Grapevine Pruning 2013

A couple weekends ago, when we had a couple of days of faux spring, so I decided to prune the grapevine along the garage.  Last year's growth was extremely vigorous so there was lots to remove.

I wrote a post on last year's pruning (here).  Last year I left 2 buds per spur in addition to the bud that pops out at the base of the spur (i.e. 3 buds per spur).  This resulted in tons of shoots and tons of grapes....but the grapes tended to range from small to average in size.  The shoots that grew from the basal buds, did produce grapes.

This year I was more aggressive with my pruning and left only 2 buds per spur including the basal bud.  We'll see if this make a difference in the size of the grapes.

This past winter was a tough one...long stretches of -20°C temperatures.  As a result, at least 60% of the wood on the pruned shoots was dead and could not be used for propagating.  Nonetheless, I was able to start the propagation of ~20 cuttings and also give a good number to Fred for root stock for his vineyard in Osgoode (see the blog link to the right).  Here is my post on propagating.  I was happy with the technique I followed last year....so I'll give it another shot.

Hello Everyone.

I started planning my garden this week.  Yes I know it is the middle of winter but I wanted to purchase any new seeds this weekend so, therefore, I had to start planning.  Below is a not-to-scale schematic of my garden beds; a photo of the bed layout can be viewed here.

A few notes about the layout:

1. The beds labelled 1 to 5 are 5'x12'.......beds 2 and 3 are probably about 4'x12'.
2. The sqaure beds are 5'x'5'.
3. All beds are raised.
4. Red dots are individual plants or groups of plants.  Red lines are rows.
5. I spread a generous helping of composted horse manure on each bed in late October after everything was harvested and the beds cleaned out.

 Some changes of note for the upcoming season will include:

·         A complete crop rotation. 

·        Planting corn and beets for the first time.

·         More carrots.

·         Less beans.

·         Protection of the peanuts after seeding.  I got a big fat zero last year.  I think it was the chipmunks and not the dogs.

·         Adding Brandywine tomatoes.

The reason I purchase my seeds early is to ensure I get the exact variety of each vegetable I want and …… it’s kind of fun going to the garden centre (even if there is 3 feet of snow outside).

Homer and Laryngeal Paralysis

Hello Everyone.

Last fall I indicated that Homer had some breathing issues.  Even while resting he was not only excessively panting but seemed out of breath.  Walks were gradually reduced to light strolls around the yard and swimming became just too taxing.

After a couple of vet visits and doing my own research, Homer was diagnosed with Laryngeal Paralysis.  In a nut shell, his larynx would not open to let air through causing his body to forcefully move air in and out in order to breathe.  So, our vacation to San Francisco turned into surgery to fix the problem.  Homer’s vet team and the surgeon did a fantastic job.  When Homer came home that evening, his breathing was 1000% better already.

Changes

·         His breathing is normal.

·         To slow his eating and prevent hacking, we now add a bit of water to the bowl.  All treats must be placed on the floor to force him to chew instead of swallowing them whole.

·         Our walks are back to the normal distance although the pace is often slower than we remember.  Prior to the surgery he did not stop and sniff very much because he would lose his breath.  Now he stops and smells every last yellow patch of snow!

·         He still barks but there is no sound.  All you hear is air escaping when he barks.  It’s kind of sad until you realize that he still ‘barks’ as much as he used to and it’s a lot quieter.

·         No more swimming.  Yes you read it correctly.  I got several professional opinions and they were all the same – no more swimming.  With his larynx permanently opened, he cannot close off the opening to prevent water from going into his lungs.  This is going to be a tough-sell considering that the only thing he likes more than swimming is eating.  But by my definition, wading in shallow water is not swimming.  The boat rides could be tough though.

Today he is as normal and bad as a 12-year old lab can be.  The trip to San Fran was a good trade.

We're Back!

Hello Everyone.

It's been about 5 months since my last post.  I got really busy with work and other stuff but my schedule has stabilized somewhat so I will now begin posting again.  There's lots to catch up on so stay tuned!