I’ve been robbed! Maybe I’m not cut out for farming!!!
I cleaned my picking bins, and was ready to pick the Black Spanish grapes, but as I walked up I noticed something. ALL the grapes were gone! WTH! I put up the netting! Where did they go! I don’t see any feathers or other clues that thousands of birds must have had a feast at my expense.
Preventing the birds from getting these grapes
The birds got all the Lomanto grapes, so I’m going to put the bird nets on the Black Spanish.
The nets are on! They still might be able to get to some of them, but hopefully I can protect the majority. Tucked and pined nice and neatly on the bottom so they can’t get in that way.
Black Spanish grapes getting close
The brix is only 15, but color is looking good. I’m hoping the brix will get up to at least 20, but this is the first year of fruiting. These vines were three years old when I got them, with great root systems. Second year in the vineyard. I tried to limit the fruit this year to only 2-3 bunches per vine, but as you can see, more grew on some vines.
Black Spanish Grapes Starting veraison!
Black Spanish starting to change just a bit (2 berries in this cluster).
Pulled many leaves so air can circulate better and sun can reach the grapes and wood for next years crop.
Most vines have made the trip down both sides of the wire (3-4′ both sides of the trunk). The ends have been snipped off so the shoots/canes for next year’s growth will grow in the middle of the cordon.
Black Spanish and Lomanto Grape updates
Lomanto (left) are looking nice. Brix of 15 so far. No color change on Black Spanish (right). Much smaller berries but large clusters.
Black Spanish grapes are coming along
This is a month after bloom and looking good. These grapes don’t have as tight of a cluster at the Lomanto. The spacing should help with Black Rot and Powdery Mildew.
Black Spanish Grapes are in full bloom
The Black Spanish grapes are blooming this week! I know I was supposed to pinch off all the grapes this year, but I decided to let each vine set one or two cluster so I could get a good idea when the grape’s bloom, veraison (change color), and harvest time. Plus I’m curious about size, taste, color and sugar content of the grapes.
I also fertilized and sprayed again this weekend. From now up to another 4 weeks are when they are most susceptible to black rot and other fungus issues.
Fruit thinning and I might need stitches
Sad day in vineyard today! Not supposed to let the fruit set the first two years on you grapevines. I had to go through and pinch off all the small bunches of grapes.
Technically these are just the pre-bloom buds, and not grapes yet. First they flower then start making fruit. On the bright side the vines are producing hundreds of these little guys. I bet I just pinched off what would have been the equivalent of several hundred pounds of fruit if left to mature.
And while not paying attention in the tool shed, I slipped and fell on my bush axe. I had my gloves on so minimal damage. On the bright side, I didn’t lose an appendage and I learned how to superglue my cut shut. Of course I used some hydrogen peroxide first to clean it up. The glue really does work. I was able to get right back to work. No trip to the ER today!
Shoots are growing well. Time to start spraying.
The shoots are growing well and you can see small grape clusters forming. Time to start spraying. Below is the regiment I plan to follow. I didn’t spray enough last year as I thought I didn’t need to because it was first year and no fruit growth. Major mistake. The Black Spanish had several issues that I’ll be fighting to fix this year. Spray all your plants even the newly planted vines to help them get a great start.
Early spraying with fungicides and insecticides will keep disease and pests off your plants. Use a sprayer with a higher PSI pressure for better leaf penetration. The PSI should be greater than 60 PSI (80-90 PSI is better).
New shoot sprays: Begin when shoots are 4-6 inches long and repeat 7 – 10 days later.
- Use Captan at a rate of 2 tbsp per gallon or Mancozeb at a rate of 3-4 tsp per gallon of water in a sprayer
- Also add Malathion to the sprayer at 2-3 tsp per gallon for insects (don’t need much for mites and smaller pest) later in the year when the Japanese Beetles show up I bump up to 1 tbsp).
Pre-bloom: When first blossoms start to open. Most damage from black rot occurs from pre-bloom through 4 weeks after bloom.
- Use Mancozeb (better than Captan at this stage) at a rate of 3-4 tsp per gallon of water in a sprayer
- Also add Malathion to the sprayer at 2-3 tsp per gallon
Post-bloom: When most of the bloom caps have fallen off the vine.
- Use Captan at a rate of 2 tbsp per gallon of water in a sprayer
- Also add Malathion to the sprayer at 2-3 tsp per gallon
Cover sprays: 7 – 10 days later, then at 2 week intervals until harvest
- Use Captan at a rate of 2 tbsp per gallon of water in a sprayer
- Also add Carbaryl 4L (same as Sevin but 2x stronger) to the sprayer at 2 tsp per gallon
- NOTE: Must wait 7 days after last spraying before harvesting fruit when using Carbarl/Sevin!
- NOTE: Must wait 66 days after last spraying before harvesting fruit if using Mancozeb!
Before and After
Lasterday Wines 
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