snow pack and vines

even though there was some additional snow yesterday there is still some green poking up through the white in the winter wheat and rye beds...

the additional snow complicated roadway navigation last night...however the wheat bed now has what appears to be an even 5 inches of snow cover...

and the rye has 4.9375...which is fine given the current temperature...

and the fact that the high will only ( if the forecast is true ) only be six degrees higher and the low tonight in single digits..the problem is tomorrow's high is allegedly going to be in the upper thirties ( all temperatures in fahrenheit ) and it is supposed to rain...then the temperatures are alleged to be dropping into areas well below freezing ans i am wondering how much snow cover i will lose before we go back to single digit lows and have exposed plants...the climate driven weather has not really been cooperating with these overwintering plants of late...winters seem to be becoming both more intense in terms of low temperatures and shorter in duration...neither of which fits in with the artificially selected evolution of these plants...look for another weather report tomorrow...

while i was out there i had a look at the grapes...the seedless vines did well in their second year and it it looks to be time to expand the trellis to accommodate them...

a shade to the southeast the gnarled old concord grape root stock...

continues to send vines up through the neighboring fir tree...

to join the ones ( admittedly difficult to see ) already in the catalpa tree..the greeks used to plant grape vines with olive trees so they would grow together...i have inadvertently rediscovered the process in my yard...it took over twenty years though...patient people.

blooms and ears

the potted teosinte continues to produce flowers, silks and ears all down the stem...

the winter rye has produced many ears...

as is nearly as tall as i am...

and down at the base of the stand i found a couple of surprise guests...there was a small stand of pacific bluestem wheat there last season...i can only assume these are volunteers that went unnoticed in the rye stems until now...

the black tip wheat ears continue to emerge...

the spuds. asparagus, ramps, alfalfa, and winter vetch are all blooming or at least considering it...

the concord grapes in the catalpa tree and the spruce tree aren't simply considering...they are acting...blooms everywhere...

that skeletalized leaf is not a grape leaf...it does look strikingly like the work of japanese beetles however...they were abundant last season and i see no reason not to expect the same this year..i have been checking grape leaves daily looking for beetle induced damage and have found none...even the underside of the leaves is not harboring the insects...i am unsure of why but will continue inspecting...i will be planting geraniums...and i have neem oil ready to put into the pump sprayer..i am prepared to defend the grapes and strawberries.

new growth

rain last night and this morning in conjunction with a 90 degree ( fahrenheit ) plus day is providing impetus to new growth...several of the bear paw maize plants are putting out fourth leaves..the alfalfa is beginning to bloom while the grapes are done flowering and setting about making fruit..the mashua has topped the container and will soon be cascading down the side...and my asparagus transplant has not shocked and seems well which is encouraging...there is more form cukes to peppers but there is a weekend coming up...we will want to pace ourselves.

viticulture

got home from work to find another grape vine had arrived from the local garden center..so..i soaked the roots in water while i dug a hole ( using the displaced soil to hill some spuds nearby ) and back filled the hole with compost, a grape vine, and a geranium to fend off unwelcome beetles...the vine i planted on monday obviously likes the environment it has found itself in..it has deployed more leaves and, more importantly to me, there are tendrils emerging that speak eloquently of vines and fruit to come...and speaking of fruit to come, the grapes in the fir tree on the ancient and grandfatherly vine are flowering in anticipation of the fruit...these will have seeds...i will be saving them...more as the vines develop.

grapes!

the grandfatherly grape root stock may be weathered and the vines going up the elm tree may have been cut which is sad but a fact...however the vines in the spruce tree clearly were not cut and they have burst out of the tree and are leafing and latching on to any support they can find ( tubers and tendrils...abiding geekness ) and not only are they leafing, they are blooming...there are grape flowers in abundance...and where there are flowers there are grapes..it may be a truncated harvest this year but it will be a harvest...perhaps enough for a batch or two of jelly...grape jelly from the backyard vines to go with the "bread made from scratch" project results..Jean gets first crack at it but i will share after that.