Under-vine mulching (herbicide-free)
Control the row with mulch instead of herbicide.
The strip under the vine is the last stronghold of herbicide in many vineyards. Organic mulch — straw, wood chip, pomace, chipped prunings — replaces it, suppressing weeds by shading and physical barrier.
At the same time, mulch cuts evaporation, moderates soil temperature and, as it breaks down, feeds soil life in the zone of highest root density. It is one of the most direct ways to eliminate glyphosate without resorting to intensive mechanical weeding.
Effort
Medium — application and periodic top-up.
Cost
Low to medium, especially with on-site materials.
Time to result
Immediate on weed control and evaporation.
What this practice regenerates
Impact by goal — click through for detail and metrics.
Input reduction & vine resilience
It replaces row herbicide with a physical barrier, eliminating glyphosate without intensive mechanical weeding.
Time horizon: Immediate
What to measure for this pairing
Soil health & structure
Mulch decomposition feeds soil life in the zone of highest root density and adds organic matter in the row.
Time horizon: 1–3 seasons
What to measure for this pairing
Water resilience & drought
The cover sharply cuts soil evaporation in the row, conserving moisture in the root zone.
Time horizon: Immediate
What to measure for this pairing
Carbon sequestration & climate
It valorises organic residues as cover and cuts the diesel of repeated mechanical weeding in the row.
Time horizon: 2–4 seasons
What to measure for this pairing
How it works
A layer of organic matter blocks the light weeds need and cuts evaporation, while it decomposes and feeds soil life in the row.
How to implement
- 1Choose the material (straw, wood chip, pomace, chipped prunings).
- 2Apply a layer thick enough to shade the row.
- 3Top up as it breaks down.
- 4Record the area kept herbicide-free.
What to measure
Frequently asked
Doesn’t mulch attract rodents or disease?
A well-managed, aerated mulch is rarely a problem. Keeping the layer off the trunk and choosing suitable materials minimises any risk.
How much material per hectare?
It depends on row width and layer thickness, but on-site prunings, pomace and chip cover much of the need.
Related reading
Related practices
How GrapeFlow helps
Implement and document this practice by plot, with an audit-ready history.
Phytosanitary register & copper (Portugal)
In Portugal, every treatment is logged with product, rate and active substance, and copper is summed on the 7-year rolling mean — direct proof of input reduction.
Electronic field notebook (Portugal)
In Portugal, log every operation — cover sowing, grazing, composting, mowing — by plot and date, with an audit-ready history that proves the practice over the years.
Plot registry
Every practice tied to the right plot, with area, variety, rootstock and history — so you know where you did what and can compare blocks.