This is one of the vineyard parcels out behind our house (our house is not visible in this photo). The ground between the vine rows hasn't been plowed, nor has herbicide been applied. Grass and clover and other small plants grow under the vines instead. At some point they'll get mowed.
These are older vines, planted long before we moved here.
Other vineyard parcels out back are dealt with differently, either by plowing up the weeds or by applying herbicide to kill them. I've seen both methods, and other grassy parcels, out there, but it's obvious that herbicides are used less and less. The grower with the largest parcels uses a mix of the three methods. I wonder how they decide what method to use in which parcel.
Nice to know less herbicides are being used. I’m sure that will be a great selling point for the wines.
ReplyDeleteI do hope they use less herbicides, nasty stuff.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting to observe the different methods. Lots of life is simply trial and error. The herbicides are becoming more and more unpopular it seems.
ReplyDeleteThey plant clover between rows of vines because clover is a nitrogen fixer that serves as a natural fertilizer.
ReplyDeleteUntil today, I never had to deal with Blogger/Google antics.
DeleteThanks for keeping me up-to-date on the vineyard, Walt. You may be due a raise in pay (hee-hee).
ReplyDeletemitch, many growers are making the switch to organic methods.
ReplyDeletetravel, yeah, and they've been using it for decades.
evelyn, yes!
chm, I don't know why it happens. It's not everyone, and it seems to be intermittent. Who can say?
mary, when do I get my performance review? LOL