Huge score or major headache

[blumentopferde]

Nice looking vineyard to start!

The second picture is just showing some foliar phylloxera- not a big deal. The first picture looks like mildew got it. From the rest of the pictures, I would say you got some heavy freezes, so the leaves just dropped naturally- a good thing! My big clue there is that a good share of the trees leaves have dropped also- only the oaks left which is normal.

I think you would be alright going with the vineyard - just investigate a spray program for next year.

Good luck!

grapeman, may i ask you why you would regard foliar pyhlloxera as "not a big deal"? I always thought that phylloxera would be about the worst thing to have in a wineyard!

 

[grapeman]

The foliar phylloxera mainly affects the leaves. It is more cosmetic than a true damage to the vines unless it occurs in huge numbers. It is the root feeding form that damages the vines more. Either way, hybrids have a built in resistance to damage as most have American varieties of vitis riparia in their breeding. Unless you get the majority of leaves with 25 or more lesions on them, the damage to the photosynthetic capacity is not bad enough to warrant spraying.

 

[blumentopferde]

thanks for the clarification!

 

[BobR]

sjo,

I know that it has only been about one month, but did you ever decide to take over that 1 acre vineyard?

 

[sjo]

Bob,
I have spent a bit of time doing some research both here and elsewhere. We do intend to give it a try if the owner is willing to give some consesions to the total organic plan if that is not working.
SJO

 

[BobR]

Well good luck Scott, hopefully it will work out. Keep us posted!

 

[sjo]

Well were set to go. Tomorrow we will start pruning. A lot of reading surfing and a grape conference has taught us well. My wife is very excited about this and has wanted to get out all week to start pruning. My kids seem eager but we'll see how they feel a couple hours into it. Thanks to the posters in the forum who have lent their knowledge. And a special thanks to Grapeman for all his wisdom. We hope and pray you pull through healthy and happy.
Scott

 

[grapeman]

sjo the important thing for the kids is to make the work a fun job. If they enjoy it, they will do it willingly. If you make it a chore, these won't offer to help again.

Don't worry about me. I have been doing pretty well this last couple weeks. Monday I go in again for 2 days of chemo. Then after a while we do a scan to see how th lymphoma is responding to the chemo. This weekend is hecktic with meetings and such. I just need to avoid sick people as much as possible.