July 2017
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Last week I was able to travel as a part of the UGA Extension Viticulture Team to Charlottesville, VA to attend my first American Society for Enology and Viticulture / Eastern Section (ASEV/ES) meeting. I have to say, the trip was definitely worth my time to attend. Not only were we able to tour the…
Posted in: Bunch Grapes -
Georgia is not the only place where grapes have been impacted by the weather this spring. The Guardian posted a short article today discussing the low production of French wine expected this year after a spring cold snap caused problems for grape growers, especially in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, although bad weather also…
Posted in: Weather -
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center releases monthly climate outlooks in mid-month showing one-month and three-month outlooks for temperature and precipitation. They are probabilistic forecasts, which means they tell you the likelihood of above, near or below normal conditions but not how extreme they might get. For example, in the one-month temperature outlook for August, you see…
Posted in: Weather -
Since I am the newest member of the Viticulture Team, I thought I would introduce myself. I am Pam Knox, UGA agricultural climatologist, currently in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences in the College of Ag. I’ve worked at UGA since 2001, first as the Assistant State Climatologist and now as a Public Service…
Posted in: Weather -
Please let me introduce myself. My name is Mike Mengak and I am a Professor & Wildlife Outreach Specialist in the Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. Our Viticulture Extension Specialist – Dr. Cain Hickey – has invited me to join the “Viticulture Team”. I appreciate the invitation from…
Posted in: Pest management Guidelines -
I recently had questions at a grower meeting about several aspects of powdery mildew management. I am currently attending an international meeting on powdery mildew, so it is very helpful to have my opinions supported by true experts in the field of powdery mildew management. Relative powdery mildew, the following comments may help you in…
Posted in: Pest management Guidelines -
With veraison upon us, I just wanted to remind everyone about the continued threat from Japanese beetles. The adult beetles feed on the soft leaf tissue between veins, which often results in a skeletonized appearance. Below are images from Petit Verdot that Cain observed recently in Virginia that have been severely fed on by Japanese…
Posted in: Pest management Guidelines -
Veraison is here in many parts of GA – see the 10-day-old photo of a Merlot cluster (below) for proof. Though I was not in Georgia for the previous veraison period, I know that veraison is a bit ahead of schedule this year. This is usually a welcomed occurrence as this could mean that harvest will follow suit. However,…
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THIS IS A REMINDER TO PLEASE REGISTER FOR THE UGA EXTENSION NEW GRAPE GROWER’S CONFERENCE, TO BE HELD ON AUGUST 16, 2017 AT CRANE CREEK VINEYARDS IN YOUNG HARRIS, GA. This conference is a exactly one month away from today, and is intended for both those looking to join the grape and wine industry, but…
Posted in: Events -
We collected our first grape root borer adult in one of our pheromone traps in North Georgia. This means that the adults are beginning to emerge from the soil out of their pupal stage. For the next few weeks the adults will emerge, mate, and the females will lay their eggs at the base of…
Posted in: Pest management Guidelines