patterns and spindles

Sunday, May 5, 2019

Vineyard N3

Grapes are slowly making it inside-patio-outside (for 3-4h a day, because high mountain spring sun can burn anything not used to it very quickly, and all my grapes are sound asleep right now, they know next week another snow is coming, so they do sit tight)...
Weeds are coming strong and need to be dialed with.
These are root stock from abroad, table grapes, they handle zones 3-4.

On the other side... almost all gladiolas are planted (regardless of foretasted snow, in composting beds they will be ok.... because snow will not be 3 days like last year, but only one and very short mostly rain and then some freeze-snow...
I planted all... except of these... pots... Clearly I planted some chickens there.
And they messed and tossed out my good compost.

So that to be re-filled and planted, and chicken wire goes over that. Gladiolas come through, but chickens do not scratch because they do not like chicken wire at all.
Like so.

 Wire needs to be added, chickens are in pens till I get to that, because they will be right back at it digging out gladiolas, and I do not like that.
The wire is green, better than rock (that heats way too much up here in mountains). So whoever has self-planting chickens... coated chicken wore does work... If you do not forget to put it over the winter like I did... and chickens will plant themselves there wasting your good compost...
Not exactly wasted, other plants benefit too... 

compost pile, wood chips on top.
 Still, more work, could have being prevented, oh well, can not catch everything.

Chickens were bad, and they planted themselves in new work in progress vineyard.
It's bordering compost pile and Largest variety will be feeding of that wide composting area.
 4 rows, 3 stand alone, 1 merged with composting bed.
 Cickens made some holes, ate some of my good earth worms (not happy, need those)
 
 2 different rows example, each one has 'chickenscaping'
 Water retention is good so, even after the chickenscaping.

60x60x60 cm holes where the stakes marking the grape holes are.... well were... placed...because chicken landscaped... are still to be done. The dirt was ok, but still a bit dry so these mounds are doing it's job softening the dirt, getting in there last 3 snows... Meaning it's about to be ready to do the dirt holes and put grape supports in the place (t-post tension wire, do not want to do treated wood for this.)
New Mars variety (pruned some more of mine, was sad to toss the wines, they made good cuttings...)

So these will be good for the autumn planting... or overwintering. It's ok variety for up here.
It's zone 5-8, it does not freeze in 5a-5b. Makes good grape jam and jelly. Makes good wine vinegar. Wine... yeah maybe, have to get to that.
Mars variety links
https://articles.extension.org/pages/67872/arkansas-table-grape-cultivars
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/care-mars-blue-grape-vines-55530.html
Mars cluster looks like so