Summertime Brings Dry Conditions, Rapid Growth, and Developing Fruit
Over wintering cover crop is allowed to go to seed for the next season. Often our mow down of the cover crop is delayed until late Spring, as we transition to Summer. The cover crop has done its two jobs for the year...Protect our soils from erosion, and pulled excess water from the soils to provide early competition with the vines
Our goal is to provide a dappled light pattern forms in the shadows of the vines, assuring the fruit is getting the proper amount of sun exposure
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Summer time vine growth with cover crop now mowed down.
Our Summer view from the deck of the house as the morning fog still lingers in the background
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Early summer is the time to watch the vines grow. As the canopy develops, we will make several passes through the vineyard to assure proper light penetration and balanced fruit / canopy balance
Summer brings a rotation in our weather pattern. Warm days eventually draw cooler air from the ocean, bringing with it a cooling fog...nature's air conditioner for our crop
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Rock hard berries continue to grow throughout the Summer
At 100% veraison, the fruit has softened to the touch, and is now about 5 degrees Brix...or about 5% sugar
And...Summer brings ripe tomatoes and vegetables
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Summer Brings Changes To Our Fruit
Pea sized fruit hangs on the vine, and continues to size through the Summer
Beautiful Summer afternoon complete with a few puffy clouds against a pure blue sky...Do we really live here?
Our finches who used to migrate through in the Spring, now spend the year enjoying a banquet of Nyger seed provided for their pleasure
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As Summer continues the berries start to soften and change color, a process called veraison. As the fruit changes color, it also begins the ripening process, accumulating sugar and flavor components until harvest
We rarely get Summer rain, but early morning fog often leaves it's dew on the leaves
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