At the Southeast Logan Square appellation.....updates on vines.

I am back at the apartment and the past day's temperatures, while raining alot, reminded me of the negative 12 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures from a few months back in Glen Ellyn (vines that I need to visit and see how the buds are), it was the contrast in temperatures that struck me most. I think I have really great news for the vines here in Southeast Logan Square, though, to report.

I recently transplanted beer hops (called Humulus Lupulus Mysterialis - varietal unkown) at the Grayslake vine and hops nursery (the hops were inherited from a brother-in-law who recently moved to another part of the world with my sister - the renters aren't gardeners). Loads of rains and just worried the temps would be too cold. Actually, the temps climbed all night long. Very interesting.

Also, Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, California recently updated their blog to report how the vineyards are recovering from frost damage to the early buds. Their blog is top notch and also a very intelligently and well-written piece, full of wonderful detail about the operations out there on the Left Coast.

I have been a bit worried because my vines here have not been indicating too much growth, but, it is the Third Coast, after all. What do I expect, right?! So, with a little reality check in place, I feel comfortable knowing that it is only late April and there are still many warm days coming. Many cold days coming, too. I am particularly interested in seeing if the pruning of the Mars Seedless grape vine hurt the vine or not. Same with the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grape vines - both of the Vinifera thread. It is true, when I started in this hobby, I planted with my heart: I planted varieties that I like to drink best. This is not always recommended when planting in the Chicagoland area, regardless of whether it is the Grayslake appellation, the Glen Ellyn appellation, or the Southeast Logan Square appellation. And so it is the case that this spring is very important to me on these few levels, including, that I transplanted my Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the Southeast Logan Square soil after starting them from cuttings some 13-14 months ago in flower pots inside my tiny little apartment.

I am very interested in seeing leaves, seeing some breakage of the buds. The Cabernet definitely seem to be pushing through quite nicely. I am a little reserved about any excitement regarding my strong Syrah grape vines. The Syrah vine by the front of the apartment seems to have more protruding buds at the current. Part of me just thinks that I have to trust that the roots will pull through. Then again, winter damage is a reality in this hobby. Time will tell. Hopefully these pictures indicate some good things, or at least predict a very exciting next 2-4 weeks here at the nursery/appellation. Mars Seedless definitely seems the favored vine for breakage next week.

Mars Seedless grape vine

(This image is terrible and has zero sharpness, but it communicates the message. After a rough summer with rat poison and an early March pruning, this vine is looking incredibly healthy. Taken Thurs May 5, 2011)

Syrah grape vines

(This is a snap of Syrah 01-2009 Chicago. It is pulling out of winter AND its 1st pruning!!!! Photo taken Thursday May 5, 2011. Nice feature to have a fingertip in the photo, yeah? That's a new technique they are teaching the kids at schools of Journalism these days. Everything cycles, kind of like fashion.)

(This is Syrah 02-2009 Chicago. This also is pulling through winter AND its 1st pruning!!!! Photo taken Thursday May 5, 2011)

Cabernet Sauvignon grape vines

(Cabernet Sauvignon 01-2010 Chicago. This vine was one of 3 that survived being brought up from cuttings inside my apartment - cut from the same cloth of the original vine in St. Louis Missouri. Started in faux Terra Cotta pots, I eventually planted these in early July, I believe. They survived winter. I may have pruned only a little. Can't recall. Photo taken Thursday May 5, 2011)

(Cabernet Sauvignon 02-2010 Chicago. This vine was one of 3 that survived being brought up from cuttings inside my apartment - cut from the same cloth of the original vine in St. Louis Missouri. Started in faux Terra Cotta pots, I eventually planted these in early July, I believe. They survived winter. I may have pruned only a little. Can't recall. Photo taken Thursday May 5, 2011 - I copied all of the redundant text. Fancy, eh?)

(Cabernet Sauvignon 0e-2010 Chicago. This vine was one of 3 that survived being brought up from cuttings inside my apartment - cut from the same cloth of the original vine in St. Louis Missouri. Started in faux Terra Cotta pots, I eventually planted this in early August, I believe. They survived winter. I may have pruned only a little. Can't recall. Photo taken Thursday May 5, 2011 - I copied all of the redundant text. Super fancy, shuh-uh?)

Willamette Beer Hops

(It's a mad world over at Conejo Loco's Urban Southeast Logan Square Chicagoland Vineyards when I glance at these hops. Could they be any healthier? I even cut out about 9-10 rhizomes to pass along to other rascals and this is still what comes up after a cursory shearing. Godspeed. That is all I can say. Godspeed.)

It has been a bit of a nail biter awaiting the arrival of the broken buds, but I think I can exhale now. Feeling like a success on these Southeast Logan Square urban vines. The only thing that remains, I guess, is a little decorative graffiti along the walls of the apartment or the backyard's wooden fence.

Two weeks late on this posting

Lots of whirlwind activity going on. I intended to post these videos for the blog way back in late August 2010, just never got around to it. I DID however prepare them back then by placing them on the You Tube page for the blog. But I'll cut out that additional step and put them in this posting for the readers.

The story goes that I now believe July and August really took the vines in Chicago, at my apartment, to another level. The heat came, surely nothing like the heat of the Missouri or anywhere among the southern states, but still these vines thrived very nicely in the warm breath of Chicago's upper-midwest summer.





Reviewing these videos I have to laugh because there has been so much more growth than these videos convey. The growth has been extraordinary, revealing lots of vigor. I also hope it reflects lots of TLC. Regardless, the aim is just to get through the growing season and see what needs to be pruned in the first week of March of 2011.

Temperatures are cooling in Chicago, Illinois. More to come...be well!

A very brief study of the vines

As part of this current state of transition in my life, I resigned from one job (back in late June 2010) and replaced it with a job that takes me up north for 5 days straight every week.   When I say north, I don't mean that I work near the Hudson Bay in Canada, but I actually get away from my apartment for 5 days and then return to my apartment after my last shift (not returning every night to the apt makes sense as the gas costs get pricey).  Because of doing so, I have noticed alot of growth on my 2-year old Syrah grape vines every time I come back from working a 4 or 5-day stretch. 

This weekend, before I left for work on Thursday, I decided to set up a few markers so that I can measure how much growth has occurred this week on each vine - actually only in the past 4 days to be exact.  I have a few videos that I took to document before leaving on Wednesday that I'll share now in this post.  Enjoy!



The vine below gets mostly southern facing sun. My aunt commented about how this plant is so darned close to concrete. I know, this whole arrangement is beyond logic. It is all madness, we just have to be creative with the limit on space in the city of Chicago when it comes to gardening, or in attempting to establish and shape one. Enjoy the vine!



I'll be sure to grab a few videos of the same two vines when daylight arrives on Monday August 2, 2010. I'll blog then about the growth. I suspect growth must vary from week to week. It is all very funny because I have photos of the vines from June 2010 and in those photographs the vines look so tiny in comparison to how they are now. July has been very good to us at the vineyard.