The first major benchmark of the 2019 growing season is behind us. Bud break is complete, and like 2018, it proceeded rapidly. Dates for bud break by block can be found here.
The weather has been very warm this spring and we now have up to 4” of growth in some blocks. I began irrigating last week and am applying some nutrients to give the vines a boost, including boron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc and calcium. These are very important nutrients for the beginning stages of growth, so we are coming in early with them.
Calcium and boron are particularly important at this point in the year. Calcium helps move water and nutrients through the vine and creates strong cell walls. It is also very important to the photosynthetic process. The boron helps with early season shoot growth, creating strong vertical growth while minimizing lateral shoot growth. When boron levels are deficient, shoot growth is stunted and many lateral shoots tend to grow; this is not a great combination for wine quality so we begin adjusting for it now.