StarNewsDaily.com – Week of March 29, 2012 – Vol.5, No. 13 – FREE
Change in the Weather
Early Plant Growth Threatened By Temperature Drops By Patricia Pihl Star News Writer
Experts say ten days of above average temperatures in March may pose a danger to area plants, threatening early bud break for perennial crops, vines and trees. The risk of snow, freezing temperatures, and frost could “significantly damage newly emerged buds resulting in poor fruit set,” according to Virginia Carlsburg, Community Educator, at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Jamestown. “Perennial crops are more at danger, such as the grapes, strawberries, and any tree fruit which is more difficult to protect from frost and cold snaps. Obviously, if yield is decreased or the crop is lost, the price may increase or farms will have much less to sell.” Carlsburg adds that there are many other factors which affect produce amounts and quality including the amount of rain - either too much or too little - during the summer months. “When planting annuals, she said, vegetable farms usually can take special precautions, as there are techniques used by farmers to keep those crops planted early from frost. Dr. Jodi Creasap Gee, Vinticulture Extension Educator at The Lake Erie Grape Program says that some protection is offered to grapes grown next to Lake Erie, because of the warmer air coming off the water. However, she says that many of the
A wind machine is used by Old Chautauqua Farms in Portland to protect grapes from frost.
growers are concerned about the warmer temperatures, considering the last average frost date is May 5. “We have a long way to go before consistent warmer weather.” Creasap Gee uses the EichornLorenz Chart which shows various stages in the grape development. Currently, buds are in what is called the pink stage, somewhere between stage two and three where buds expand inside the bud scales or may have what’s called “doeskin” or brownish scale skin visible. In those cases, buds are still mostly closed, and the plant is safe as long as the temperature doesn’t dip below 27 degrees Farenheit. Potential danger
arises if there is another period of warmth and the buds are pushed into a further growth, and the temperature drops again, in which case, she says, damage could result. “Sometimes grape buds experience a frost which doesn’t appear to damage the plant and the fruit still grows.” In years when that has happened there may still be a reduced fruit development, she says. Creasap Gee said there are a few area growers that use wind machines to protect against frost damage. The machines work by turning on when the temperature dips, drawing hotter air in the atmosphere down and mixing it with colder air closer to the
vine, thus moderating the temperature. Creasap Gee said the machines are used to protect the more delicate and highly valuable Vitis vinefera cultivars, used for making such wines as Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon. Other factors which protect against vineyard frost is a location which allows good air flow, and where vineyards are not blocked by buildings, vegetation or trees. Helping the Home Gardener Carlsburg says Cornell Cooperative Extension assists farms in identify-
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You Can Be A Winner! For the third year in a row, the Chautauqua Star is proud to present our annual Easter Egg Hunt! Two years ago, we began the egg hunt, which gave you a chance to win an LCD Color TV. Last year we continued the tradition and had a great response from our readers. This year, the hunt will work the same. We’ve got a number of advertisers who have changed their ads to be ‘egg shaped.’ These ads, colored
in perfect Easter pastels, will be sure to catch your eye and help you find great businesses in our area to shop at and visit. However- one of these eggs will stand apart. It’s your job to find that egg. How will you know it’s different? One egg is golden! Read through the Chautauqua Star. As you check out all our great advertisers and stories, you’ll see one and only one golden egg. Once you find it, make sure you
take note of what page it is on. Then it’s your job to tell us about it! You can email us, go to www. starnewsdaily.com, or mail in the entry form on this page. Be sure to include your name, phone number and email and tell us what section and page you found the egg on. Each correct entry will be entered in a drawing, which will take place on April 10. The winner will be notified, and announced in our April 12 edi-
tion of the Chautauqua Star. This year’s prize is a new Acer Aspire One Netbook. Lastly, don’t forget to check back next week. You can enter once per week, so grab an April 5 edition of the Star to find next week’s golden egg. Enjoy the search, and ‘Hoppy Hunting!’
Inside This Week
Community Star Main pg. 5
Flavor of the Week Main pg. 7
Silver Creek Lacrosse Sports pg. 1