The amount of water the vines get, and the frequency of watering, depends on a number of different factors; soil type, climate, topography, grape variety, cover cropping, cultural practices, etc. In California's vineyards it is only the water that is held in the soil that is available to grapevines, any rare rainfall during the growing season is lost to surface evaporation, runoff, or used up by cover crops and weeds. Now, for the first time, due to the abundance of recycled water available, all the vines could be watered at once (instead of block by block).
I will be keeping a close eye on the vines for any sign that they don't like their new source of sustenance as there has been some conflicting data over the salinity of the recycled water. Grapevines are more tolerant to salt than other fruit crops, but I'm not interested in performing my own mini-experiment. If there is the slightest hint of a problem, the plug will be pulled and it'll be back to well water for Vinoland's vines.
6 comments:
Wow! Cultural practices?
Guinea pig practices!
Could this irrigation technique become law?
I dream of irrigation, oh to be so dry!
NHW: Cultural, here, means traditional, the old fashioned way of doing things in a sense.
Erm, the Governor of California just passed a law that would restrict water usage to 55 gallons per person per day by 2027. So what do you think?
Thud: Yes, but you don't have to bother with wells, recycled water, hoses, drip lines, clogged emitters, pumps etc., etc. And ever-thirsty landscaping. And you get to have a nice green lawn...
Soon 55 gallons becomes 35 gallons, and begin to smell funny!
People
NHW: Why stop at 35 gallons?
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