National EcoVineyards Program ground covers event

Join agroecologist/viticulturist Dr Mary Retallack, Retallack Viticulture Pty Ltd and Regional On-ground Coordinator, Darren Fahey, DPI NSW who will host a National EcoVineyards Program ground covers event.

We are delighted to welcome our special guest presenters Jade Killoran, Healthy Farming Systems and Tim Berryman, Cumberland Plain Seeds who will provide lots of practical tips and experience on the use of multi-species cover crops and native grasses and forbs.

Don’t forget to pick up your free seed 🌱 samples on the day!

 

Topics

We will discuss how and why multi-species mixes can be beneficial in vineyards, including:

🌱 Benefits of ground covers (annual v perennial)

– Relationships between plants, soil organisms and capacity for carbon capture

– Functional biodiversity, nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, biomass production

🌱 Deciding what to sow (i.e., optimal ratios of grasses, brassicas, legumes, cereals, chenopods etc).

Outcomes based selection of multispecies mixes (insectary mixes, nematicides, nitrogen fixers, cereal crops for production of organic matter, ameliorating wet and compacted areas, drought hardy species, forage for sheep grazing in vineyards etc.)

🌱 Preparation (including inoculants)

🌱 When, how to sow, management and assessing the benefits

🌱 Trial and seasonal insights:

– What works well?

– Pitfalls to avoid?

 

Program (inside):

• 8:30 am: registration and coffee

• 8:45 to 9:30 am: Welcome, introductions and an overview ground covers by Dr Mary Retallack, Retallack Viticulture

• 9:30 to 11 am: An introduction to multispecies cover crops by Jade Killoran, Healthy Farming Systems

• 11 to 11:30 am: Morning tea

• 11.30 am to 1 pm: An introduction to native grasses and forbs by Tim Berryman, Cumberland Plain Seeds

• 1 to 1.45 pm: Lunch

Field walk (outside), please use the foot baths provided at Scarborough Wine Co. Hermitage Road Vineyard, 972 Hermitage Road, Pokolbin

• 2 to 3.30 pm: Multispecies ground cover field walk with Jade Killoran, Healthy Farming Systems and group discussion with local growers who will share their experiences in the establishment and maintenance of multi-species cover crops including Jerome Scarborough, Liz Riley from Scarborough Wine Co, Kat Barry and Lorrae St Vincent from Brokenwood and Alisdair Tulloch from Keith Tulloch Wine.

 

Register here