2016 Pruning, propagating, praying, patience.

one for the birds.

Everything seemed so late this year. We started the pruning in good time at the end of January but almost three months later things are still slow. Bud break may take longer yet with a cold spell forecast for another week.

The big news this year is that we have successfully propagated some cuttings we bought over the internet from Sunnybank Nurseries last year.

In the winter of 2014/15 our first attempt with 'Acadie Blanc' was a total failure so the darling buds on around 12 of the 40 cuttings was a triumph for Slotovino black thumbs. The initial delivery consisted of

Aligote

Elbling

Acadie Blanc

Arbouriou

Pinot Blanc

Rauschling

Baco 1

Blue Portuguieser

Chambourcin

Cot Precoce de Tours

Petit Rouge

St Laurent

Saperavi Severnyi

of which the successful ones include Elbling, Acadie Blanc (!), Arbouriou, Baco 1, Petit Rouge and Saperavi Severnyi. 

before

after

huh?

that'll larn 'im

No Glyphosate this year after cancer scares. The usual Q4 Professional Fertilizer and for the first time, organic manure (Levington's).  We have neglected feeding the vines in the past. Maybe this will help? It's all so long-term but quite exciting. We plan to pant out the cuttings in vacant spots but any results will take years to show.