Crop report - July 2007 (Saaz area)

1. Basic weather conditions datas

temperature °C

rainfalls mm

Although average monthly temperatures in July are not out of the normal, this year July was characteristic by big varying of the temperatures. If first and third decade was on the level of average or slightly below average, second decade highly crossed this level. As far as rainfalls concerns July was overaverage, mainly in third decade when 22.7. was measured 45,7 mm.

2. Vegetation development

This year is quite big disproportion in the growth of the different hopgardens. It is mainly due rainfalls, because although July was overaverage as far as rainfalls regards there are localities, where was rainfalls remarkable lower mainly in Podborany microarea, which is mostly caused by draught. Remarkable appeared also aspects of hopgardens age, spring cut and mainly microarea.

By the evaluation of influence of spring cut appears, that earlier cut brings weaker plants. Hops were fully in blossom in the first decade of July. Due to rich rainfalls at the end of second and beginning of third decade the hops on the mostly of hopgardens started second blossom. Present vegetation stage from the point of wiev of hop maturity is following: On the most of hopgardens already appeared quite big cones from the first blossom and in high stage of the plants are new flowers. It will be important to watch further development of vegatation due to choosing start of the harvest. Climatic conditions at the end of vegetation period can still influed final result of crop 2007. According present stage of hopgardens we guess this crop as far as yield regards as average to very slight underaverage.

3. Pests and diseases

The appearence of red spider is only problem at the moment and even spraying by Confidor 70WG was used more times than usual.

4. Further information

Because of vegetation stage we guess start of the harvest by the most of hop growers 17. - 19. August 2007. First growers should start about 15. August 2007. Based on first pre-harvest alpha acids analysis we guess alpha acids content as long term average by Saaz variety roughly in belt 3,0 – 3,3%.