Hi! Liz. Big thing with sheep is to have a low stocking rate and prefer smaller sheep, i.e. ewes and lambs and smaller breeds. My Boarder Crosses can reach more than five feet off the ground.
Yes, let the worst of the heat happen, but do it before desiccation. Gil Liz Davis wrote: > Hi Gil & Garp/NH > Noticed this past winter that the uni of Sydney runs sheep in their vineyard > through the winter. Also Garp, there was something earlier this year on > this link, that referred to buckwheat as a cover crop in vineyards. Used > because it establishes and flowers quickly. > > Gil, when you say asap, is that to allow for the heat to leave the slashed > material? > > L&L > Liz > > on 29/10/02 11:10 PM, COYOTEHILLFARM at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > Hi Gil, > > This is very interesting stuff ! > > Would you agree that you need the mulch of the cover crop to feed the > > grapes, or is it possible to have an permanent cover crop to have the same > > effect ? > > ( as the one you are describing) > > Have you ever seen or heard some one having grassing animals in the > > vine-yard, like sheep, I understand that this is a common practice in > > Northern Spain, only after harvest/vintner. > > > > Per Garp/NH > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Gil Robertson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 06:19 AM > > Subject: Re: RoundUp/Cover crop > > > > > >> By using a disk seeder and not a tine seeder. > >> > >> The disk will get through the chopped green manure and get down to the > > soil. > >> > >> Wind and traffic will soon cover it up, but the oats or other grain should > > soon > >> push through. > >> > >> Disk seeders were used on "new ground", because of roots etc. Just a > > matter of > >> getting an old one and cutting it down to suit, probably making it three > > point > >> linkage mounted. You may need to play with the angle of approach for the > > disk as > >> this tends to have to do with the nature of the trash. I suggest that it > > is > >> better to sow as soon after slashing as possible. > >> > >> I have designed a modified disk based air seader, with a larger than > > normal > >> disk. Any one want an investment? This is intended for this sort of > > application > >> and also direct seeding revegetation. > >> > >> Gil > >> > >> RiverValley wrote: > >> > >>> Gil, > >>> > >>> How do you sow the oats through the previuos cover crop? > >>> > >>> thanks, > >>> Daniel > >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>> From: "Gil Robertson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>> Sent: Monday, October 28, 2002 8:11 PM > >>> Subject: Re: RoundUp/Cover crop > >>> > >>>> Hi! Per Garp/NH > >>>> > >>>> Over here we have winter rain, which is our main growing season, > > followed > >>> by > >>>> spring when most thing finish for harvest, with grapes coming in > > around > >>>> February. > >>>> > >>>> We start with a legume peas/ fava beans, hairy vetch etc, planted on > > the > >>> first > >>>> rains. A soon as it flowers, but before it sets seed, it is slashed > > and > >>> oats > >>>> or other grain sowed through it. Again, as soon as it flowers and is > > still > >>> at > >>>> the milky stage, slash it and just let it lay on top and there is your > >>> summer > >>>> mulch. Some run the slasher through a couple of times to cut it > > shorter. > >>> This > >>>> should supply all the N and C required. I like to spray the freshly > >>> slashed > >>>> material with the compost Preps. > >>>> > >>>> Gil > >>>> > >>>> COYOTEHILLFARM wrote: > >>>> > >>>>> Hi All > >>>>> > >>>>> What type of cover crop would you recommend as a companion planting > > for > >>>>> grapes ?? > >>>>> > >>>>> Thanks > >>>>> Per Garp/NH > >>>>> > >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- > >>>>> From: "Gil Robertson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>>> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>>>> Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2002 10:34 PM > >>>>> Subject: Re: RoundUp > >>>>> > >>>>>> Hi! Peter, > >>>>>> If the cover crop is slowing vine growth, it suggests that there > > is a > >>>>>> Nitrogen shortage. The cut cover crop and any mulch is mostly > > carbon > >>> and > >>>>>> needs a specific proportion of nitrogen to break it down. It is > >>>>>> important to start with a legume with the right inoculant to help > > set > >>>>>> nitrogen from the air, into the soil, in a form the plant can use. > > The > >>>>>> break down of carbon, also uses large amounts of nitrogen, which > > may > >>> be > >>>>>> what has happened. When you get a "nitrogen credit" in the soil, > > it is > >>>>>> OK to have a non nitrogen fixing cover crop. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> The use of the Preps will help the whole process. I also use the > >>>>>> combined compost Preps, sprayed onto the freshly slashed cover > > crop, > >>>>>> which seems to help it break down. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> If you have the time and a good Whipper Snipper, using the line, > > not > >>>>>> blade, you can make a little guard on a long handle, which you can > > put > >>>>>> against the butt of the vine and slash right to the butt, at > > ground > >>>>>> level. I do not see properly managed cover crops as competing. > > They > >>> will > >>>>>> keep out weeds and should produce all the N and C your crop > > requires. > >>>>>> While they will use some water, if slashed fairly often, they also > >>>>>> reduce water loss from bare soil and the effect of heat on the > > root > >>> run. > >>>>>> In Oz with our mainly shallow soils, it is important to use all of > > it > >>> we > >>>>>> can. A sun dried inch or two is wasted country and it also kills > >>> feeder > >>>>>> roots. > >>>>>> > >>>>>> Gil > >>>>>> > >>>>>> J Peter Young wrote: > >>>>>> > >>>>>>> Gil, We had a marvelous green manure crop this spring which, > > when we > >>>>>>> couldn't get control of it in the vine row, completely shut down > >>> vine > >>>>>>> growth in early summer. It is a young vineyard and apparently > > very > >>>>>>> sensitive to competition. Once the green manure crop finally > > fell > >>> away > >>>>>>> natually, the more noxious north coast weeds began to appear > > because > >>>>>>> of our irrigation. In some areas we did sow a clover vine row > > cover > >>>>>>> crop, but it was just a competitive. It's sad that next door, my > >>>>>>> conventional farming neighbor who uses a pre-emergent over the > >>> winter > >>>>>>> and then regularly applied RoundUp through teh growing season > > had > >>> much > >>>>>>> better growth and vigor with less water and a lot less > > fertilizer. > >>> We > >>>>>>> had hoped to only try to keep the 18" around each vine clear, > > but > >>> that > >>>>>>> is turning out to be impractical and next season we are going > > for an > >>>>>>> 18" to 24" wide strip. The aisles will continue to have cover > > crop > >>> in > >>>>>>> them providing habitat. Our biggest concern this year is getting > > in > >>> to > >>>>>>> the vineyard at the right points in time over the winer to use > > the > >>>>>>> vinegar and the number of passes we'll have to make each season > >>> since > >>>>>>> vinegar has not effect on the roots. Peter > >>>>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >>>> > >> > > > >
