Inter-row tool

The objectives of tillage before planting

Objectives before planting

The objectives are very different depending on whether they are set before or after planting.

Before planting, we want to put the vine plant in optimum conditions for its development. The aim is to

loosen the soil without creating footings that hinder root development.
bury fertilisers and soil improvers.
remove roots likely to transmit root rot and limit the proliferation of nematodes.

Roots eliminated between two passes of the monosoc plough

Two main types of equipment are used

Decompactors

They create break lines in the soil, and avoid plough footings.
They improve porosity and the circulation of water and air

Subsoiler or heavy compactor

The monosoc or multisoc plough

This equipment cuts and turns the soil
Allows fertilisers and soil improvers to be buried en masse
Substantially loosens the soil and allows good root development

Single-purpose ripper plough

Plough or decompactor? Why not both?

For optimum tillage before planting, the use of these two tools is a very good choice for soil preparation.

Firstly, two cross passes of the decompactor will work the soil below the ploughed area. Decompacting the soil at depth (30 to 60 cm) will improve soil porosity and allow future roots to develop better.

Secondly, the soil is ploughed at shallow to medium depth (30 cm max), preferably with a multisoc plough to get more work done than a monosoc plough, although the latter will be essential if old roots from the uprooting are still buried in the soil. In fact, each time the monosoc is used, the roots will have to be removed by hand from the furrow (prophylactic control of root rot). To ensure that as many roots as possible are eliminated, the monosoc plough will work at depths of over 30 cm.

Finally, the day before the new planting, a rotary harrow fitted with a roller will be needed to refine the soil and even out the first few centimetres. This last operation is very important, as it ensures that the soil is fine and free of clods, which is why it is advisable to use a specific roller (cage, crosskill or packer), depending on the presence or absence of clods.

The objectives of tillage after planting

Inter-row maintenance using sown grass

Controlling weeds

After planting, inter-row maintenance will help to control weeds that compete with hydro-nitrogen.

There are 2 ways of maintaining the rows between the vines:

Soil maintenance natural grassing or sown grassing
Mechanical tillage

Grass cover between rows

You have two choices: controlled natural grass cover or sown grass cover.
In both cases, you'll need to mow more or less regularly, depending on your itinerary, and use a mower or a rotary chopper to limit its development.

The main advantages of grass cover :

Stabilisation of the soil surface
Better bearing capacity for equipment
Competition for vigorous vines
Possibility of natural mulching
Limits soil erosion

Main disadvantages :

Strong competition from hydro-nitrogenous fertilisers for less vigorous vines
No possibility of burying fertiliser

Mechanical inter-row cultivation

The other solution for controlling weeds in the inter-row is mechanised cultivation.
There is a very wide range of equipment for this: stubble cultivators, chisels, rotary harrows, etc.
In principle, a single tool is not enough. It is preferable to be equipped with several tools with different modes of action to ensure a suitable result depending on the nature of your soil and the time of year.

The main advantages of working the soil:

Limits competition with the vines
Increased evapotranspiration in dry periods
Possibility of burying fertiliser
Better weed management

Main disadvantages :

Reduced bearing capacity when tools are used
Less stability in the row
Increases worker fatigue
Often reduces work rate and increases the time needed for maintenance in general

Different types of tools used after planting

Tools are classified into different categories according to their mode of action:

ploughs
tine tools
disc tools
rollers
inter-row animated tools

The objectives of grass cover

Establishing and maintaining plant cover

Plant cover is sometimes necessary for a number of reasons:

agronomic, by allowing natural decompaction and improving soil stability, stimulating biological activity, or by creating a green manure.
practical, by ensuring good bearing capacity during mechanical operations and limiting erosion.

The plant cover can be maintained either by mowing or by pinching the vegetation with a special roller.