Missoula Vinyard

[xanxer82]

I think I'm going to stay in MD or go further south. Looks too cold where most of you guys are. haha.

 

[OilnH2O]

Over the weekend and some upper 70's and even low 80's temps plus sun finally caused all those buds to pop and now there are little green leaves! But, a few vines are still stuck and I'm wondering about them. We had a "cold snap" back in October and I'm wondering if that damaged some of the vines. One edelweiss is not looking good at all, with no visible budding. I guess we'll see!

The take-away from this is it is not just the coldest-cold temperatures of deep winter that affect your plants, but the "margins" of frost at the beginning and end of the "season."

(Pic's when I can!)

 

[AlFulchino]

some varieties are just later than others..i have some at 8-15 inches and others just popping the bud now

 

[grapeman]

I was at Willsboro today. Some of them like Landot, Vignoles and Cayuga are from budbreak to 2 leaves. Most of the rest are at 3-6 leaves with Marquette farthest advanced, but Frontenac and Frontenac Gris are actually longer at about 6-8 inches. My furthest along are the Frontenac at about 7 leaves and 8-12 inches, but they also suffered the worst frost damage.


It was interesting at Willsboro in that there were actually a few frozen leaves at the highest part of the knoll even though the weather station reported 32 for a low and is only a hundred yards from those few frozen leaves. It was a glorious day with temps in the mid 70's and blue skies this afternoon after mixed clouds and sun this AM. I got the first spray of the season on them today.

 

[OilnH2O]

Let me sum up the 2010 growing season thusly:

After an early October 2009 sustained single-digit freeze devastated the Missoula "Far Views Vinyard" with still-green leaves frozen on stems, spring of 2010 found an apparent 50 percent mortality, and almost 90 percent among the Pinot Noir. Hardiest were the stronger Leon Millot and Marachal Foch. Both Edelweiss looked dead, first one returned, but then failed. Then later, the other, like Lazarus, struggled back with a few leaves. Then the pinot started springing from roots and we'll see this year how many made it through a second winter. Regardless, for those that survive, it will be like starting from scratch -- but they will be stronger!

This picture was taken last October (of 2010):

After a hard winter (in the local vernacular, "...the first real winter since the winter of 96...") we are gaining daylight at 3 minutes a day. Our official daylight length is now just over 11 hours and "visible light" is over 12 hours a day. "Spring" is near!

So -- today is the 1st of March -- time to sharpen the shears, go out to the vineyard, check the vines and think about that final pruning before sap begins....

Ahh... new snow! Maybe we'll wait a few more days! After all, one thing about growing grapes, regardless of the part of the country we live in, is learning patience!

 

[ibglowin]

Ha!

You are in Montana after all, If it were easy everyone would be doing it!

Freshly fallen snow, always a pretty sight!

 

[grapeman]

I dunnoh, I think you should be out there pruning!


Those poor vines of yours are having a heck of a time growing with all that cold. Understandable about the Pinot..................

 

[Waldo]

I agree with appleman....Now get out there andget er done bubba!!!

 

[OilnH2O]

Well, my weather wasn't as nice as Bob's (62* at his place!) yesterday -- high thirties here -- but the guilty feeling Waldo instilled made me get out and prune! Or, at least start...

And it is great to see that nice green growth inside -- survived a pretty long winter (so far!

)

 

[OilnH2O]

Ahhh... 'tis nice to see those reports of spring we have all been sharing with each other! And, not to be left out, we woke up this morning to find "it's springtime in the Rockies" as well!

 

[grapeman]

Ya gotta love it! At least we dodged the bullet Friday. They predicted a foot and we got a dusting. It has been mid 40's since. Feels good!

 

[dragonmaster42]

I had cousins that used to live in your neck of the woods. They used to say there was two seasons in Montana - Winter and August.

 

[OilnH2O]

Your cousin is right! The other turn on that "two seasons" comment, is "winter and construction!"

 

[OilnH2O]

Ahhh, spring...

As my Dad always said of this time in Montana, "Such weather!"

(A shower of huge flakes of snow and gropple covered the ground in 20 minutes yesterday! Those streaks you see are the snow!)

 

[ibglowin]

Send some moisture this way!

 

[grapeman]

We had two inches yesterday morning here-gone by 10AM. Today hail and two inches of rain. We have about 4 inches for April so far.

 

[OilnH2O]

I don't want folks to think we've given up out here. It's just that September has been so beautiful I've not wanted to jinx it by mentioning how pleasant it has been. This week that is to change, however, with highs in the 60's but lows still in the 40's.

But as you'll note below, the birds haven't flown south yet!

Some of Bilbo's Marachal Foch cuttings from several years ago.

A pesky Robin and those yellow-jackets are cutting into the harvest!

 

[ibglowin]

Looks good Dave!

 

[grapeman]

If you want Dave, I will gladly send you over a ton and a half of rain! Nothing pretty out here, except pretty depressing!


How is the brix on the Foch coming?

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Those are gorgeous Dave! Such a change in three years, no? When is the harvest? Sounds like it will be dependent upon temperatures rather than dampness and rain.