Farm Information

County: Napa
Location: St. Helena AVA
Slope: n/a
Irrigation system: Drip
Soil type: Clay loam, Silt loam
Soil detail: Haire Loam and Sobrante Loam
Special farming challenges: There are some sections that get colder than others and that affects the cover crop growth.

• Cropping Systems Information
• Crop: winegrapes
  Acres of orchard or vineyard: 6.8

  Other crops: No
  Acres of other crops: n/a
  Organic management: No
  Certifications: None
  Certifications notes: n/a
  Where using cover crops: Vineyard

• Grower Experience, Farm Priorities, and Cover Cropping Goals
• When started farming (yr): 1992
  Farm priorities: To produce the best quality grapes possible.
  Years growing orchard or vineyard crop: 29 years
  Years growing cover crops: 13 years
  Initial transition to cover cropping: We first started seeding cover crops in between vine rows everywhere in the vineyard.
  Goals and benefits: Soil improvement, nitrogen supplement, yield enhancement, insect predator support, pollinator support, water infiltration/retention
  Benefits description: Wanted to improve soil health and soil organic matter. Soil protection is the most important thing. Other benefits include nitrogen fixing, yield enhancing, pest control/enhancing predator populations, supporting pollinators, erosion control, soil water holding capacity.
  Change in goals over time: Now we are working on figuring out which cover crops do best in our vineyard under different conditions. We have a little research project where we manage the cover crop differently to see what affects the cover crop establishment. We are realizing that termination time is the most important factor for good cover crop establishment. Spring time mowing leads to not having good cover. Late season mowing leads to better cover. No mowing leads to more diverse cover crop establishment.
  Reasons: n/a
• Cover Crop Details, Planting and Management Methods

• Block described here: Winegrapes
  Current cover crops: Grasses, legumes, brassicas, insectary mix
  Species and mixes: Cayuse oats, barley, triticale, zorro fescue, winter peas, rose clover, calendula, phacelia, common vetch, and daikon.
  Planting method: Broadcast seed
  Planting date (2020): Mid October
  Was that optimal? We always try to do it two days before the the rain. Unfortunately we did not get enough rains.
  Pre-plant soil prep: None
  Planting equipment: Broadcast seeder
  Seeding rate: 70 lbs/acre
  Seeding depth: n/a
  Did it germinate well? Yes, it germinated well at first but then some species didn't do so well later because of the lack of rain.
  Additional management and advice: Have also grown cover crop within the vine row.

• Cover Crop Termination Methods and Biomass Management

• Termination method: Mow, graze
  Termination equipment and process: n/a
  Termination date: n/a
  Was it optimal? n/a
  Biomass management: n/a

• Cover Cropping Challenges and Strategies to Address Them
• Challenges: Frost damage, establishment difficulties, vertebrate pests
  Challenges description: Frost damage to trees/vines, water availability/difficulties irrigating cover crop, attracts gophers/voles/rabbits
  Strategies to address challenges: We mow when we think there is going to be a frost event and we trap gophers. Also considering setting up an irrigation system to irrigate the cover crop in years with low rain.
  Was the cover crop worth it? n/a
  Least successful past cover crops: n/a