Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
CLEARING THE LAND
In an organic vineyard, weeds are often the worst enemy. Careful preparation of the soil
before planting will pay off in the long run, but remember that weed control will be an on-
going task. Most important is to remove perennial weeds—those that will grow back from
the roots if they are not completely destroyed. Persistent culprits include Himalayan black-
berry, Bermuda grass, and bindweed. No matter what your method of control for perennial
weeds, it will probably take time and patience.
Studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicate that a mixture of 25 percent
vinegar and water will kill many weeds. My experience is that this mixture will work, but
only for young weeds less than 6 inches in height. There are also a number of commercial
organic products for weed control, but again, they seem to work best only on smaller weeds
such as spurge, sowthistle, shepherd's purse, London rocket, fleabane, and some grasses.
If you are mainly concerned with annual weeds, you can cultivate the soil by discing
or tilling at intervals over several weeks. Irrigate the soil between cultivating to encourage
weeds to sprout, then cultivate again. Gradually you will reduce the amount of weed seeds
in the soil. Make sure to do this before the weeds set seed, or you are just helping them to
grow.
