Ploughing the vineyards is not one of the most spectacular activities
in the calendar - and it is not exclusive to spring either. However, after
the winter rains, pruning and fertilising, it is a prime time to get rid
of all the weeds and grasses. Ploughing now uproots all the weeds and leaves
the vineyards clear until early summer. With Catalonia's Mediterranean climate,
it is important to eliminate all the weeds which would otherwise rob the
vines of vital moisture later in the year. Ploughing also has a further
function of aerating the soil, as the plough digs around 15cm (6 inches) into the soil (digging deeper would harm the roots of the vines). Seeing as later in the year the Mediterranean
sun can bake the surface of the earth into a hard crust, this work continues
almost year round. Paradoxically, breaking up the crust in the summer actually keeps the moisture in the soil below, rather than allowing it to evaporate as one might imagine.
  To eliminate the weeds between the
vines, the farmers use a hydraulic side plough that can be extended in and
out between the vines. Sergi insisted on our webmaster ploughing a couple
of rows, and although he managed not to uproot any vines, it is not nearly
as straightforward as Sergi makes it look!
|
