Department: Fruit
Worked with Mario today. We looked specifically at broadcast sowing
green manure today. There are different rates for different green
manures. We were sowing alfalfa which requires 100g for 20msq i.e. 5g
per msq for good even coverage. For example the first space we had to
cover was 5.5m x 2.5m which = 13.25sqm, so we required 65 - 70g. We
weighed out the higher amount just in case.
The
area had been cleared, probably hoed after the first weed seeds came
out. And it was also generally dry enough for seed sowing. Ground was
levelled. Steps:
- Consolidate ground with Wisley shuffle, careful to not leave a gap between feet, as to cause a ridge between them.
- Raked with a big long plastic rake parallel to the ground to keep it even.
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Then we sprinkled seeds carefully by hand. It might be useful to try
seeds out on 5msq first to get a sense of distribution. Sow in one direction and then another.
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| Photo 1: Alfafa seeds pre-weighed just with a scale. |
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| Photo 2: Area sown. |
I also thinned some beetroot - in the mixed unusual vegetable bed. Then watered and then weeded paths and patios.
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| Photo 3: Thinning beetroot. |
Bernie also showed us the Brix test - sweetness of the vineyard grapes. We picked three average representative immature bunches of each type Orion and Phoenix (not too big or too small). We then hand squeezed the juice out of each type of them into separate bowls. Then with a pipette drew up some of the juice and put it on the Brix test applicator which is called a portable refractometer. Then rinse and test a new one. It came to 12 Brix - which is still fairly sour, by the time it gets harvested iy will be 15/16 brix, which is adequate sweetness. It was tested same time last year.
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| Photo 4: The vineyard |
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| Photo 5: The grapes tested. |
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| Photo 6: Grapes crushed to test the juice |
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| Photo 7: The refractometer |
