Vineyard Floor Opinions Please

[Jim in Tennessee]

Hi All

In my 1/2 acre vineyard I have 250 Enchantment hybrid grapevines planted last year (and 65 replanted this year due to winter kill).

Last year I sprayed glufosinate herbicide in the rows to remove weeds and grass. Spraying was relatively easy since I still had grow tubes until late June.

This year I had to cut a lot of vines back to the ground (or replant), so I don't have grow tubes to protect the vines.

The entire vineyard floor is native grass, mostly white clover, bermuda and about a million different weeds. I have to use a string trimmer about every 2 weeks (kind of a PITA), but less risky than herbicide (at least in my amateur mind).

What do y'all think of low-growing grass vs completely bare intra-vine rows?

Thanks

 

[GSMChris]

I try to keep my vineyard as chemically clean as possible. Not necessarily organic - but on that end of the spectrum. So I mow the aisles and weed eat between the plants. I hand pull weeds close to the vine when they either annoy me or start to annoy the vines - e.g. get a foot tall or higher… here’s a recent photo to show you where I’m at.

I should point out that living in CA in the summer means no rain since April or May so the only water out here comes from the drip tubes.

 

[Jim in Tennessee]

Very nice! I envy your California climate. East TN gets over 50 inches of rain per year, so keeping fungus under control is a constant effort.

I have to cut the grass in the aisles every 5-6 days.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Neb Farmer]

I let grass grow between my rows, but I keep it mowed a bit...not too short. My theory is I'd rather have the ground around the grapevines healthy and growing. Worms and things help dirt from 'dying'.
I mow between rows and run a weed-eater between plants, occasional hand-pulling grasses that are too close to the vine.

 

[ChuckD]

From what I’ve seen dry climate vineyards often keep the isles “clean”. In a wet climate like you have it would require copious herbicides and/or tillage. You look like you have a little slope there. With bare ground you would have a lot of erosion as well.

Look at what the commercial vineyards around you have… I bet it’s all mowed grass. I only get 36” a year and I’m mowing the vineyard every 5-6 days. For the first two years I’m trying to keep the sod at least a foot from the vines.

 

[Jim in Tennessee]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I like the grass in the vineyard generally, although the weeds directly below/around the vine makes my OCD brain crazy. Once the trunks are more robust it will be easier to maintain (I hope).

 

[ChuckD]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I like the grass in the vineyard generally, although the weeds directly below/around the vine makes my OCD brain crazy. Once the trunks are more robust it will be easier to maintain (I hope).

Your vines look nice. What is your plant and row spacing? Looks pretty tight from the pictures.

And I’ve found vines don’t mind some hoeing and even shallow digging in the root zone. I dig out tap rooted perennial weeds right next to the vine and haven’t seen any negative effects on the vines.

 

[Jim in Tennessee]

Your vines look nice. What is your plant and row spacing? Looks pretty tight from the pictures.

And I’ve found vines don’t mind some hoeing and even shallow digging in the root zone. I dig out tap rooted perennial weeds right next to the vine and haven’t seen any negative effects on the vines.

Thanks Chuck.
The vines are spaced at 6ft. The rows are 8 ft wide.
From what I read and what I'm seeing so far, the Enchantment vines are moderate growers (compared to my Concord and Thomcord vines). The Concord and Thomcord vines on the left are already bearing fruit and they were planted at the same time as the Enchantment on the right (picture from one month ago).

I've done the "hands and knees" weeding around the trunks a couple of times so far this year. Not a particularly fun job.

 

[Greg Corey]

You can always encourage the kind of "weed" that you want as a ground cover. Clover is a pretty good ground cover, as are legumes like flowering peas and such. Plant them as a way to outcompete bad weeds (my definition of those is anything prickly or with roots that strangle i.e. field bindweed). I've even heard of vineyards planting daikon radish as a natural aerator. Then, once they are established (let them grow hearty during the spring, you can just give them a mow at about 3" and it should maintain a healthy ecosystem.