[/quote]Casey, have you been able to find a spray for weed control that is organic? Sure would be cheaper than hand-digging weeds like I do here.
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After hearing from quite a few people that Weed Slayer is a game changer for organic herbicide, I’m giving it a whirl this year. Wilbur Ellis is a North Bay supplier, but it was cheaper online from Arbico Organics in AZ. I’ll be spraying it in the next week, and it supposedly takes quite a while to show results, but I’ll report back eventually. It’s significantly more expensive than Roundup, and I’m sort of expecting to need a second pass, but it still has to be cheaper than hoeing. My under-vine strips are on a side-slope in quite a bit of the vineyard, and I’m not anxious to disturb the soil there by either mechanical or manual means. That would leave weed-eating as the organic alternative if Weed Slayer doesn’t turn out to be an answer.
One day Merrill will be able to post a picture ALL by herself!
Casey, have you been able to find a spray for weed control that is organic? Sure would be cheaper than hand-digging weeds like I do here.
[/quote]
After hearing from quite a few people that Weed Slayer is a game changer for organic herbicide, I’m giving it a whirl this year. Wilbur Ellis is a North Bay supplier, but it was cheaper online from Arbico Organics in AZ. I’ll be spraying it in the next week, and it supposedly takes quite a while to show results, but I’ll report back eventually. It’s significantly more expensive than Roundup, and I’m sort of expecting to need a second pass, but it still has to be cheaper than hoeing. My under-vine strips are on a side-slope in quite a bit of the vineyard, and I’m not anxious to disturb the soil there by either mechanical or manual means. That would leave weed-eating as the organic alternative if Weed Slayer doesn’t turn out to be an answer.
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This is interesting as Weed Slayer is derived from Eugenol which is about 80-90% of the active ingredient of clove oil. Worked with these ingredients and while not the most aromatic, Eugenol is pretty tenacious in its lasting power and flavor. It would not take much to add a decidedly spicy note to the wine 
I’m not suggesting there will be carry over from the vineyard spraying but would be very careful having any in the winery that somehow could wind up in a bin or tank (thinking glove, clothes, instrument for testing, spillage, etc etc.
Tom
Thanks, Andy. The cover crop is liking this string of sunny, warm days after all that rain. Obviously I have not pruned yet - maybe the end of the month. Hate to see all that green trampled by the pruners.
Not what I wanted to see today!
We had a huge windstorm, not quite as bad as the one that accompanied the Tubbs fire back in 17, but windy enough to bring back some terrifying memories. It has remained pretty warm during the daytime, and not a drop of rain in sight.
Lots of crews out pruning - it is good weather for it. Some vineyards still have standing water, so I think those will be waiting awhile.
The peach trees are budding, daffodils and narcissus are blooming, and it is a particularly good year for camellias. So it feels and looks like Spring, but no one is wishing for bud break on the vines.
Today it hit 80 degrees and the wind picked up again this morning. We need more moisture - it feels like fire season out there. Don’t get me wrong, it is a lovely interlude, but only if it is just that. Hot and dry and windy.
I helped a buddy prune some head trained Carnginane (sp) yesterday and it was pretty warm out there. Today I was doing construction work on one of our worker houses and it was HOT! Obviously my blood hasn’t thinned out to summer viscosity yet. After seeing that cracked bud last week I’m walking the vineyard with blinders on. We still have MANY acres yet to prune and we have the pedal e the metal. Starting to have meetings with customers now, which is great. I’ve already received great news from many positive reports from clients about their white wines.
I’ll also plug one of my clients: Philips Hill Winery is getting g a 95 point score from Wine Enthusiast For their 2017 Day Ranch Pinot Noir. Very happy for Toby. The grape market will be a very big story as spring develops. More on that later.
There are lots of reports of a California grape glut in the wine press.
Really not liking what the 10 day forecast is showing. Very dry out there for mid February.
Good to see the 2020 weather blog up and running! Hope you farmers get the additional rain needed to set up the 2020 growing season. Also hoping for and looking forward to a great west coast growing season and a stellar 2020 vintage. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers")
I was up and down the Valley the last 2 days and so no vineyards with standing water. Today is much cooler than the days earlier this week. The cover crop is now sprinkled with a good dose of mustard - it popped up yesterday. Of course the plant was there earlier, but the flowers just emerged.
Everywhere you go the conversation is about how fantastic the weather is and when are we going to get some more rain…
Stopped to smell the Manzanita flowers on the driveway this afternoon. Another sign of false spring.
Feeling more uncomfortable with the California weather pattern. Things getting drier by the day. We are mowing pruning brush in fields we usually can’t drive into during February. Small streams not running now. With dry soil the roots will warm up sooner and that COULD mean early budbreak if things continue. Lucky we have plenty of frost protection water stored but I can’t say that for others in our area.
My irrigation pond is still 3 feet from being full, and I’ve never started the season being short of full. There’s still time, but I’m starting to think about irrigation contingencies. For one thing, I have a small grafting project that may have to push back a year because grafted vines take extra water.
Funny to say but we are too far ahead on our pruning because of no rain. Short story: we have had too many nice weather days. We’re going to back off to 4 day work weeks.
Going to touch 80 degrees the next couple of days. Things pretty dry out there. I’d imagine some buds must be popping somewhere? Anyone?
60 degrees at 7:00 this morning and dry, dry, dry. At this rate we will be harvesting by 4th of July. That was a joke…I hope.
