by Lodi Growers | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog
Long gone are the days when the daily newspaper was the main source of information for a community. While the newspaper is still an excellent source of information and is fun to read, there now exists other outlets for staying connected and learning about the world....
by Lodi Growers | Sep 12, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
Press Release from Calhoun & Company: The Lodi Winegrape Commission, which represents over 750 winegrowers in the Lodi AVA, has recently announced the appointment of Dr. Stephanie Bolton to Grower Communications & Sustainable Winegrowing Director. Bolton...
by Lodi Growers | Sep 6, 2016 | Blog, Vineyards
Long Range Outlook… Growers are probably wondering if this upcoming rainy season will be a benefit to the water picture for 2017. Present long range outlooks are calling for a weak La Nina to develop over the waters of the Equatorial Eastern Pacific this fall...
by Lodi Growers | Aug 29, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
Zinfandel is California’s winegrape variety and for over a century, Zinfandel has been at the heart of the Lodi, Sierra Foothill, and eastern Contra Costa County wine industries. Over the years, this versatile variety has lent itself to various grape and wine products...
by Lodi Growers | Jul 14, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
At the most basic level, business management involves setting goals, planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Vineyard management, of course, is more complicated than this, especially given large amounts of borrowed capital, increasing regulations,...
by Lodi Growers | May 20, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
MONDAY, MAY 20, 2016. BY STAN GRANT, VITICULTURIST. Fruit set is the process in which flowers become fruit and potential fruit size is determined. It occurs after pollen is released from male flower parts (anthers), lands on receptive female flower parts (stigmas),...
by Lodi Growers | Mar 23, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
As the 2016 El Niño returns after a month hiatus, much progress is being made towards a Drought Recovery. February had only 0.6 inch of rain, but the first two weeks of March brought 5.2 inches of rain, exactly double the long term average. Good rains in January...
by Lodi Growers | Mar 8, 2016 | Blog
MARCH 8, 2016. BY STAN GRANT, VITICULTURIST. The wine grape industry, like all of agriculture, is under intensifying pressure from outside. Increasingly, regulators, retailers, consumers, environmentalists, and others are weighing in on how we conduct our businesses....
by Lodi Growers | Feb 17, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
We wine grape growers invest great efforts in managing canopies, crops, and other vineyard attributes above ground. In comparison, our efforts below ground are often nominal. And yet, the vineyard below ground is essential to the success and long-term viability of...
by Lodi Growers | Feb 17, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Uncategorized, Vineyards
W. Douglas Gubler, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA Fungal pathogens of grapevines all produce structures that allow them to overwinter on grapevine cordons, spurs, and canes. In this way the fungi produce spores the following year...
by Lodi Growers | Jan 20, 2016 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
Vineyards have two environments – one above ground and another below ground. The above ground environment is our visible domain where we can witness both atmospheric events and grapevine responses to them. In contrast, our ability to observe events...
by Lodi Growers | Dec 16, 2015 | Blog, Grapes, Vineyards
Micronutrients are mineral elements required in small quantities by plants for normal growth and development. They include iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, and chloride. The micronutrients tend be overshadowed by the macronutrients, especially...
by Lodi Growers | Nov 24, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
In my last Lodi Growers Coffee Shop article, we considered nitrogen’s pivotal role and impacts on grapevines. In this article, we investigate nitrogen management. As in the management of all mineral nutrients, vine nutrient demand is the place to begin...
by Lodi Growers | Nov 17, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
In wine grape growing, nitrogen (N) receives a great deal of attention for several reasons. First, N is a component of numerous molecules essential for life, including a wide array of proteins, nucleic acids, and chlorophyll. As a result, nitrogen has broader...
by Lodi Growers | Nov 10, 2015 | Blog, Uncategorized
Grape growers are expected to be competent at a wide-ranging of tasks. For example, they have to be good at equipment maintenance, pruning, labor relations and finances, to list but a few of the skills that are necessary to succeed as a grower. Of all the skills that...