Hello and Welcome,
Well,
it seems that all the vineyard work is done, and what's left is the hard part -
waiting. So, let's have a look at August, shall we?
We have
recorded about 488 degree days for the month of August, providing a total
of 1,481 degree days since the beginning of the growing season on April 1st.
This compares with 442 degree days last August and a comparative
total of 1,496 degree days for 2007. Looks like Déjà vu all over again.
During
August, our highest high was 104.3 and our lowest high was 95.5. Our lowest low
was 44.7 and our highest low was 47.6 degrees Fahrenheit. The rainfall for
August was 1.70 inches and was 0.92 inches above last August's rain of
0.78. Rainfall since April 1st through August 30th was 4.43 inches, and is 0.01
inches less than last year's growing season to date rainfall of 4.44
inches.
So, we
are 15 degree days short of last year and missing about 27.5 gallons of
water per acre - ceteris paribus. Here is a quick look at our degree days
through August 27: (2008: 1,481; 2007: 1,495; 2006: 1,748; 2005: 1,629; 2004:
1,825; 2003: 1,908.) The graphing is an exercise left to the reader, but
it seems to me, we are getting cooler.
The key activities in the vineyard
this month were hedging and spraying. I chose to take a 4th hedging pass in
some of the cooler corners of the vineyard, as I was seeing too much new growth
and active shoot tips. The spray program was modified to include Botrytis
sprays at all key intervals. The Buckwheat cover crop is continuing to grow and
reseed itself in the rows. It seems the Vetch was a no-show this year. Perhaps
due to lack of soil moisture?
We have significant color
change with most blocks showing over 50% color. As always there are a few
blocks that keep the harvest window open a little longer. These are the blocks
with special needs and we give them special care, and so do the birds... We are
thinning down to one cluster per shoot in most blocks, depending on fruit set.
Wings are the last to come off and act as shock absorbers to the rainfall.
Looking to the future, the first 2
weeks of September are supposed to be picture perfect. Although hoping is not a
strategy, I am hopeful that the remaining weeks until harvest will give us
another outstanding vintage. At least the vintage of the year.
Ernie
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