The warm spring brought things to
life this year with an early bud break on March 20. The Syrah, which is always
the first to push, was eight days earlier than in both 2018 and 2019, and was joined
in early arrival by two of my new varieties, Petite Manseng and Petit Verdot.
The two Cabs, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc are running true to form and
trailing the other varieties by about two weeks. There are still a number of
vines at bud swell at this writing.
Memories of 2018 have dampened my
enthusiasm for this early push. The Syrah pushed the first buds on March 28
that year, which were quickly stunned by a big snowstorm on April 6, and a
killing freeze on April 16. Some of the vines had three-inch shoots, and all
failed to survive the night, knocking the blush off the new season.
God willing, we will not see that
kind of weather again this year. According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, average
last frost for Charlotte is April 11, and from the looks of the forecast, we
might be in the clear this season.
Rainfall is another matter. We have
experienced scant precipitation the past three weeks, and Irrigation may be
necessary if we do not get a good rain in the next ten days. The forecast shows
50 percent probability beginning on Easter, with similar chances the week
following.
I have sprayed three times so far this year with mancozeb, sulfur, Sevin and Venom to cover all the season fungus and pests. I am following the recommendations of the 2019 Southeast Regional Bunch Grape Integrated Management Guide on a 10 day cycle until conditions require a shorter interval.
This is a very exciting time of
year in the vineyard, notwithstanding the COVID-19 mitigation requirements for North Carolina that allow plenty of time in the vineyard.
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