Am hoping they take off like weeds!

 

[ibglowin]

If April Snow Showers........

Bring May grape flowers........

Its going to be a good year! Been snowing like mad the last 2 hours. Supposed to continue through the night. Much needed moisture as always for this part of the country. Got down to 32 this AM. Vines have been swelling and running sap for the last week or two but no bud break still. Hopefully this will shut things down just a bit. Supposed to warm back up in a few days though and probably be in the 60's by Wednesday.

 

[OilnH2O]

You had a beautiful morning, though, this morning (as I went by on 285). By the time I got to Chama the flurries started and by Pagosa Springs the flakes were so thick and heavy I thought I was back in Montana! But, as every farmer says... "We need the moisture!"

What a great place you have!

- Dave (SLC tonight; home tomorrow)

 

[ibglowin]

Hey Dave,

Drive safe my friend! Slippery roads this morning for sure. Snowed all night and still snowing this AM going to work. Had to walk the dog with an umbrella or I would have been soaked for sure! Temp only dropped to 34 so the roads are clear but a sloppy mess. Lots of snow/moisture fell last night for sure. A really good thing to have going into fire season.

 

[grapeman]

Where are the pictures Mike?

 

[ibglowin]

Here you go, one from the golf course looking Northwest.

 

[ibglowin]

Looks like a freeze tonight for sure!

We currently have 40 degrees at 5:00PM and its starting to snow......

Luckily the vines are still shut down, no bud break but some bud swelling has begun. I do have some shoots that sprung up from the roots of a few vines. They have grown as much as 3 inches already. Not sure if I should cover those up as they are on small vines that didn't do much last year or leave them exposed. They look really strong like they could take off and grow like a weed compared to the growth on the vine from last year.

Hope this is the last hurrah for this season, we are supposed to be back in the 60-70's by mid week.

 

[grapeman]

I would cover those with something light to try to protect them. They could act as a nice trunk replacement later. Maybe some linen.

We had some snow flurries this last week and Mount Mansfield in VT is still pure white from fresh snow even after the temperature raise the last few days. Supposed to be 85 on Monday!

 

[ibglowin]

I will cover them, they look really healthy and may grow more than last years on those vines in short notice.

Its currently 32 and snowing like crazy!

 

[ibglowin]

Dodged a bullet last night. Only snowed for about 20 min and then it quit but the clouds stayed all night long and the temperature climbed to 35 and held there all night long. Monday morning may be colder as its clear and been a very cool day today. On the upside the winery is super cold today. Carboys had been creeping up to 59 degrees. Now back down to a happy 55 degrees!

 

[OilnH2O]

Rain last night and down to 34* here -- and on the way to church was surprised to see the snow line only a few blocks above our house -- maybe 400' in elevation!
Hunker down!

 

[ibglowin]

31 degrees this AM. Not too bad. Should warm up nicely after today they say! I saw on the weather that Deming where the grapes are grown in Southern New Mexico was also reporting 32. They have to be in full bud break/bloom down there as they have had weeks and weeks in the low 80's......

 

[robie]

Don't you know Deming is sweating it!!! Not good news for them. Maybe they will be OK at 32F, I don't know enough about the vineyard end of things to say.

 

[ibglowin]

Houston:

We have BUD BREAK!

Back from Las Cruces tonight. Was NOT prepared for almost 90 degree weather after last weeks cool snap. Happy to report that all vines are either budding out are fixing to POP! They seem to have grown smarter over the last year and they just knew it was toooooo early to go "for lift off". Looks like smooooooth sailing all this coming week which should get us through the last average frost date.

Looking for some NUCLEAR growth this season. Its all about the terroir right!

 

[OilnH2O]

PICTURES, Mike!
I think we're in the middle of bud break here, too. Amazing, isn't it? You're at, what? 7000 +/- ? And I'm at 3300... but a few miles north! Oh, and 86* !

 

[ibglowin]

I am at ~6500. I will take some shots in a few days after we have a bit more growth to look at.

They definitely look sturdier and like they really know what they are doing this year as opposed to last year!

 

[ibglowin]

OK,

Took a few snaps yesterday afternoon just to make snow boy "Runningwolf" even more jealous!

We are supposed to hit ~85 degress today then cool back down to a much more closer to normal 70 for the rest of the week.