HillPeople
Senior Member
Great start Greg! You're going to be having some fun now!
Greg's North Dakota Vineyard
- Thread starter GreginND
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fabrictodyefor
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nice workroom, I hope to see it live one day. Summer, our motorcycles and a new winery to visit. Can't ask for a better trip!
When the weather outside reaches -20°F my doubts begin to grow and fester about whether or not the vines will survive. I checked my frontenac vines today and I'm happy to report that they are as healthy and alive as can be. Looking forward to great growth this spring!
bhoenisch
Junior
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Greg. Do you have any trouble ripening the frontenac's at your location. I have a few frontenac gris that will be in their second leaf this season here in north central Montana and am a little concerned that while they are hardy I may not get them to ripen with only around 2000 growing degree days on average. What has been your experience? I'd really like to try frontenac blanc, but am waiting too see how the gris do first.
Greg, has it been colder than -20F for you? I had -31F here Friday. I have about 16" of snow cover here thankfully, but I bet I'll have some winter kill on exposed vines. I have a few varieties like Landot Noir, Castel and Ives that are "supposed" to be cold hardy to zone 4, but I'm guessing they'll have some injury come spring....if it ever comes !!!
Pat
Pat
No, it hasn't been much colder than -20 this year and that has been only a few times. Not like last winter with extended periods of below zero highs. Our warm fall and Dec/Jan has been good for the vines.
It can be a problem ripening frontenac up here and the acids are usually high. My frontenac is only one year old so I don't have experience yet. My frontenac blanc will be in its third leaf this year and I'm expecting to get some crop.
It can be a problem ripening frontenac up here and the acids are usually high. My frontenac is only one year old so I don't have experience yet. My frontenac blanc will be in its third leaf this year and I'm expecting to get some crop.
![[Upgraded] 9Pcs Tree Root Growing Box with Drain Holes, Half Transparent Plant Rooting Propagation Ball & Metal Core Twist Ties, for Fast Propagation Plants (Size M)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/514MWQxtWOL._SL500_.jpg)
It's been a while since I have updated this thread. And I see most of the photos from Facebook from before have broken links. Sorry. I don't think I can go back and find what every photo was again. Anyone know an easy way to relink broken FB links?
Anyway, My original vineyard is still struggling due to very alkaline soil, ever present spray drift and maybe some residual tordon/picloram. Some of those original vines are doing really well, some are once again growing from the ground after 5 years. I bought myself a good tractor and a tiller so I am now trying to keep the vineyard completely tilled this whole season to beat back the weed pressure. I will establish grass between the rows next year. Although we have had little to no rain in two months, the vines are mostly growing well now. Well, except my petite pearl which is closest to the neighboring farm fields and gets the brunt of the spray drift.
The Frontenac I put in in 2014 south of our driveway are doing great. Last year was their third leaf and I was anticipating getting a good crop, but that froze in May. This year we're now past any frost danger and the vines are going great. We will have lots of fruit on those Frontenac. I'll post pictures in the next post of these.
Anyway, My original vineyard is still struggling due to very alkaline soil, ever present spray drift and maybe some residual tordon/picloram. Some of those original vines are doing really well, some are once again growing from the ground after 5 years. I bought myself a good tractor and a tiller so I am now trying to keep the vineyard completely tilled this whole season to beat back the weed pressure. I will establish grass between the rows next year. Although we have had little to no rain in two months, the vines are mostly growing well now. Well, except my petite pearl which is closest to the neighboring farm fields and gets the brunt of the spray drift.
The Frontenac I put in in 2014 south of our driveway are doing great. Last year was their third leaf and I was anticipating getting a good crop, but that froze in May. This year we're now past any frost danger and the vines are going great. We will have lots of fruit on those Frontenac. I'll post pictures in the next post of these.
Masbustelo
Junior Member
By keeping the rows fallow you might free up more water for the vines. What is your average rainfall per year? Is it normal to not get rain at this time of the year? How much behind normal are you for the year?
Looks amazing. Man you have done a lot of work!
dcbrown73
Clueless Winemaker
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You know. Wine is rather new to me. (almost 2 years in) When I look at the latest pictures, all I see is clear skies.
That's because I've been an active astronomy since my age was in single digits. That's the Jack Horkheimer in me.
That's because I've been an active astronomy since my age was in single digits. That's the Jack Horkheimer in me.
Love to trade you Greg, we've had that much rain in the last 3 days......
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You can have mine also Greg. Not sure about the amounts, but it is copious. Today is the first sunny day in about 10 days now.
the_rayway
Always busy
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Looks beautiful Greg! I really need to move my butt and take a couple of days to drive down, look at your lovely winery, and taste some of these wines I'm hearing so much about!
HillPeople
Senior Member
From the south slopes of the White Mtns. in NH:
The average high temperature for the past month
was 65.1 degrees and the low 45.5 deg. This is
0.3 degrees above normal. The highest reading
was 95 degrees on the 18th of the month and the
lowest 32 deg. on the 9th.
Total rainfall was 7.93" which is 3.50" above normal.
A trace of sleet was observed on the 8th.
