Hello,
We now leave July behind us and
are looking through August's lens into September. Looks good to me and here is
why.
In response to the cool growing
conditions year to date, I spent a little more quality time (and a lot of just
"tractor" time) with the hedger this year. Our vines seemed to show
more apical dominance with the end shoots past the third set of wires and the
remaining 90% of the shoots stuck somewhere between the tendril wire and second
set of catch wires.
The first hedge removed
those shoot tips that were suppressing the growth of the remaining
shoot tips, and they got the message. The remaining shoots took about a week to
reach the third set of wires. That is when I went for my second hedging pass.
The goal was to remove as many shoot tips (not more leaves) as quickly as
possible to redirect the vines energy to the clusters. After two more weeks, I
completed the third and final hedge.
Fruit set is a bit lighter than
last year. While doing cluster weights, I noticed a bit of stem necrosis
in blocks that typically do not show excess vigor. Perhaps a result of cool
bloom weather? However there is plenty of fruit to be sure, and we will begin
thinning in earnest next week. The season has been fairly dry here and the
disease pressure has been kept in check. I have adjusted my spray program in
anticipation of mid to late October harvest.
"Enough
pontification, where are the facts?"
We have recorded about 531 degree
days for the month of July, providing a total of 993 degree days since the
beginning of the growing season on April 1st. This compares with 557
degree days last July and comparative total of 1,054 degree days for 2007. In
2006 we had accumulated 1,246 degree days through the end of July.
During July, our highest high was
97.9 and our lowest high was 93.2. Our lowest low was 44.7 and our highest low
was 46.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The rainfall for July was 0.03 inches and was 0.36
inches below last July's rain of 0.39. Rainfall since April 1st through July
31st was 2.73 inches, and is 2.49 inches less than last year's growing season
to date rainfall of 5.22 inches. So, we are 61 degree days short of
last year and missing about 67,613 gallons of water per acre.
For more information on water in
the ethanol process here is what appears to be a Pro Ethanol website. I am not
advocating it as good or bad, just that it is. http://www.drivingethanol.org/ethanol_facts/water.aspx
Interesting that an acre of corn releases ~ 4,000 gallons of water per acre per
day. Clearly, it makes a difference to the "net energy produced"
if you have to irrigate the corn or if Mother Nature handles that.
I am curious about our
transpiration rate per cubic foot of canopy. Clearly in a dry-farmed,
hillside vineyard it can't be any more than the rainfall amount. Any
takers for that question? I checked here, but no
joy. http://ct.water.usgs.gov/education/trivia.htm
Ernie
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