Cover Crops

Cover crops are plants 🪴 you grow in the vineyard to add nitrogen and biomass. Nitrogen is a form of fertilizer. Biomass degrades and feeds microbes in the soil. Cover crops also choke out unwanted weeds, cool the soil, and capture water.

We will use cover crops in our vineyard. They are usually annuals that we plant in the Spring and again in the Fall. Just before the annuals sprout seeds, we roll them (i.e., crush with a heavy roller) to create biomass. By continuing this cycle of planting and rolling, over time, we create a thick layer of nutrients for the thousands of bugs types in the soil.

By keeping the soil healthy, we create a biosphere of beneficial insects that will keep our vines well fed and protected from pathogens.