Mulching in between the vines

Tending to the area between vines is a tricky matter.

It is possible to keep these spaces open by mechanical means; however, on
hillside vineyards it generates the risk of downwash and the accumulation of
alluvial deposits when the rains fall.

Using an herbicide containing Glyphosate is something we do not even
consider.

So the remaining possibility is mulching, though it is extremely
time-consuming to do this by hand, with the 'Greenmaster' attached to the
tractor.

Moving at the speed of 4 kilometres per hour, the work can be done gently
and effectively.

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Greencover as fertiliser

We are now sowing greencover in the vineyards we just planted.

First, the soil is loosened with a disc harrow, then the mixed greenery -
buckwheat, clovers, forage peas and yellow mustard - is sown by machine,
after which the soil is tamped down with a heavy roller, making sure that it
closes well.

A bit of rain from time to time would also be nice.

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Opening the stitching wire springs

Driven briskly forward by the recent high temperatures, our vines are
sprouting at an extraordinary rate.

We are already opening the stitching wire springs, to enable the young
shoots to grow more easily into the wire trellising.

Then, when all the shoots have grown above the top pair of wires, the
springs will be closed once more
to give the shoots a better grip.

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Installing the support posts

We call them 'Bagstall', these supporting posts.
Here we are setting them out in the newly planted vineyards, one for every
five vines.
Each post has open eyelets on either side, through which the wires of the
trellising are threaded.

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Pheromones

In order to combat our most dangerous vineyard pest, the Traubenwickler – European grapevine moth – we have adopted a programme of chemical deception,

distributing pheromones in all of our vineyards.

 

The sexual attracting agent of the grapevine moth is applied to wires some 15cm in length, which are placed on the trellising.

These pheromones cause the male moths to become disoriented, so that they no longer find their way to the females.

 

 

Application of Lime

In our Ried Gloria the vine trunks are being painted with hydrated lime, to
prevent the cutworms from devouring the incipient buds.

This treatment is extremely successful - in three nightly inspection tours,
we could find only isolated, individual cutworms.

However, this takes a lot of time and energy - nearly 20 hours per hectare!

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Pruning

After spending fourteen weeks on it, we are finished with pruning.
Additionally we have removed the vine trimmings from many of our vineyards, and bound the canes that will bear this year's crop to the wires

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