"It was a lover and his lass, With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, That o’er the green corn-field did pass, In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding; Sweet lovers love the spring." (As You Like It, 5.3.15-20)
With the Beast from the East a distant memory and temperatures beginning to build, the results of all the hard work from the winter has started to bear fruit. Bud burst, the first shoots of spring on the vines, generally occur when air temperatures reach 20C over a period of time. The previously brown and barren vineyard suddenly comes alight with these green jewels adorning the fruiting canes.
This also focussed the mind to complete the final winter jobs such as tying down the remaining fruiting canes, replacing damages posts, re-trellising and weed control, all of which to be completed before the end of the month. A note to myself for next year that Winter needs to be used wisely to keep on top of these never ending jobs!