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Weedy organic grapevines
I have tried to grow grapes for ten years without
using any chemical herbicides. I have used tillage,
cover crops and mulch. My soil organic content is
now lower than when I started (in spite of manure)
and I have erosion problems. And the weeds seem to
be worse every year. I am now very reluctantly trying
spot applications of Roundup to get rid of the well
established weeds and am looking at no-till methods
to attempt to control the soil deterioration and
erosion. This seems to be getting me into permanent
reliance on herbicides.
I am in Nova Scotia, Canada, with a rather heavy loam
soil. The official classification is sandy loam but I
would rate it more of a clay loam. Well watered would
be a charitable description. Weeds thrive - so do
grapevines if one can get them through the winter.
Vinifera must be buried but some of the hybrids do
very well without burial.
Is there anybody out there growing grapes organically
(or more or less,) preferably in a similar cold climate,
who can offer me advice on weed control without soil
destruction and without chemicals?
I realise more mulch would have helped but the amount
required is enormous; I have used bark, sawdust and
spoiled hay but can never get anything like enough.
I have posted my thoughts as "Is mulch sustainable?"
on this newsgroup.
Any suggestions?
Andrew Bennett; Avondale Vineyard
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