Sleepless in Spring

Tonight marks the start of Frost season. The vines began pushing buds in the last week or so of warm, sunny days. I just got in from starting up the pumps as the temperature dropped below 35.

It's often a tricky call as to when to start the pumps. The system is frugal with water, when compared with regular sprinklers. A pulsator sprinkler stands at the top of each tall stake, spaced every 18 feet along the row. The pulsator "spits" out water along the row line, wetting the vines, but not the cover crop between the rows. The pumps must be started before the temp gets to freezing, because the water will initially evaporate, dropping the temperature before stabilizing at 32 degrees. So a late start can actually drop the temperature into the killing zone. The lower the relative humidity, the earlier the system must be turned on. It is a juggling act done every night until the danger of frost is past. I'll be going to bed with my boots on 'til then.