Pablo González, owner of EDV Viticultores, an emblematic family winery located in the picturesque village of Margaride, in Quiroga (Lugo, Galicia), explains the management and integrated weed control in his vineyards.
Pablo primarily harvests Godello and Mencía (resulting from the first nocturnal harvest of the DO), under the brand Don Cosme, and also works with Garnacha Tintorera. His vines are cultivated in the Quiroga-Bibei subzone, marked by notable differences between the narrow valley and the surroundings of Quiroga, characterized by slate soils and a climate with extreme contrasts and some risk of frost.
His award-winning wines, recognized among the best in the world, have their secret in the management and understanding of the environment and the vine plant, keeping in mind that the key lies in the sustainable management of his vineyards. For this, one of the keys is the integral management of weeds. Is there an alternative to the use of non-selective broad-spectrum herbicides for weed management?
1. Mechanical tillage: Use of agricultural machinery to plow or cultivate the soil between the rows of vineyards, which helps control the growth of weeds by burying them and cutting their roots.
2. Manual or mechanical clearing: Manual removal or removal with specialized machinery of weeds growing between the rows of vineyards.
3. Vegetative cover: Planting cover crops or specific plant species between the rows of vineyards to compete with weeds for nutrients, water, and sunlight. Pablo intends to establish vegetative cover where legumes are the plant species competing with weeds. At the same time, he aims to provide greater soil structure, improve fertility, and microbial activity.
Location: Quiroga (Lugo), Galicia, Spain
