Flowering has begun

Flower clusters on Rondo vines

Well, May was a strange month. Much cooler than normal. Only 11.7°C degrees mean air temperature compared with the three prior years being about 13°C. And whereas it started out dryer, it ended wetter at 112.5 mm compared with 60-70 mm in the last three years. These values are reported for Newport, only 7 miles away and on the water much like we are.  

UK getting warmer and wetter

This chart presents a comparison of annual averages for key meteorological
 indicators in the United Kingdom from 1961 to 2017. 

Statista has created an effective infographic to illustrate the findings of a new report showing what effect climate change has already exerted on UK weather. They wrote,

Irrigation of vineyards

Being just a tad paranoid about this prolonged lack of rain (although we had small amounts overnight the last few nights), I did a little research. I unearthed (pun intended) a study in Galicia that investigated if there was a benefit to irrigation of Albariño vines. Their conclusion: no economic benefit and some detriment to the product.

"As a consequence, gross incomes were not significantly increased by irrigation. The results obtained in this study provide useful information for saving water in agriculture, suggesting that irrigation is not a viable agricultural practice under the conditions of this trial."

https://oeno-one.eu/article/view/63

Equipment has arrived

We have a decent supply of equipment for home brewing and winemaking available right here in the west of Ireland in Galway. The order I placed arrived in two days. Amazing.

It's starting to look like a vineyard

Pergola completed, Alex took to cutting the grass. We've had trouble with the petrol-powered scythe; it would start fine and then cut out. The carburettor was clean, but it was obviously a fuel supply issue elsewhere. So the local fix-it guy suggested a new carburettor which Alex ordered from somewhere far away. Meanwhile, he noticed that the fuel line had a small filter. So he replaced it. Presto bingo it's working fine. So we'll have a spare carburettor when that arrives. Now, just a few more rows to mow and I can clear around the vines.

Spring work is nearing completion

Alex has almost completed the overhead pergola construction under the first 10 vines that reach 5 years of age this year. A few days ago, he cemented in the major support posts. On Saturday, he installed the cross poles. Very elegantly bent to shape so the tractor-that-we-do-not-yet-have can get around the corner.

Soil composition or association

Teagasc has analyzed the soil of Ireland and reported it on a website for anyone to access. This is what multiple samples in our region turned up:

Modern definition: Fine loamy drift with siliceous stones
Texture: Fine loamy
Substrate type: drift with siliceous stones
Substrate 1: drift
Substrate 2: siliceous stones