fertiliser in the UK.

Ov is the main active principle in OvinAlp, obtained through solid biofermentation of the organic matter under the action of microbial flora naturally present in the sheep manure for 12 months. This allows enrichment of the product into stable humus while guaranteeing complete sanitation and unbeatable sanitary quality.

For more information, please contact your usual Agrii agronomist, our Customer Services Team on 0845 607 3322 or email fruit.solutions@agrii.co.uk www.agrii.co.uk support soil structure. Green manures added to the soil will help to encourage their growth.

◆ Earthworms help to improve the aeration of the soil and break down organic matter more efficiently. Earthworm populations can be encouraged through reduced use of pesticides, adding organic matter to the soil and avoiding excessive tillage.

Monitoring soil health over time can help to identify areas for improvement and allow management practices to be adjusted as required to ensure that your vineyard is as welcoming as possible to these tiny allies.

Biodynamic viticulture

The first certified biodynamic wine in the UK was released by Sedlescombe Vineyard in East Sussex in 2010. At the core of biodynamic agriculture is the principle of ensuring the land is a self-sustaining organism. This includes focusing on the other plants and animals in the vineyard as well as the vines themselves. Biodynamic certification demands that growers improve the life of the soil and that at least 10% of the land is dedicated to encouraging biodiversity.

Chemical fertilisers and soil conditioners are replaced with natural ones. The Demeter UK Standards state that “a biodynamic enterprise should aim for self-sufficiency in its manures and fertilisers’ using compost, stable manure and organic wastes, for example. Strict controls are placed on where these products can be sourced from, and the situation is the same with the permitted agents for plant pest control and protection against fungal attack.

“One of the key principles of biodynamic viticulture is considering the vineyard as a self-contained, living organism,” said Robin Snowdon, the vineyard manager and winemaker at Limeburn Hill Vineyard near Bristol. “This means that we aim for self-sufficiency and closed loop cycles when considering any soil or plant treatments. In relation to soil health this could be having your own livestock and using the manure; having willow beds (perhaps to treat water) that can be chipped and transformed into fungal-rich compost; or chipping the vine prunings to be part of a fungalrich compost that could be used for compost tea to inoculate the soil with beneficial microbes.”

There are nine biodynamic preparations that are the cornerstone of biodynamics. Seven of those focus specifically on soil health. Perhaps most well-known is the Horn Manure preparation, made from fresh cow manure buried in the ground in cow horns over the winter before being retrieved in the spring. The contents are then diluted and sprayed. “It works as a compost tea,” Robin explained. “It inoculates the soil with microbial life. We also use the Six Compost Preparations that all add specific micro nutrients and macro nutrients to a compost which is then spread across the vineyard.”

Robin has found tangible improvements to the soil and biodiversity at Limeburn Hill since working with biodynamics. “We have noticed a slow but significant improvement in soil health,” he said. “This is evidenced by the density and diversity of soil microbes seen under the microscope, an increase in worm numbers and diversity, and the increased activity of moles (whose main source of food is, of course, earthworms). We have also noticed an improvement in surface water drainage across the vineyard which indicates an improving soil structure, plus a much greater diversity of wild flora and the resulting insect and bird life in the vineyard –we are currently at over 60 species of birds identified on the vineyard.”