WINE GARDEN

[NorthernWinos]

Finally, the Raspberries quit producing, so I started trimming out the dead wood on the youngest row....

It really isn't such a chore...just get in there and cut out the dead canes....Keep all the nice canes within the fence wires...

Nice tall growth on this years canes...amazing as we have had such a dry summer.

Read that if you trim the tops the canes will send out side shoots and you will have a bigger crop next year.

I started to kill the row of fall bearing Raspberries....I cut a sample area to the ground and painted the stumps with RoundUp. I notice the suckers out in the asparagus are turning yellow....I am keeping an eye on the asparagus...Hope the co-mingled roots don't harm the asparagus..or the rhubarb which is right next to the row...Time will tell.

The young Frontenac grapes are looking nice...Hope to remove the row of Strawberries from between the grape rows next year...

The Valiant grapes on the old wood are showing Variason</font> now....

The younger vines are ripening fast....will have to pick a few clusters early and probably freeze them till the late ones are ready...

Did burn some of the leaves with the last application of Baking Soda....

Even the Beta grapes are finally showing a slight coloration...

Got ½" of rain last night...Not enough to turn our corn and soybean crops into a 'bin buster' but will help with filling the kernels and beans...

Already planning next years crops and wine fruits....Look at the calender and see that summer is slipping away and another season is upon us.

Take what we can get...Hoping for a late fall....and good harvest to all.

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[OilnH2O]

Looks great, NW!

You've had some good days recently, it seems (haven't we all?). We've had a touch of fall with a high today of only 63* and a few showers -- we'll send that cold front your way!

 

[Waldo]

Awesome NW...

 

[Wade E]

Looks like some nice clusters NW.

 

[jobe05]

Very Nice NW, Makes me envious. You have the greenest thumb of anyone I know.

I planted a few Catawba plants last year and got a few from them this year, enough to try a gallon to see what it would taste like.

 

[grapeman]

It's all looking great as usual NW! How are the older Frontenac looking now NW? Did they ever get some grapes on them? I still can't believe it gets cold enough there to kill the primary buds! That's cold!


Here's hoping you do get some bin busting grain crops after all the high expenses of the year! I am still in disbelief that sweet corn is selling at $4.50-5.00 a dozen around here! To think when I grew 50 acres of it I sold it for $4.50-5.00 per hundred!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Sweet corn is selling for that here too...from the farmers at street sales.

I saw people buying sweet corn in big stores for .85¢ each ear....I couldn't believe it....we are feeding some corn that got a tad old to the horses....aren't we wasteful???

We have started eating our main crop, it is so good...Have to freeze some in a few days....

The old Frontenac vine did come around....It had such heavy wood when I severely pruned it this year it weeped so badly from the ends....Then it grew wonderful lush foliage that I didn't take care in a timely manner.....The same with the old King of the North vine....Now they look presentable and have some clusters on them. I have made new cordons on these vines and hope for some good yields next year....Only time will tell.

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[NorthernWinos]

Well...the deed is done!!!!

For a few years I wanted to remove the row and a half of older raspberry plants, kill off the roots, eventually dig up the roots.....replant with a better variety and plant the half row to Blackberries....

So...today I finished cutting the canes...painted the stubble with RoundUp and hope for the best. I recalled the neighboring asparagus is planted very deeply in trenches...So hope any commingled shallow Raspberry suckers won't kill off the asparagus....The neighboring Rhubarb is pretty established and I did plant a few Horseradish plants this spring in the neighboring row.....probably not the best place for that to be planted and will probably move it next spring.

So...a job done!!!!....Hope the Raspberries will be the only plants that die in this experiment.

 

[Wade E]

Rhubarb looks good NW. I have to get some as I want to make a wine based on a pie that is specially made around here around the holidays which is called Fruit of the Forest and is the best pie you could ever have. I know it has the rhubarb, apples,blackberry, chery and possibly a few other fruits in it.

 

[AlFulchino]

"....corn is selling at $4.50-5.00 a dozen around here..."


six dollars here
***********
Nice work NW

 

[grapeman]

NW, Prelude is a new Cornell variety of Raspberries. They are shaped and sized like a thimble and have an outstanding flavor. They are primocane in habit and have a fair summer crop and a much larger fall crop. I am not sure of the hardiness zone, but they might be worth checking out. You guys like to tinker. Have Jim set you up a high tunnel greenhosue cover. It extends the season and lets you get a great autumn crop. I have about 5 quarts of raspberries per plant coming on soon at the high tunnel project down at Willsboro. The taste is unbelievable for such a refined berry!

 

[grapeman]

Al, WOW! You better start growing sweet corn! And to think I used to grow and sell 250,000 ears per year! Maybe I should do it again!

 

[NorthernWinos]

Prelude</font>--Originated
from a cross of NY817 (Hilton x NY600 (Durham x September) 'Hilton' previously
known and tested as NY1009. 'Prelude' is a red raspberry developed by
Cornell University at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station
in Geneva, New York. Noted for having a very early summer crop, peaking
in production well before all other standard varieties. It matures a high
percentage of its fruit in late June and very early July. Plants are hardy
and vigorous. Average fruit size and yield are similar to other early
varieties. The attractive, high quality, firm fruit are easy to harvest,
making them suitable for shipping and retail marketing. 'Prelude' is the
earliest maturing summer red raspberry cultivar available for production
in the East Coast and Great Lakes regions. Canes have sparse but noticeable
spines and are average height. It is winter hardy in zone 5 and plants
are vigorous and sucker freely. Fruit are positioned openly with good
placement and are very easy to harvest. 'Prelude' fruit are round conic
in shape and are coherent and uniform.

</font>Looks like a zone 5 introduction....We are pretty limited up here...make do with what we can grow successfully....</font></font></font>

 

[grapeman]

Bummer NW, this is a great hybrid and the summary is incomplete as it develops a second crop later in the season also. Maybe you could try the tunnel and grow it though. You don't need heat, just the cover- IR reflecting to keep the heat in in the fall and winter.

 

[NorthernWinos]

The heat has been turned on for about a week....as well as strong South winds....Hard for us Northerners to handle temps in 90's....It had been a pretty moderate summer till recently.

The winds have been relentless...30-35 MPH with gusts....never letting up, blowing night and day....drying out everything in it's path.

On the plus side it has been ripening the grapes....

The tight little clusters of the Valiant seem to have turned overnight....

Some of them are near black like it's parent the Fredonia X wild grape....They have come out of the mildew event, the Baking Soda and other sprays did their thing and saved the crop.

Seeds are starting to turn brown, but will be awhile before we even think of picking any.

The longer, larger and looser clusters of the Beta are also starting to show variason, but they always are a longer season grape....Like their parent Concord X wild grape.

Have a hard time telling what the white grapes are doing...they appear to be getting plumper, but no signs of becoming transparent...Will watch the Edelweiss for the first signs of ripening.

So...things are looking up in the 'vineyard'...had wondered if the grapes would ever ripen.....

Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[Wade E]

Those look wonderful NW!

 

[grapeman]

Grapes just look better when they start to ripen and yours are looking scrumpdillyumptous.


I'm still waiting on Catawba, Concord and Niagara to begin their magical transformation. Everything else is well under way! The Canadice and Reliance seedless varieties are totally turned and getting nice, sweet and tasty! It's a good thing the nets are on these or I would be eating them all!

 

[Waldo]

Those are really looking good NW...Looks like we are in for a week of rain from the hurrican. We are already getting winds off of it.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Those are really looking good NW...Looks like we are in for a week of rain from the hurrican. We are already getting winds off of it.

Hang onto your hat and be safe.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Happy Days!!!!!

We had a cold front blow through last night....finally the strong South winds shifted to the North and the temps today are 40* cooler....Don't care for it that cool as it seems to be too fall like....but we did change the calender again didn't we???

Our total rains for his summer read like this
[I just filled out our USDA report for Aug.]

May.....1.69"
June....3.87"
July......2.05"
Aug.....1.87"
Last night.....2.37"

Good thing we have some clay in our soils...it's amazing how good the crops look with such little rain. I did notice yesterday that some trees were wilted from the strong winds and heat....today they should be happy.

It rained all night...what a God sent rain....
Very little thunder, winds went down and just a nice steady rain.

The crops will be happy, the grapes will fill and ripen.....
I have heard that rains might bring the Brix down...is this correct?????

Wanted to freeze sweet corn today, but it is pretty muddy out there...will find something else to do.

Life is Good!!!!