Week 13 (Sept. 9 - 13th)

John displaying the progress made in the roots over the past three months as they followed the water downward. Roots are composed of large arms and branches, root tips and root hairs. Roots are important for water and nutrient uptake, anchoring and carbohydrate reserves for dormancy. The majority of water/nutrient uptake happens in he white (fresh) roots while storage takes place in the roots that have hardened off and formed a periderm. 

This interveinal chlorosis is indicative of a magnesium deficiency. In this case the vine is a mutant and cant uptake the element (I know this because no neighbors displayed these symptoms). 

As we wait for more varieties to ripen we are occupying our time by removing discards. This task is on-going, as Peter is constantly assessing vines that have been planted over the past decade and weening them down to a select few. If he finds a vine that is promising (in growth habits, fruit size and flavor, disease resistance) he will mark it as a watch, and most likely remove its neighbors. Eventually watches are assessed and weened down to a select few. Peter will will give each of these vines a number. Numbered vines are then propogated vegetatively and planted in various locations throughout the vineyards, which have different soil textures, aspects, slopes, organic matter, etc. After years of closely monitoring the numbered vines Peter (and his boss Jim) will select the perfect vines to be named and patented. It is these that are then sold commercially. 

This is characteristic of the grape berry moth. It lays its eggs in the grapes so that the larvae can tunnel their way through berry to berry, forming a connective web between them. These affected berries generally will discolor and shrivel up after being the worm has chewed its way through them. We need to pick these "bad" berries out of the clusters after we harvest them. 

A pristine day for harvesting Edelweiss. This is a V. labrusca flavored grape (like Concord)  that was bred by Elmer Swenson in 1980. Though it was originally bred for wine, many people enjoy the taste and eat it fresh. All of the grapes here will be sold in the Arboretum's Apple House.