2010 Growing season

[Racer]

I'd like to hear how everybody's doing with their plants that they make wine from. My growing season started about 3 weeks ago with budbreak on my apple tree's and grape vines happening within days of each other. Currently have about 4" shoot growth on the grape vines and 8-10 leaves on the new growth on the apples. I've dodged frost damage so far this year(first time in about 5 years now).I still have my fingers crossed about that though. We still have about 2 more weeks before that possibility goes away for this year here.

How's your stuff growing for you folk's so far?

 

[Wade E]

I havent made any wines from them yet as I just transplanted them late fall last year but my 18 Black Currant bushes are flourishing like crazy!

 

[deboard]

The only thing I have that I might actually be able to make wine out of this year is my plum trees. They flowered like crazy, and now they are looking good. We'll see how much they produce.

I bought some cynthiana/norton grape vines, and now I have my trellis completed. So I may plant them today. Of course I'm not expecting anything from them until at least the third season.

Bought 6 black currant bushes and planted them last week. They are doing great, and even have a lot of flowers on them. But I doubt they will produce much if anything this year.

 

[Mud]

My blueberries are suffering as I had to transplant them. Accidentally planted them in a very wet spot that didn't drain well. They survived, but they're struggling.

Six out of seven new Heritage raspeberries haven't done anything yet. Most of the 100 strawberries planted last fall look decent, and the rhubarb planted with it looks great. Elderberries are budded and look vigorous.

The cherry tree is budded, but it's very little yet. Was started from a sweet cherry pit, so who knows what it'll be. Peaches and plums look good, and the blossoms are very pretty. Especially the pink plum blossoms.

Might have lost my Michelin apple, but it still looks green inside. No other signs of life, though. The dabinett and golden russet look really good.

That's everything. All in all, a pretty good report..

 

[Wade E]

Damn Mud, is there anything you dont have growing my friend?

 

[Midwest Vintner]

so far:
black currant (5)
jalapeno's (12)
cherry trees (4)
pear trees (4)
gooseberry (3+ ? on a bunch of wild ones)
raspberry (100+ 35-50 were transplanted and 50-75 wild black ones)
blackberry (? couldn't tell between some of the transplanted raspberries)
chokeberry (10)
strawberry (15-20?, enough for now)
concord grape (2 really old and 2 brand new)
elderberry (7 or 10)

it's hard for me to remember how many of each as we just planted most of it 2 weeks ago. with the mix of rain and sun, it should be growing rapidly. i know the grass is.

nothing better than growing, picking, pressing and making all aspects of the wine. some will be sacrificed to jam.

and more to come....

 

[Wade E]

We arent getting any rain at all.a few weeks ago we got 6 months worth though and nothing since! Ive been watering my lawn just to keep it from totally dying ou. Normally this time of the year my lawn looks awesome then I typically lose it late June -July, its pretty much at that point nowand Im on a well so cant go nus playng the hose game.

 

[Sacalait]

Some of my muscadine vines are struggling with what appears to be a fungus. I hit them with Captan 50 a few days ago... we'll see.

3 grape vines, 2 green and 1 black spanish (I think) are doing great with clusters of flower buds.

6 varities of blackberries that are loaded... I'll be picking in a week or so.

2 fig trees loaded.

4 pear trees (hasoui) not doing worth a damn, thinking of cutting them down.

 

[Mud]

Actually, there are a few more on the list. The more fruit we grow the less lawn I have to mow.

I decided not to plant much this year as the budget is a little tight, but it's just as well. Harvest season is going to be busy busy once all this stuff starts to bear. Might have to start a fruit stand.

<picks mulch from hair, falls asleep typinggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

 

[Larryh86GT]

My row of raspberries are getting nice and green. I have replanted the runner canes that were popping up away from the row to my row of blueberries. I am giving up on the blueberries and will let the raspberries have their ground.
My 2 little 3rd year Marquis grapevines are just breaking bud now. I love this time of the year.

Larry

 

[Mud]

Did you ever have your soil tested? For a few dollars you can send in a sample to Penn State Cooperative Extension and they'll tell you what you need. Cornell probably does the same thing. They have a huge ag program.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Soil test in the beginning at the least can be a great help in getting things started. All of my fruits and veggies are growing well. We have actually had a spring for a change instead of cold, cold, Hot weather. Sparatic rain and lots of sunshine. Everything is going green.

 

[grapeman]

I make wine from my 2000 vines or at least the ones bearing so far. I am still finishing up springtime work in the vineyard including pruning, weed control, trellis installation, new vine planting, vine replacing varieties I chose to replace and on and on.

 

[Racer]

I make wine from my 2000 vines or at least the ones bearing so far. I am still finishing up springtime work in the vineyard including pruning, weed control, trellis installation, new vine planting, vine replacing varieties I chose to replace and on and on.

Has your vineyard been warm enough to avoid frost this spring so far? If you don't mind me asking what kind of harvest numbers did you get from your frontenac last year.

 

[sly22guy]

Im so far behind this year, we did some major landscaping changes to accomadate my new grapevines. Just now getting everything straightened out and planted. Now at least i have a 1/3 of an acre for grapes & fruit trees and little garden with a green house! = alot less mowing for me!

 

[Wade E]

Hehehe, nice signature Sly!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[grapeman]

Has your vineyard been warm enough to avoid frost this spring so far? If you don't mind me asking what kind of harvest numbers did you get from your frontenac last year.

We haven't reached budbreak yet this year. Good thing too, since it has snowed all day. Supposed to be in the 80's by the weekend again.

Last year the Frontenac averaged 8 tons to the acre with a low brix of only 22-24 since it was such a nasty cool year. Some of them came in closer to 26 on the poorest section of the vineyard.

 

[Mud]

Good news! The michelin apple is sprouting leaves and looking healthy. So are the blueberries that were looking sick.

 

[Wade E]

Thats great Mud, looks to me like I might have a decent season with Currants as there are berries growing as we speak on many plants, some of them are still too young to produce.

 

[Midwest Vintner]

i can't wait for our currants to grow. sadly it will be a year or two before we have anything to talk about love black currant wine!

we've had good weather here. stuff's growing like mad.

on a side note, IIRC, MU does the same thing with soil out here i believe. send it to them and they will analyze it for ya. not sure if they charge or how that works, but my dad usually sends it off. haven't done so for the soil at our new place. it's much better here than we had it before. it's rich and dark for 6-10" here. all hill so it drains descent too.