Coping with heat

[Sage]

Dealing with a month of upper 90s and several days above 100.

I've cut back on trimming the sides. Still topping but leaving extra on sides to prevent sunburn.

Watering a little more frequently but not quite as much each time. Trying to keep the surface from cracking. I have a lot of clay and it will really crack open.

Everything is very dry. Gophers have showed up lately. Good thing it's fenced, deer moving in too. Haven't had a bear lately. Still have cherry trees! Quail are into the cherry trees and cause a lot of damage.

 

[Sage]

Add smoke to this!

 

[srcorndog]

How large is your vineyard? If you have a few vines you can mulch my vineyard I just mow my trims toward my vines they provide a lot of nitrogen

 

[srcorndog]

Add smoke to this!

location in the USA

 

[Sage]

SE, Washington state.

 

[srcorndog]

7B zone should be close to my zone in West Georgia muggie and rain off and on

 

[Sage]

Zone 5 here

 

[Snafflebit]

SE, Washington state.

Are you growing own-rooted or grafted vines?

 

[Sage]

These came from a commercial grower. Not grafted but I don't know what the specific variety is. Just purchased from them for my zone and weather\altitude.

 

[Obbnw]

My tempranillos have shut down in the heat, very little growth. The malbecs are still growing fast. I put temp sensors under the canopy's last week, the Malbecs are consistently at least 5 degrees cooler than the tempranillos.

Seems like we have been 10 degrees above normal all summer. Over 100 expected again this weekend.

 

[Sage]

Sprayed and watered a couple of days ago. All are very be healthy and growing. I'm resisting the urge to trim the sides.

Cabs, Carmenere, and Syrah have what appears to be small crops. Particularly the Syrah looks smaller. Merlot have a good crop. I trimmed and trained the Merlot a bit differently. Left runners to the top wire. Full of grapes now!

This all goes exactly the opposite of what I was expecting! We had a cold streak of extremely cold weather after I had pruned. I figured the long runners would have any buds frozen. I will try that on the other varieties. Probably do 50% on each.

We are still predicted to be high 90s for 2 more?? weeks. That's as far out as the forecast goes.

 

[Sage]

July 31, virtually not a day under 95. Forecast looks like a little relief coming next week. Heavy smoke for the last 2 days from fire 12 miles away. Fire fighters could really use some relief from this weather.

Had a brief rain a week back....and a lightning strike 1\4 mile above us on the hill. Neighbor kid pounced on it and had it basically out by the time the fire department got here (9 miles out of town). Just a smoldering tree when they went up. Grass around it was out. Dodged the bullet!

 

[Obbnw]

My tempranillos started to turn. 1 single grape on my Malbecs has some color. Probably 7 to 10 days ahead of last year.

Similar heat here, but the next 2 weeks look cooler, only ; ) high 80s today and low 90s...

 

[Obbnw]

Big thunderstorm last night, 1.5 - 2.5" in 30-40 minutes. Today a bunch (10-15percent) of the Malbecs split open.

It seems like the greener ones split the most.

Anyone have this happen? Do they seal back up with a scar? Will the scar impact flavor?

Definitely looks like some will shrivel up.

 

[Sage]

Bummer! Probably, you'll lose those. Have you been watering? Sounds like a growth spurt cause by the extra water. Cherries do that too.

 

[Obbnw]

I thought it was a growth spurt too, and was surprised since I've been watering more this year.

I spent some time on the internet today, sounds like it is more of a rain soaks through the skin problem. Which also seems weird. Plus, because of my soils (clay), location (next to a concrete driveway), and the rate it came down most of the water ran off before it could soak in.

We also had some hail with it that probably contributed to the damage.
Photos of the good and the bad.

I'm glad it is not my livelyhood. I can't imagine the stress of farming.

 

[balatonwine]

We also had some hail with it that probably contributed to the damage.

The first photo looks like direct hail damage to me.

Been there.

https://stcoemgen.com/2016/07/17/storm-damage/

 

[Obbnw]

The first photo looks like direct hail damage to me.

Been there.

https://stcoemgen.com/2016/07/17/storm-damage/

I read your link, thanks. Very similar damage.

After looking at your link I did look for holes in leaves from the hail. Found more than expected, the hail was small and didn't last long.

The only good thing is the damaged grapes are drying up and since I destem by hand it'll be pretty easy to separate the bad grapes.

 

[treesaver]

Yep, that's hail damage alright. I've had berries split in half before, and seeds sticking out. Some of them will heal, some not! Yeah, the life of a farmer!

 

[Sage]

Maybe today is the last day of extreme heat. 100 today and forecast is to 70s - 80s next 10 days.

All but Cabs look good as far as the crop goes. Watered yesterday and started leaf thinning. Saw one cluster with a little color on a Syrah. 2 weeks earlier than last year.