It became really clear early in the season that 2015 was a different year. First we had damp, cool weather early in bloom, and then the necessary temperatures to have nature set fruit just didn’t happen. This was the second year that I’ve worked with Agrothermal Systems equipment, and Thermaculture® treatment services to achieve various crop management goals. In my own vineyard, I grow for a balance of yields and good quality. So, I treated several times during bloom to make up for the lack of sufficient climatic heat and assure good fruit set.

Then we had that rain in July...over 3 inches. When it was over, I dried off my vines with Thermaculture and avoided the problems my neighbors all had, like rot, mildew, and fruit drop. By the time I harvested my heat-treated blocks and their matching control blocks, we saw over a 40% yield advantage in the 100 acres of heat-treated blocks vs. control blocks where I used conventional viticulture practices.

All 6 varietals responded to Thermaculture. The treated blocks averaged 5.2 tons per acre (tpa) for Syrah, 5.1 tpa for Cabernet Sauvignon, 6.5 tpa for Mouvédre, 4.8 tpa for Merlot, 8.5 tpa for Zinfandel, and 6.5 tpa for Tempranillo.

In 2014, a great year for yields, I provided heat treatment trials at Scheid that averaged over a 30% yield advantage on 5 different varietals, so good year or bad, this really works! I more than tripled what I paid for my machine in just one year!

So if you want to learn how to assure a better crop every year and avoid another disastrous year, give me a call (805) 391-3871. I can treat your acreage and introduce you to my fiends at Agrothermal Systems. Or, give Marty a call at (925) 247-4192. But whatever you do, don’t go through this kind of year again!