Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/70673
nor T h W e S T (Continued from page 55) because people don't do it very commonly at all." And small wonder: In lieu of widely available commercial supplies (many native grasses are available, but native nitrogen- fixing plants are less common from com- mercial sources), Link gathered the seeds he needed by hand in 2008 from a seven-mile radius around Red Mountain. He then took time to germinate the seeds prior to plant- ing seedlings (plugs) in spring 2009. The initial results indicate that forbs such as silky lupine and local milkvetches (Astragalus species) could become estab- lished but should be planted before grass- es, which are highly competitive. Indeed, even existing grasses made establishment difficult for the plugs Link placed in the vine rows to establish. "I would stay away from the grasses until you can get some forbs into the system," Link said. "Grasses are very competitive. So if you wanted to establish a diverse mix of native species for a vine- yard, you would probably be wise to put the grasses in later, in smaller amounts." The competitive influence of grasses is also seen on vines, where competition for nutrients may help control vine vigor in some areas but hamper development in others. The plugs Link planted in 2009 are viable, but he began a trial in December 2010 investigating the potential to grow native legumes from seed for use as vine- yard cover crops. Although seed germina- tion isn't guaranteed, they promise to be more efficient and less costly than plugs. The new trial planted scarified seeds at 1/8 inch to 1/ 4 inch in depth, which Link hopes will facilitate germination. Ste. Michelle's wildflowers One major winery is already using native species to enhance diversity, and it's doing so from seed—albeit commercially avail- able wildflowers rather than grasses. The goal of the mix is to beautify the property, boost populations of beneficial insects and keep local grasses at bay. While grasses are effective in preventing erosion, viticulturist Jason Schlagel of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates' vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA says they're not wanted in the vine rows because of the com- petitive pressure they create. (The inter-row area is held down by a perennial rye grass.) Controlling local grasses is where na- tive flowers such as lupine, white yarrow, Bird's Eyes and Black Eyed Susan play a role. With the help of the Washington State University extension office, Schlagel chose a mix from the Oregon Wholesale Seed Co. in Silverton, Ore., breaking up the grassland and creating a beneficial diversity around Ste. Michelle's Columbia Crest Estate and Canoe Ridge vineyards. Originally planted in 2009, seed has been saved from some plots at Canoe Ridge and mixed in with new seed to reseed plots (using a basic lawn seeder on the back of an all-terrain vehicle) and reinforce plant- ings adjacent to vineyards. The effort seems to be paying off, though Schlagel said he doesn't have data quantifying the results. "Every year we're getting stuff coming back from the previous year's seeding, and I think we're making steps forward to get at least the perennials coming back every year," he said. "It's ongoing. We haven't seen any real hard results yet, but I think we're improving." That's not a bad summary for the relatively new subject of native plants in vineyard cover crops. With the alien species of Vitis vinifera dominating vineyard properties, it seems only fair to give natives a chance to contribute. Owning & Operating Best Practices for aWinery Conference March 10 & 11, 2011 Regulatory & Legal Issues Every Winery Needs to Know Hyatt Vineyard Creek Sonoma County Wines & Vines FeBRUARY 2011 57 5th Annual