What the cherry bloom tells us

A weeping cherry tree along the lane approaching the winery serves as a marker for spring’s progress. It has just now started to bloom. Today’s date is recorded. This has been our routine for the past several decades. This date is then compared to past springs. A clearer picture of when grapevine bud-break might occur now comes into focus.

Bud break is the official start of the growing season. Pruning and cane tying needs to be complete by this time. We have been behind this season and still have several acres of Cabernet Sauvignon to prune. A warm spell two weeks ago gave us panic as we watched forsythia bloom extremely early. Fortunately cooler temperatures have slowed the vines down.

We know this because of the bloom date of our cherry tree. While spring 2024 remains ahead of schedule, it is now only a few days early instead of a few weeks early. We can relax a little bit.

Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Hardscrabble Journal: March 30, 2024