Soil structure

It's interesting that so many of the old prescriptive practices on soil and farm management are being debunked. It used to be that farmers were told they had to eliminate all weeds, till the soil annually to aerate it and fertilize routinely. Today we know, that tilling disturbs the natural soil structure, especially the mycorrhiza, and fertilization reduce mycorrhization. Using cover crops favours arbuscular mycorrhiza funghi. We are trying to disturb the soil as little as possible. We have also set aside swaths of land as a natural habitat to encourage wildflowers and grasses as well as insects and bees. It seems to be working.


Alex believes that our field has never been plowed or seeded. When he dug holes for the plants and posts, he noticed that there are only a few inches of topsoil. Had it been plowed, the mixed layer would be deeper, the depth of a plowshare. That means the grasses in the field are likely to be native. They are beautiful. We know that certain plants like to coexist, like docks and stinging nettle, the former being the antidote to the irritation caused by the latter. We are removing the docks and nettles from the immediate proximity to vines but leaving most else to coexist.

I've noticed that the nettles are returning to the fields we've left natural and perhaps that will help the corncrake find a place to nest, although our cats do not make a particularly hospitable environment. In any case, I'm having a wonderful time searching out the biodiversity on our land as we introduce grapes to our little community.  And today's forecast: "warmest in the west." Amazing.

Comfrey, an amazing pollinator friendly and plant manure crop

Vetch is a good companion plant for grapevines