Page 48 - Grapevine July-Aug 2020
P. 48
Around The Vineyard
organically, but also in understanding every step of
the wine production process.”
Addressing the practicalities of soil management
in the vineyard, Dan Rinke, proprietor of Roshambo
ArtFarm and Director of Vineyard Operations at
Johan Vineyards, said, “If you are continuously
tilling and depleting organic matter from the soil,
those resultant soils are going to be more prone to
compaction. But you can have more resilient soil
through no-till systems.”
In Rinke’s estimation, the best way to rotate
cover crops is to use a no-till seed drill, which can
be rented from some soil and water conservation
districts. However, he added that he’d like to see
research done in this area to see more comprehen-
sive re-sults using conventional, reduced and no-till
means specifically for vineyards.
More research is needed to confirm Dr.
Montgomery’s findings and develop and under-
stand the implications for vineyards. For biodynam-
ic farmers like Barbara Steele of Cowhorn Vineyard
& Garden, carbon farming is not unique. “Carbon
cycling in the soil is the basis of successful dirt farm-
Trim-N-Prun’ BTS-104HD ing,” she said.
Biodynamic practices include building a fresh com-
post pile every year and growing plants whose sole
purpose is to create carbon. “By increasing organic
matter in the soil, we slowly increase the cation
exchange capacity or CEC (the measure of the soil’s
ability to hold positively charged ions), and thus the
carbon cycling in the soil,” said Steele.
For more information about soil health, check out
NEW Concept in the resources available from the USDA National
Vine Trimming & Pre-Pruning! Resource Conservation Service at...
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/
• Universal Hydraulic Vine & Bush Trimming, Cutter Bars.
• Opens foliage for better dust and spray penetration. nrcs) and www.dig2grow.com
• Adapts to almost any trellising system or terrain.
• Reduce Pruning cost over one third.
• Cuts harvest labor by easier access to crop.
For More Information Contact...
Bechthold Tractor Service
10755 E. Hwy. 12 • Lodi, CA 95240
Phone: 209-368-2031
Website: www.bechtholdtractor.com
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