Greenhouse Disaster

I can describe this only after seeing signs of recovery on most of the victims. We had a relay fail in the greenhouse. The exhaust fan is powered through a relay, and the relay operates with a signal from the climate controller. The controller was sending a signal but the relay failed to close and the exhaust fan didn't come on for a couple of days. This happened to correspond to a day on which I didn't water because clouds and rain were expected but which turned out sunny. Basically everything in the greenhouse got put under the broiler. It took me 10 minutes to fix it but the damage was done. 

I moved everything possible out of the greenhouse and under some shade. The garcinias, now about 10 years old and grown from see from PR, died back variable degrees - one back all the way to the lowest lateral branch. I took the opportunity to repot some of them and I'm happy to say that the cherimoyas, sapodillas, sugar apples, and lychees look no worse for the wear. There is new vertical growth on the garcinias. I'll post some new pictures when everything goes back inside this fall. 

Harvest Begins

 

We've started harvesting grapes. The back row of Frontenac and Foch was a complete critter loss. I still have a little Chambourcin so there is still hope of making some red wine this year, but there won't be much.

Like last year, our approach has been "let them hang." We got the first three grapes to the point where no sugar will be needed. Itasca came out first on 8/9, on the right above. We'll get two gallons, so double last year. La Crescent came out 8/13, left above, closer to 6 gallons. And Frontenac Gris came out 8/21, around 3 gallons.  Vidal is buttoned up tight, and we probably won't pick it until we get back from the Chalet after Labor day.