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Cook Vineyard Weekly Newsletter 3.26.12

We are now officially in spring. Winter ended on the 20th of March, but has decided to stick around for a few more days.

How does the rain affect the emerging buds?

Simply said it does not hurt anything, actually one could say it helps in two ways. First of all, we don’t have frost when it rains. Secondly it helps our much needed water supplies and will delay our need for irrigation early in the growing season. With that said, we do worry about cold storms creating a hail storm. This is highly unusual, but so is having little rain in January. Big storms are normally followed by a cold front, with frost threats.

These storms are better now than after we are at two to three inches of growth (second leaf). Most vineyards are two weeks away from needing sprayed with fungicides. During this time rain can make us reapply based on the materials used.

Our weather patterns do change year to year and decade to decade. It is hard to predict what vintage 2012 will encounter, but for now we will take all the rain Mother Nature wants to give as long as it doesn’t flood us out.

If anyone wants to visit us in the vineyards to learn more about the world of viticulture, Please call us at 707.490.8921. Also check our website  www.cvmgrapes.com.