Weather change

The weather has a taken a change - toward winter.
Still getting fall raspberries and in some cases, quite
 a bit of winter raspberries.

Apples - soft centers - due to not enough water this
year.  Most apples only lasted a few weeks.

Summer pears, prunes - great crop.  Table and juicing
grapes - very good this year.

The LAWN is starting to grow again.  Don't let it grow
toooo much this winter.  With the moderate weather,
we can still reseed bare spots.

Control the weeds in the garden, especially the grasses -
you can wait until spring, but not a good idea. The grass
take will over.

Leaves, I mean future compost are falling. Collect, compost,
or mulch with a lawn mower.  Set a goal to use more of the
leaves on your property each year.

Weather prediction

Rufus at the WxCafe®  Monday October 20

 A weak system is pushing across the PNW this morning, with a bit of a break in the steady rain possible now until later Tuesday. You may experience a shower or two. A much stronger storm will arrive later on Tues, with moderate-to-heavy periods of rain arriving on-off through most of Thurs. Another system will dive further south off the Oregon coast on Friday, then it shifts northward along the OR/WA coast.

 The weekend looks to present showers after the front on Saturday, then actually yield a decent, mild, mostly dry day on Sunday the 26th.  Models suggest the remnants of hurricane ANA will combine with a storm to its east, resulting in a powerful 978 mb centered storm that could slam into northern Vancouver Island late Monday, Oct 27. This one will return HEAVY rain to the PNW, with a notable wind field. Following the front, the coldest air mass of the season, which will have been drawn down over the eastern Gulf of Alaska, will train into the PNW during the week of Oct 27-31. The result will be slowly diminishing showers throughout the week, with cooler temperatures and risk for FROST overnight late-week, should the sky clear in your area. Snow will arrive in the mountains, mostly above pass level.

 Overall, the wettest run of several days in quite some time is on the way. Cooler, fall temps will also arrive later in the forecast period. Hope you were able to take advantage of the extra nice day - Saturday!  -Rufus   http://www.ovs.com/weather_cafe.htm

October

Some late apples and pears.

Pumpkin harvest and holiday hay rides on farms

Mornings getting cool. Reached 32 degrees.  However, the tree leaves are showing no affect to the cooler weather yet.  Some leaves are falling.

Hazelnut harvest continues.


Christmas cactus's pushing blooms.

Busy and productive

Grapes - best ever this year.
Hazelnuts  good crop.
Tomatoes - lots of green ones but they continue
to ripen.
Apples - mostly done.
Pears - mostly done.


Winter grass and weeds are on the rebound. 
Keep under control.
Clean an sanitize green house.


Think about draining water systems in the yard
and garden.
Watch for he return of the slug!
Trap or bait or mice - they start to move into building
in the as the weather gets colder - October, and in
 the spring - April.
When garden is done, mulch to help keep weeds under
control. Start placing leaves in compost pile or in areas
that need mulch.

Weather warning

Often it has proven to be useful to heed these Special Weather
Statements from Rufus at the WxCafe®. Robin

 HEAVY RAIN FOR EXTENDED PERIOD.

Hazelnut harvest, along with wine/concord grape harvests are underway.
If heavy rainfall will impact those activities, you have 3-4 days to prep for
 the deluge.

 Just know that precipitation will likely start first over the NW corner of WA
Saturday, then expand into Oregon when a well-organized system plows
 inland Sunday night. The wet pattern could last on through October 24th!

The strongest storm on earth this year, super typhoon named VONGFONG
is storming its way towards the southern islands of Japan. Models suggest
 that remnants of VONGFONG mid-level moisture will train into the PNW
later next week. It will super-charge the atmosphere for heavier rainfall
 potential.

The amount of precipitation forecast to fall in the PNW during the week of
Oct 13-17 will likely be measured in inches. The weekend of Oct 18,19
unfolds, another 1-3 inches are possible. Then, the week of Oct 20-24 could
bring on yet more rainfall - inches in fact - for a serious period of flood
potential. The extreme swing of drought-like conditions into a 2 week heavy
 rain period is why this Special Statement was deemed prudent. WIND: there
will likely be periods of strong winds, esp the along the coast, as these
systems track into coastal BC.

 Did we mention California yet? There is a good chance that the systems later
in the 2 week period ahead will bring much needed rainfall to areas of
 California from the bay area north. Some of the rain could be substantial.

 -Rufus

http://www.ovs.com/weather_cafe.htm

Oct. 4

Great weekend.
Indian summer continues.
Picked my pink champaignand yellow
Muscat grapes.  Made juice out of them, the
pink ones made the whole batch pink.  Great juice.

Most of my apples are done.  The centers are all
rotten, mainly due to lack of water while I was
traveling.  Apples need water just before they are
 picked.  This year water was needed July and
August.

Carrots just starting to grow well.

Lots of green tomatoes, so Indian summer is
welcome. The kale has not stopped growing
 all summer and fall.

Kohlrabi seed from last year just starting to grow.

Going after the wild blackberries - doing a lot of
cutting.  They will be diminished next year :)  Too
much blood shed over the last 23 years.