The beginning of this year 2023 was extremely warm and dry. During the entire first half of January the average temperature remained above freezing point, while the first decade of January was extremely warm. On 1.1.2023 the average temperature was 13,2°C and the daily maximum reached even an incredible 16,3°C. The January rainfall total was practically negligible, only 7.5 mm (the long-term average is 18.2 mm). The average temperature in January was 3.4°C higher than the long-term average. February´s rainfall was slightly below the long-term average, totaling 12.4 mm, with the new thirty-year average is 15.3 mm. In terms of temperature, February was again significantly above average, the average temperature reached 2.3°C, which is about 1.5°C more than long-term average. Unfortunately, even in February there was no continuous snow cover in the hop gardens. In March we finally got above average rainfall, the total was 35.6 mm, which was 12.5 mm more than long term average. This almost equalized the long-term precipitation average for the first quarter. March was again warmer than the long-term average by a full one degree Celsius. The average daily temperature was 5.3°C. During the month of March, whenever the weather allowed,spring work took place in the hop gardens - fertilizing and discing. The cutting of root stocks started on the farms of the TOP HOP group in the last week of March. Saaz Special and Sládek varieties were the first to be cut, followed by Saaz semi-early red bine hops.