Bell Vineyard

[grapeman]

Rich,

Exactly 2 clicks and I had your phone # and address.......

That is one of the trade-offs I make when accepting grant money for work I am doing to further other people's endeavors. We are required to post such info for people to contact us- and they do.


It is even worse because in the past I have been the field researcher for the Willsboro Cold Hurdy Trail (mispellings on purpose). I have been accused of having a competitive advantage because I have access to the data collected while others might not. Geeeze, let's see, I decide what to collect, and when to collect it. I tabulate and summarize it, but it is unfair because I know about it before others do............................. This has actually happened!

 

[DBell]

It is my experience that those people do these things because of their own personal problems/insecurities. It is very sad. Often they have no idea that they are doing it, convincing themselves tha they are somehow doing good.Sad and Unfortunate. I try to see it for what it is and leave it at that.


Anyone sick of the winter yet? I know this spring will be sooo busy, but I am itching to get out there!

 

[grapeman]

It is my experience that those people do these things because of their own personal problems/insecurities. It is very sad. Often they have no idea that they are doing it, convincing themselves tha they are somehow doing good.Sad and Unfortunate. I try to see it for what it is and leave it at that.


Anyone sick of the winter yet? I know this spring will be sooo busy, but I am itching to get out there!

Is it green there yet?

 

[DBell]

Rich (or anyone else) have you heard anything new about the NY95 wine (other than what has already been said when it was released)?


Also, I am concerned about the Noiret vines being on their own rootstock after reading that they reverted to the point of dying for you. When I read that they slowed in vigor, that seemed reasonable.I figured that meant just slowing a bit, notmore and more each year - say till they are not producing?

 

[grapeman]

Dan the NY95 has not been released yet. It is only being sold for further vineyard evaluations. You won't find anyone really with any experience with it yet, except for Bruce Reisch at Cornell (well maybe Steve Lerch since he is the field technician for their plantings).No real information has been put out yet for it. I suspect I might be able to get a bit more information on it from a couple of my contacts at Cornell, especially my submitted grant for the next two years, since my Technical advisor has that variety in her trial at the Geneva Experiment Station.


I think the Noiret will be alright in your location without a lot of decline. I think it is just a factor of a bit of winter damage to the trunks-not killing them but weakening them. It is enough warmer there, I don't think that will affect you.

 

[DBell]

I hope so on the Noiret!


If you do hear anything about the NY95 -I would appreciate the info.About the most I've heard is from the Research Report for 2007 to the Viticulture Consortium-East and NY Wine and Grape Foundation back in January 21, 2008.

 

[AlFulchino]

Rich i had an opportunity for grant money from a conservation group...i declined...i share w people on an individual basis now...usually one on one and i find that very rewarding.....

 

[DBell]

Just read on the topic of delayed pruning and came up on this:
Delayed pruning involves pruning after growth has started. Bud break begins on the ends of canes first and progresses toward the trunk. With both cane replacement and spur pruning, a portion of the cane will need to be removed to adjust bud number. By waiting to prune until 4 to 5 inches of new growth are present on the ends of canes, bud break in the area where fruiting is desired can be delayed by 10 to 14 days. This may be of merit in avoiding injury due to a late frost.


This seems like a good idea if one's vineyard is in a frost prone area or a grape variety buds early and is frost prone. Has anyone done this with thier vines?

 

[AlFulchino]

i do it on some vines

last yr especially we had growth on vines from the terminal buds on the canes..then 2 or 3 late frosts in early may...the terminal leaf growth withered and turned black...we then pruned and had no issue....

its also a reason to not do a fall pre-prune

 

[DBell]

Soyour first prunning with these vines was in mid to late may? At which point, did you prune to the desired amount of buds or leave a few extra just in case of another frost?

 

[AlFulchino]

it takes me and my friend 3-4 weeks to prune the vineyard.....my important vines i will prune first and i work toward my bread and butter vines....we start in either last week in march or first of april and work into May...this gives me a week or two buffer in case its ugly out and rainy and i can skip a day or two if need be

i prune to 2-3 buds depending on vine vigor....as a practice..however if we are hearing about a late frost and i am in the midst of pruning then i would evaluate the benefits of pruning to four buds as a safety valve

 

[DBell]

Thanks Al. It really helps too see others approach and experienceas I determine how I will handle my vines inthese scenarios.

 

[AlFulchino]

trust me on this...youwill find your own way and what works best for you..its all common sense and if a dummy like me can find his way to plant a vineyard and turn it into a little winery that can sell wine...anyone can

 

[DBell]

No dummy in you Al.

 

[AlFulchino]

and none in you i am sure...make sure we get to see pictures as it develops

 

[DBell]

Got out last weekend and cut my vines back to pencil sized diameter. I was hard on em. It hurt me to give such tough love on my kids, but It's for their future.


I took some of the clippings and buried them upside down with about 1' of dirt over them andlaid plastic overtop (like in Rrawhide's cutting post). However, most of the cuttings are thin in diameter and likely will not result in anything - just a test.

 

[Randoneur]

If your cutting are pencil size, they will be fine.
I'm trying Ricks method also this year, as an experiment, should have roots at the time to put them in pots. Keep us posted on how they do for you.


In the past I always wrapped the cuttings in wet newspaper and then a plastic bag and put them in the fridge until warm weather - dipped them in rooting hormone and then into potting soil. Kept them in the shade for a year and then to the vineyard. Two years in the pot and shade if grafting to a root stock. I always had really good luck doing them that way.

 

[grapeman]

Hey daniel good luck with the cuttings. Also don't worry about them kids, they will be fine. They will grow like weeds this year for you and will be 10 feet long before you know it.

 

[Randoneur]

Daniel
I've still got the cutting in the ground, I may pull the plastic and dirt back this weekend to look at them, but I think I need to be patient.
Have you pulled yours up yet or looked at them?

 

[DBell]

Funny you ask... I was just logging on to see if you had checked yours yet. I looked a couple weeks back and they were not ready yet.I don't think it had been hot enough do to the trick at that time. I am guessing that they will be ready in a couple weeks from now.


The Vineyard is growing fast with all the rain we've had this year early. All my reds have a lot of growth on them. I pinched off a painful bunch of clusters (second leaf). Whites have just opened up. I took pics, but will add them later.