Crop report - May 2009 (Saaz area)

1. Basic weather conditions datas

temperature °C

rainfalls mm

According a measured value was May 2009 as far as the temperature average a little higher than in last year, but it rained more. The rainfalls presents the value of a long-term average at last decade this May. The rainfalls brought an hail- and rainstorm, where hit mainly around of the area Louny and Žatec. Within Saaz hop-growing area was hit by a strong hailstorm hopgardens in Žatec, Staňkovice, Tuchořice, Hřivice, Lipno, Markvarec, Hořany, Zbrašín, Líšťany, Stebno and Mukoděly. There were hurt about 250 ha of hops (about 15 growers), out of these cca 100 ha very hard (vegetation tops and part of leaves completely destroyed).

2. Vegetation development

Thanks a lower temperatures slowed a grow hops in the first half of May and compared to April, when we thought the start of vegetation will be about 14 days before, the procces of vegetation compared to the normal position. The training of the hops was without a problems and the most of the areas was completed at 20. 5. 2009. Regarding to enough workers was the training made in a good quality. Most of these areas was immediately after the training cultivated. Health stage of hop is good. At the end of second decade began to appear an aphides, but it wasn´t so strong to be treated hops against these pests. Colder weather wasn´t a good for evolution red spider in the first half of the month, was necessary to treat the hop against downy mildew.