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nafex - Re: [NAFEX] Grape Arbor

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  • From: derry and bill <wchase@interchange.ubc.ca>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Grape Arbor
  • Date: Fri, 05 Aug 2005 21:09:15 -0700

Definitely my grapes (Interlaken, Reliance and Venus) are completely shaded
by the
leaves and vines by the first of August.

With no fertilizing, the vines are about 6' long and some leaves are 10" long.

There is no way they'll ripen here in south coastal B.C. if I don't either
remove
leaves or vines.

I can't find any good firm references as to how much of the vines or how many
of
the leaves. In past years I have removed the vines leaving three leaves past
the
last grape cluster. This works OK, but there may be a better rule to follow.

I also net them in mid August to keep the birds away. This would be almost
impossible if I left all the vines intact. Maybe if I left the vines intact,
the
birds wouldn't find them - but the grapes would be sour.

I find the birds start pecking at my Hudson's Golden Gem and Karmijn de
Sonnaville
apples in early August, at least two months before they are ripe. These are
the
only two varieties of the 100 varieties I grow that are so attractive to birds
when unripe.

I know Karmijn has a high sugar content when ripe, but it also has a high acid
content. I've never measured the sugar content of HGG.

Derry

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Derry Walsh & Bill Chase
wchase@interchange.ubc.ca
Aldergrove, B. C., Canada
phone/fax (604) 856-9316
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Home web pages: http://derrysorchardandnursery.ca
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


: Increased sun on the fruit apparently enhances/alters the metabolism of
: the berries. I've seen St. Croix without leaf pulling that wouldn't get
: much over 17 Brix and the wine had a weedy taste. When leaves were
: removed just from around the fruit to allow sun on it during ripening,
: the sugar levels increased to 20 and 21 Brix and the wine had a much
: more fruity character.
: -Lon Rombough





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