Thursday, July 10, 2014

Bloom Time at Arrow Lakes Vineyard

So despite the average temperatures of 12.5 for May and 15.5c for June by June 30th most the the varieties were well into bloom.  We are a few days ahead than usual given the temperature and this could be the above normal heat we had in the last week of June or the we've added soil amendments this year and last fall (fertilizer).  What ever the case the grapes are looking good and the castel is producing nice clusters this year and we have good clusters on the pinot noir and the zweigelt which we haven't had before...this has got to be the fertilizer working.  Not much else to report but I have a bunch of photos of the varieties in bloom - took these photos June 30th.

Castel (responding very well to fertilizer, excelelnt growth and clusters this year)

Colmar Precoce Noir (tentative but getting stronger - similar to Lucy Kuhlman)

Evangeline (huge clusters of 1-2 clusters per shoot, almost as big as Seyval clusters)

L'Acadie (Acadie) (2-3 large clusters per shoot, looking good)

Leon Millot (good growth and consistent producer)

Lucy Kuhlman (good growth this year, more clusters)

Marechal Foch (nice strong growth)

Petite Milo (excellent consistent production again, very small clusters)

Pinot Noir 115 (finally some decent flower clusters, likes the fertilizer)

Ravat 34 (excellent production, overbearing)

St. Croix (comming along, second year now)

Triompe d'alsace (strong, healthy, good producer)

Zweigeltrebe (Zweigelt) (finally some good clusters this year, likes the fertilizer)