Mengali Plowing Article

A local farm publication (Sonoma Marin Farm News) has written a piece featuring Mengali Plowing. It discusses his work at Dehlinger Winery.

Visit the Dehlinger website for the link to "Sonoma Marin Farm News" to learn more about Mario Mengali and his unique work!

October 2010

Our cover crop of wheat will help build organic matter and protect against erosion during the winter. This is the second winter of fallow with a cover crop for our redevelopment blocks.

Summer and Fall 2010

It has been a busy summer for the redevelopment. After the plowing was completed, the surface was smoothed over, and Mike and Jason from Vineyard Layout Services laid out a large grid for our vineyard. Open close examination, the photo below shows the flags they used to mark out the grid:


This flagged layout was used to install highway stakes and end posts on key rows. These stakes became the location of risers for an overhead irrigation system, which we also installed this summer.



The overhead irrigation system will provide protection from frost and heat spikes when the vineyard is mature. This fall, it is being used to establish a cover crop of wheat, which will grow through the straw mulch shown above.

Spring and Summer 2010

After mowing the cover crop in the spring, a second set of soil pits were dug to re-examine the soil and conduct further soil testing (Above photo). The results were used to guide a second round of soil amendments, which were spaded into the soil. After allowing the soil to dry out sufficiently, Mario Mengali has returned to deep plow the soil a second time, for further mixing and very thorough root removal from the previous grapes (Below photo).

Spring 2010: Planning

Planning for the replant continues. Some blocks will remain fallow for another 2 years, while about 5 acres will be planted next Spring (one year from now). In the meantime, we have chosen our spacing (7 feet by 4 feet), our rootstock (420A), and are planning the trellis and irrigation system.

October 2009: Fall Bounty and Winter Cover Crop

At the winery, we are finally slowing down from a busy harvest season that started in the first few days of September. All the grapes are picked and we are attending to the last few fermentations. We are enjoying the bounty of autumn, including some pumpkins that my mother Carole grows every year.


Meanwhile, the summer cover crop was long since mowed, and the winter cover crop of wheat is well established. The fall colors play nicely with the green of the wheat.


Areas with patchier stands of wheat receive an additional seeding, straw, and fibrous netting for erosion control against the coming rains.

August 2009: Cover Crop Establishment

We plan to lay the ground fallow for several years before planting the new vineyard. This will help rejuvenate the soil, which was farmed for decades before we planted it in grapes 35 years ago. An important aspect of the fallow period is cover crop establishment. Cover crops play many roles--in our case, it will prevent erosion of soil and introduce organic matter to encourage a healthy soil ecosystem. For the summer, we have selected Sudan Grass, which is abundant in growth and organic matter formation. Additionally, pests such as nematodes do not thrive on Sudan Grass.

We prepared the soil for the Sudan Grass in the following manner:

(Below) We spread 5 tons per acre of compost on the soil to support the cover crop and improve the soil for the future vines.


(Below) We then ripped the soil to incorporate the compost.


(Below) The soil was preparedl for seeds using a 10 foot disk on a John Deere 44 40 Tractor.


(Below) A handful of Sudan Grass seed.


(Below) Marty then used a Brillion seed drill to apply the Sudan Grass at 35 lbs of seed per acre.


(Below) Finally, after sewing the seeds, the Sudan Grass is irrigated to stimulate sprouting.