Safe and easy vineyard management

During winter rains, bare vineyard soils turn slippery and dangerous. But when you sow grass between the rows, you can reach your vines at any time of the year. Turf makes vineyard management easier and safer.

Combat soil erosion

Erosion is a constant problem on hillside vineyards, easily tackled by sowing grass. Grass cover is a highly efficient way to stop or limit erosion.

Reduce your yield, improve your quality

Reducing your grape yield increases the sugar content and encourages favourable flavours. Competition from grasses is a natural and efficient way to control your yield.

Nitrogen fixation

Adding clover to the mixture is a low-cost and sustainable way to put nitrogen into your soil. It also acts as a slow release of fertiliser for the companion grasses.

Disease and weed control

The splashing of raindrops on the soil surface can spread vineyard diseases. Grass reduces splashing and lowers the risk of disease dispersal. Grass is also a simple and cost-effective way to control weeds between the rows.

Vineyard grasses

• Smooth-stalked meadow-grass: low growing and rhizome forming; when mixed with tall fescue performs well in hot and warm areas.
• Tall fescue: slow-growing turf grasses are excellent for hot and dry regions, and for efficient yield control.
• Perennial ryegrass: for faster establishment and soil fixation.
• Red fescues: the rhizomes tie the soil together to combat soil erosion; slender creepings are more wear-tolerant, but spread less readily.
• White clovers: Microclover® or dwarf forage types provide excellent ground cover; white clover also releases nitrogen to the vines and to companion grasses.

Vineyard grass mixtures

Choose grass mixtures to suit your management aims (eg yield control, erosion control etc). In general we recommend:

• Species with rhizomes or stolons to maximise ground cover
• Main species to control yield
• Clover to support grass growth