Resource Roundup
February 26, 2026 | Tri Cities, WA
A hybrid event that delivered practical, science-based guidance from researchers and growers for boosting soil health in irrigated perennial cropping systems, including vineyards and hop yards.
Session 1: WaSHI Vineyard Long-Term Research Overview
Devin Rippner, USDA-ARS Prosser
Key Takeaways
- Soil health practices must be tailored to specific soils and cropping systems; there is no
one-size-fits-all approach. - Most organic carbon, microbial biomass, and microbial diversity in eastern Washington vineyard soils are concentrated in the top 6 inches of soil.
- Drill-seeding perennial cover crops was far more successful than broadcast seeding, especially under droughty conditions.
- Under-vine legume cover crops remain difficult to establish because of winter injury, weed competition, and timing challenges.
- Effective weed control during vineyard establishment is critical; vines in herbicide-managed plots grew roughly three times larger than vines in mowed-only plots.
Resources
Session 2: What is a Healthy Soil for Wine Grape Production?
Noely Gonzalez-Maldonado, University of California – Davis
Key Takeaways
- Growers tend to define soil health in terms of vine balance, fruit quality, water management, and controlled vigor rather than maximizing yield.
- Many growers associate soil health closely with soil fertility, creating concern that some soil-health practices could increase vigor beyond desirable levels.
- The biggest barriers to adopting soil-health practices are concerns about cost, labor, water use, uncertainty about returns, and limited evidence linking soil-health indicators to wine quality.
- Cover crops are widely accepted among growers, while no-till systems are viewed more cautiously because of weed, pest, and water-management concerns.
- Soil-health priorities differ by region, highlighting the need for locally relevant research rather than universal recommendations.
Resources
Session 3: Cover Crops and Weed Management In Wine Grape Systems
Rui Liu, Washington State University
Devin Rippner, USDA-ARS Prosser
Key Takeaways
- Cover crops can reduce erosion, suppress weeds, and improve soil protection, but successful establishment requires careful species selection and management.
- Intermediate wheatgrass and crested wheatgrass show strong potential for irrigated perennial systems because of their drought tolerance and long-term persistence.
- Hydroseeding under-vine cover crops may offer a practical, scalable solution for large commercial vineyards.
- Effective weed management requires a combination of mechanical, cultural, chemical, and biological approaches rather than reliance on a single tactic.
- Electrical weeding showed promising weed-control results in vineyard trials but may present fire-risk concerns during dry conditions.
- Vineyard managers should rotate herbicide modes of action, follow label recommendations, and integrate non-chemical practices to preserve future weed-control options.
Resources
Session 4: Producer Panel: Using Soil Data to Better Manage Vineyards
Kade Casciato, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard
Catherine Jones, Wilbur Ellis
Reid Wilson, Hedges Family Estate
Key Takeaways
- Cover crops can reduce erosion, suppress weeds, and improve soil protection, but successful establishment requires careful species selection and management.
- Intermediate wheatgrass and crested wheatgrass show strong potential for irrigated perennial systems because of their drought tolerance and long-term persistence.
- Hydroseeding under-vine cover crops may offer a practical, scalable solution for large commercial vineyards.
- Effective weed management requires a combination of mechanical, cultural, chemical, and biological approaches rather than reliance on a single tactic.
- Electrical weeding showed promising weed-control results in vineyard trials but may present fire-risk concerns during dry conditions.
- Vineyard managers should rotate herbicide modes of action, follow label recommendations, and integrate non-chemical practices to preserve future weed-control options.
Resources
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