Don't you bring your vines inside over the winter??? If so I would assume most of the buds should have survived.
The non-fruitful vines is an interesting issue. Hmmm........
Did you use the hot-house to get these things going this spring???? I would assume hot-houses are like BIG grow tubes and would assume that is why your vines are so ahead of everyone elses and so vigorous. I personnally don't use grow tubes and it would be interesting to know how the vines respond when you take the hot-house down. I would assume the vigor would slow until the natural environment catches up to the climate of the hot house. I wouldn't assume a linear vigor pattern because of that.
Due to space restrictions, I am starting with ONE fruitng cane for each vine.
While dealing with hydroponic issues, and potassium needs, I have reduced my clusters already, from what started out as 15, and pinched back down to between 5 and 7 per vine. Until I can determine root demand, nutritional capabilities, and other details.
I'm watching leaves carefully, maintaining nutrient pH, and keeping potassium demands at optimum levels. I've experience potassium deficiencies before in soil, and know the signs. Not seeing any at this point. Hydroponics allows for immediate adjustments.
Sort of. Yes and no. Because I didn't cut my can back early, top buds grew shoots first. Lower buds lagged behind. As a result, this year I am working with a top heavy canopy, and training fruiting shoots within that space.
I picked up a little winter preservation trick. When I bought the vines originally they were bundled in cold storage. For the last 5 years I've been repeating the process with the same vines. Every November after leaf fall and total dormancy, I soak in a mild fungicide, and gently wrap the roots and canes in individual plastics and keep in a refrigerator at 34 F until April. I check them every 4 to 6 weeks, re soak, etc. So far, so good.
Acutally, on closer inspection, they are fruiting, sort of. I'm noticing tiny mutated flowering clusters. Only one vine is behaving this way at this point. I'm treating it as a non fruiting vine.
Yes, a portable greenhouse that puts up and takes down in 30 minutes. Because we have high frost risk spring, I protect the buds over night. Without use of a heater, daytime temps can climb to 55 or 60 F. This gives them a bit of a head start on local vines. I remove the greenhouse when weather is consistently risk free, or during the day. If a week of cold spring rain is in the forecast it goes up and stays until the systme passes through.
I used grow tubes for starting vines years ago. Didn't like them. They had their own ecosystem in there and it was nerve racking.
Yes, they behave normally. I allow hothouse temps to equalize with outside first, then take it down. The vines behave fine. no drooping or shock. Better sun.
Perhaps you are right about that. Showing good growth, but due to my deliberate space restrictions and a bit of survival cheating in spring (and fall), there is a different morphology with the canopy.
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