A tiny cluster of grape blossoms.It's been very wet and the growers are grumbling. Too much water and humidity is the perfect recipe for leaf mold. So they're out there whenever they can be spraying the vines with something called bouillie bordelaise. It's a mixture of copper and lime that prevents mold, and we understand that it's ok to use in organic/biodynamic grape growing.
Getting ready to flower.Last week I actually bought some for our own garden. Yesterday, I sprayed the tomatoes to help keep them mold-free. We'll keep our fingers crossed that it works.
In case I haven't mentioned it recently, the vineyard does not belong to us. We're just lucky enough to live next to it.
Is it market day every Tuesday in Valencay, Walt ?
ReplyDeleteBordeaux mixture is in fact pretty toxic, but accepted by the organic certification organisations because it is such an old and traditional treatment. There is always rumblings in the organic movement about it and it is an easy target for those who want to critise the movement too.
ReplyDeleteFunny, because I passed by an entire orchard full of grapes yesterday on Sauvie Island (you can Google it) on the way out to the beach for the day. It's a place filled with agriculture and beauty.
ReplyDeleteI read the wine spectator. they are continually talking about the weather and growing conditions. I guess it does make a difference for grapes and wine.
ReplyDeleteI am still amazed how even under the worst of situations the wine can be manipulated to be at least fair.
jean, yes, I believe so.
ReplyDeletesusan, oh, I didn't know that...
lewis, I did google it! I didn't know it was on the river.
urspo, yes, it can make a tremendous difference in how many grapes there are, how big they get, what the water/sugar content is, etc. The joys of winemaking!