The Bacchus Beat – notes from the vineyard

Hello everyone, Bacchus here.  I hope you all had a restful winter.  Winter for the most part was mild compared to previous years.  There was a good snow pack for an extended time and the temperatures were moderate.  Winds were always strong causing blowing and drifting.  The snow thrower earned its keep.  And now spring is here. 

Spring according to Webster is a time, or season of growth, or development; specifically the season between winter and summer in the northern hemisphere usually the months of March, April, and May.  Webster also has another definition of spring, a source of water issuing from the ground.  With all the rain we have had, it almost seems as though water is coming out of the ground.  According to the National Weather Service, there were only six days in April that there was not a recordable amount of rain.  May has followed a similar pattern. 

That much rain has hampered the start of the growth season.  If you remember last year March and April were especially warm and the buds on many of the varieties opened the first week of April and bloomed in early June.  This year we are at least two to three weeks behind last year.  The delay did allow us to finish the necessary vine pruning before most of the buds opened.  Pruning started on March 26^th and finished on May 14^th.  Pruning is very time consuming and takes on average two hours per row (200 foot row).  Approximately 90% of the previous year’s growth is removed so that the vine remains balanced between the vegetation produced and the grapes that will be produced.  Too much fruit or too much vegetation will put the vine in an unbalanced condition. 

Pruning this year revealed some vine damage that occurred two winters ago when the temperature dropped to -20 Fahrenheit on two separate occasions.  The damage is showing up now and resulted in a few main trunks removals.  Fortunately, we try to keep multiple trunks for each vine for this reason so that if a trunk has to be removed there is another trunk to take its place.  We always try to bring up renewal canes from the base each year so trunks can be replaced if necessary.  In this cold climate it is best to have multiple trunks.  Growth at the base of the vines has already been noticed and the best growth will be selected for future trunks.

To encourage vine growth nitrogen is added annually due to the grape vines appetite.  About 60 pounds of actual nitrogen are added each year.  We do this in two installations, half at bud opening and half at bloom.  The first application has been placed and the next will occur in early June.  The increased prevalence of mildews, diseases, and insects has kept us hopping due to the extremely wet season thus far. 

This year we saw a large population of grape flea beetles.  These pests are about 3/16-inch long and are dark metallic greenish-blue or steel-blue in color and attach grape buds.  They emerge in the spring from overwintering sites and feed on foliage and grape buds boring into the emerging bud and destroying the internal parts (primary, secondary, and tertiary buds).  If bud damage is significant (over 4%) an insecticide is necessary.  A single application of Sevin was applied on April 26^th.  Grape flea beetles are still present but their impact is less now that the buds have opened and the fruit is no longer in danger from this pest.  They will continue to feed on foliage until they go underground as they continue their life-cycle. 

With regards to mildews and other diseases, the pressure has been high due to extended periods of wet conditions.  Temperatures have been optimal for disease development as well.  Downey mildew, in particular, can develop in as little as two-hours at 77 Fahrenheit.  Therefore, sprays have to be applied in the early spring every 7-10 days depending on the weather conditions.  Typically a good application of fungicide will withstand 1-2 inches of rainfall.  We have already sprayed three times! 

In addition to the pruning we are installing new trellising for the Chambourcin vines along the entry drive.  While giving us more Chambourcin grapes it will also make it nice for you to see up close the growth and development of this particular variety.   Hope you enjoy it, and please don’t hesitate to stop and ask questions if you see us in the vineyard.   One of our goals is to help you understand so that as you enjoy our wine you know how we helped nature  grow the grapes.   Now back to work….

Bacchus