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  1. BigH

    High TA in Marquette, Ready for Harvest?

    I let my Marquette hang and eventually harvested ahead of some predicted rain before the TA really moved like I wanted it to. As I harvested, I noticed some soft berries, stem necrosis, and shelling (which I haven't seen in this variety). I didn't lose much, but I don't think the grapes would...
  2. BigH

    Which white grape would you recommend?

    Brianna is commonly harvested with sugars at 16-18 brix, and the pH above 3.2. It is rumored to develop "foxy" flavors if allowed to ripen beyond that. Edelweiss is also harvested early for the same reason. Chaptalization is pretty much required for both. I harvest both in the middle of August...
  3. BigH

    Turkeys in vineyard

    In my experience, their pea sized brains are sophisticated enough for them to walk and wiggle into the net from the ground, but they are not smart enough to figure out how to get out. I staple my nets to the ground with lawn staples. Perhaps another strategy would work. H
  4. BigH

    Swenson Grapes, where do I make cuts next spring?

    When were these planted? H
  5. BigH

    DIY bird net applicator

    Their laughter is short lived around here :) Side note, we adopted a dog last winter. We have seen a significant reduction in coon pressure this year with her around, which is interesting because we don't leave her out at night. Haven't seen any turkeys either, which were a new pest last year. H
  6. BigH

    DIY bird net applicator

    I combine netting with bird scare devices. The idea is to keep them away, or scare them away, before they figure out how to compromise the nets. Works well if I get the nets and tape on early. Last year, I was habitually late, and they had learned there was a food source before I got nets on...
  7. BigH

    How to add potassium

    I talked to a wine maker who said he uses foliar sprays to apply potassium. I had never heard of such a thing, but if true, it might get you buy until you can get potassium built up in the soil. H
  8. BigH

    What is this leaf disease?

    Consider submitting leaves for petiole analysis. I would submit two samples 1. Leaves collected from vines with good vigor 2. Leaves collect from vines with low vigor My hunch is that the discoloration is potassium deficiency H
  9. BigH

    Disease, girdling pest, or wind?

    My vote is wind damage combined with the use of grow tubes. My evidence Some arborists oppose staking young trees because they feel it results in a taller tree with a weaker trunk. The theory is that young trees exposed to wind devote more energy to building a strong trunk. If you remove the...
  10. BigH

    Site Selection and Winter Sun Exposure

    I am really not qualified to answer your question. My climate is just too different. I recommend that you find a grape grower in your area and try to talk to them. What are they growing, and have they tried growing the varieties that you want to grow? Planting a the wrong variety for a given...
  11. BigH

    Excessive cane dieback

    Are you cane pruning or spur pruning? Did the canes harden off completely before the first killing frost? H
  12. BigH

    Pinot noir berries shrivelling

    Have you measured pH and sugar? Where are they at? Sample both big and little berries. It is difficult to tell from the pics if this is normal evaporation and shrinking, or if it is the beginning of losing a crop to black rot. If it is evaporation, then it is probably time to harvest, which I...
  13. BigH

    Phylloxera help

    Last I checked, Sevin was not rated for phylloxera, which is kind of hard to believe since it kills almost everything. Assail does list phylloxera. I haven't seen much phylloxera in my vineyard since I added it to my rotation for JB. H
  14. BigH

    Phylloxera help

    I would stick with the vine you already have. It has way more root mass than a cutting. You could hedge your bets and plant a cutting nearby, but I would expect the existing vine to be fine. H
  15. BigH

    Anyone Growing Marquette Grapes?

    Guess I should say why I do this. If my pH is low, I use 71B to metabolize some of the malic acid to bring the pH up. The intent is to ensure a successful MLF after primary fermentation. A MLF can fail if the bacteria are stressed by a low pH environment. I like to have the pH around 3.2 or...
  16. BigH

    Anyone Growing Marquette Grapes?

    For me, it depends on where the harvest pH lands. I use 71B if pH is below 3.1, and refer to the Scotts lab chart for hybrid varieties if pH is above that. I have split some batches half and half. H
  17. BigH

    Help with small vineyard planning

    Definitely recommend having a talk. Corn is a grass, and like other grasses, is not impacted by 2,4-D. Spraying corn with 2,4-D is quite common, especially with the emergence of roundup resistant weeds. Also, make sure to register your vineyard with driftwatch. H
  18. BigH

    Honeybees and Vineyard Spray

    My neighbor has bees. I don't really see them in the vineyard when the JBs are swarming. Keep dandelions and clover cut short in the vineyard to avoid attracting them. Harvest is a different beast. I place 5 gallon buckets with discarded grapes and skins around the property away from the...
  19. BigH

    Anyone Growing Marquette Grapes?

    I moved two varieties from VSP up to TWC. I converted over the course of a few seasons, and usually converted half the vine first. Half way through, a lot of vines were VSP in one direction on the low wire, and TWC from the high wire in the other direction. I used the top catch wire for my TWC...
  20. BigH

    Starting a new vineyard

    Potassium, phosphorus and many other nutrients have poor mobility in soil, so if you don't fix them before planting, you are going to have a difficult time trying to add them later. My soil was low on phosphorus when I planted my vineyard. I was told to apply phosphorus only, and disc it in as...
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