Crop report July 2006 (Saaz area)

1. Weather condition – July 2006:

The month of July was warmest in last sixty years. Average month temperature extended for 4,8°C long term average and for 3,8°C average of last July .From the point of wiev of rainfalls was July very negative because rainfalls came just at the end of month and even temperatures during rainfalls did not fell down.

2. Evaluation of vegetation:

In first July decade continued lenght growth of the hops. It was stopped in second decade due high temperatures and lack of the rainfalls.Due unpleasent climatic conditions this year appears more significant differences between younger and older hopgardens. Basicly we can say, that younger hopgardens better resist to critical weather conditions / due their stronger habitus/ and even side –roots growth was much better than in case of older hopgardens. Blossom of the hops was noticed at the end of first decade till the middle of second decade./Saaz variety/.The other varieties started with blossom in the second half of the month. Gennerally is stage of the hopgardens weaker than was average in last years. We can just roughly guess the yield at the moment, but our guess is slight underaverage, what means approx. 0,9-1,0 t/ha in the case of Saaz variety in Saaz growing area.

3. Treatment of the hops

Treatment of the hops against aphids and downy mildew is at the moment without problems Just in case of red spider, where appearence was supported by weather in July was nessesary to use Ortus 5 SC a Omite 30W in concentrations according allowed Methodic. Anyway we still evaluate health situation of hops as good.

4. Further information:

Taking into consideration present stage of hopgardens we guess start of the harvest by most of growers in period August 20th-23rd,2006.