From

Location

Message

Date Posted

[email protected]

Please post lightning activity by date & impact on fruit development. Our July 1st pollinations appear to have aborted in relation to June 26-27 lightning if my storm date guess is correct. Will check date later.

7/5/2005 5:20:48 AM

Montoursville, PA

More likely aborts are wet female, heat and cold related conditions before, during and immediately after attempted pollination. The lightning, unless it was a direct flow, out and up from, close by soils, will add nitrogen charged rain, to the mix, of benifits. All plants usually grow very well following a summer thunder storm, for the charged up rain reason.

More likely still is soil nutrient unballance, mineral or biological mysterys giving the plant cause, to abort. It happens, I do believe, in all patches under all conditions not uniformly accross a whole patch seemingly treated the same.

7/5/2005 9:59:40 AM

Northern Cambria, Pa.

Pollinations done on rainy days are very likely to abort. We always place bonnets over the females made from the top tapered half of a gallon plastic jug and attached to a stick at the handle of the jug. This keeps off rain, sun or whatever. Just keep it high enough for air to flow around the blossom.

7/5/2005 12:09:22 PM

Butler, Ohio

Both my rainy day pollinations aborted... :(

7/5/2005 9:21:50 PM

[email protected]

I'm not asking about rain. This condition is well known. I'm refering to lightning in the days prior to pollination. The day of pollination can be as clear as a bell.

7/5/2005 10:16:07 PM

Montoursville, PA

The responses rendered illustrate meaningfull things or events one can do something about.

7/5/2005 10:41:18 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

We had quite a lot of lightning over the period of one to two weeks ago,I didn't notice any aborts.

7/6/2005 3:06:06 AM

Long Island,New York

Well, I guess if the female gets struck by lightening.....

7/6/2005 7:41:22 AM

Long Island,New York

Steve...I've never seen a corrolation myself. Lightening usually means rain and rain does have an effect it seems....so maybe we just blame it on the rain?

7/6/2005 7:43:18 AM

Follansbee, Wv

I'm already documenting high temp, low temp, rainfall, wind conditions, fert sprays, fungi sprays, insect sprays, foliar feedings, drenches, daily measurements, crosses, vine length, and pruning. Now I have to document lightening?
Just kidding Steve ;) My plants don't seem to be affected by the lightening we have had lately. Of course, I'm growing them under high tension power lines, so maybe they are used to it :)

7/6/2005 7:52:54 AM

[email protected]

Major lightning events result in the fixation of atmospheric Nitrogen. The accompanying rain brings it to Earth. As much as 160 lbs per acre is not uncommon. If this won't cause a few aborts I don't know what will.

7/6/2005 10:28:21 PM

Ri

Hi Steve most of the lightening storms that uze Ct. guzs have been hit with have fizzled before reaching most of RI. Unfortunately, myself included, we have had our share of pollination problems [not taking, not opening etc...] Peter

7/7/2005 11:10:09 AM

Oz

How would you correct this natural nitrogen effect?

7/7/2005 12:19:28 PM

[email protected]

Other than using Nitrogen inhibitors, there is nothing we can do other than laying off ferts all together. Nitrogen inhibitors work by killing the bacteria that helps solublize the natural Nitrogen. Once the bacteria is dead, less of the N is available. I don't recommend killing what we usually try so hard to create though the effects are temporary.

7/7/2005 9:59:18 PM