SIMPLE SOIL SCIENCE GUIDE

The Soils that Vines thrive on

To most people, understanding of the soil or the earth’s crust that we live on, is what it can provide for them. To the viticulturist, whose aim is the quality and texture of wine, it is the unique quality of a particular soil in a particular area that can determine what can be extracted by the vine from the soil.

Grape vines have large root systems extracting nutrients from various layers of the soil crust.

Vines adapt to the nutrient complexity and availability of the soil and transfer this mixture to juice of the grapes, producing a different texture, taste and bouquet.

Wine makers are always looking for more variety to please the inquiring market and wine growers are looking for new adaptable soils to produce these varieties.

The soil science in viticulture is close guarded as to protect the way the vine is grown especially in rare varieties as this can lead to market edge and premium products, but all plants require basic nutrients.

“From the smallest micro-bacterium to the largest tree on the planet they need minerals to survive”

The soils of South Australia, the central districts of Victoria and the Hunter Valley of N.S.W. have, over the past century, provided Australia with a large variety of wines and spirits. Interestingly, these vines are grown on various soil types which has now been recognised and adapted in other regions, as the industry grows.

Vines can be grown on a number of soil types but all require NPK plus CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM, SULPHUR and trace elements to survive, also a good supply of quality water, these nutrients either natural occurring or chemical input are required during the vines growing and fruiting period.

Outlined below are some of the types of soil vines are grown on in the Southern parts of Australia.

The soils of South Australia are made up of alluvial rock formations derived from decomposing  volcanic upheavals and shifting faults throughout the Adelaide Hills and Flinders Ranges. This combined with the metamorphic change over time have created decomposed basalts along with granites and high silica sands deposited by a receding sea, leaving high calcium ridges of coral and calcreted clays. This makes up the core of the Ayre & York peninsulars.  The central plains Agricultural districts are soils of various sands underlaid with cemented together Kaolin clays and carboniferous minerals. These deposits  create high alkaline soils and inert sandy ridges, and over the passage of time, alluvial flats have been formed along existing creek beds and the great Murray river, providing good fertile soils for viticultural use. The rises and slopes along the river contain strong Alkaline mineral content in light sandy soils ideal for vines. The subsoils are calcreted limestones which creates a great source of calcium, magnesium and potassium, but there is little organic matter to decompose in these soils. The introduction of manures and humic materials will boost nutrient uptake, reduce water wastage and improve colour to skins of berries.

The Victorian central plains soils vary greatly from acidic to alkaline depending on the location to the great dividing range and the alluvial wash from the ancient sea that has silted up to become the inland channel country. These silts have moved over porous sub structures to create blended mineral silt plains of brown grey and black soils usually with high clay content but with low organic carbon levels. The central plains contain acid sulphates and calcareous minerals that derived from salt water and sodic brines. These eroding minerals are deposited throughout the central plains in unbalanced forms which inhibit growth if the nutrients are not balanced. These regions have many wineries that have been established for a long time offering different varieties of wines, as competition grows in the industry these wineries will need to look at plant nutrition and water retention more closely.

As for the highland parts of Victoria, which are mainly acidic with exposed granites, these soils need high alkaline minerals for nutrient release, especially vines. With the soil turning to basalts around the Gippsland regions, the pH rises in the heavy black soils, and other nutrients such as organic carbon are required. In general the soils of the Victoria regions are basically suitable for the production of vines and many other products that can be produced in a natural (organic) way, Climate and changing seasons will be the other issues to contend with, along with balanced minerals.

Advantages of humic materials in viticulture:

• increases organic carbon levels
• increases micro-activity in the soil
• improves water retention
• improves nutrient uptake
• improves plant health

MADDINGLEY MINERALS HAVE NATURAL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE TO COMBAT AGAINST POWDERY MILDEW, FUNGUS AND NATURAL STRESSES.

Also Mulches for pigment increase in skins.

See: (HumusPlus4 Vine Mulsh).

Using Carbon supplements in Natural (Organic) or Chemical applications in Viticulture

Viticulture

INTERSTATE ENERGY GROUP. PO Box 1039, Bacchus Marsh VIC 3340. Ph. (03) 5367 0725, Fax. (03) 5367 0726.
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