6.1 Managing Soil Health Flashcards
1
Q
Define soil health.
A
The ability of the soil to support the vine, enabling it to grow and produce fruit
2
Q
Describe 5 characteristics of good soil structure.
A
- Good drainage
- Sufficient water-holding capacity
- Sufficient oxygen
- Ability to resist erosion
- Ability to allow the roots of the vine to penetrate to sufficient depth
3
Q
What 4 factors comprise good soil health?
A
- Good soil structure
- Abundance of organic matter and humus
- Presence of living organisms
- Available nutrients
4
Q
What effect does the presence of organic matter and humus have on soil?
A
- Decomposing organic matter supplies nutrients
- Humus improves the structure of soil and its water-holding capacity
5
Q
What effect does the presence of living organisms have on soil?
A
- Earthworms and microbes break down organic matter into humus and inorganic nutrients that are accessible to the vine
6
Q
What can poor soil health lead to?
A
- Problems with the availability and uptake of nutrients and water in the soil, hence poor vine growth and ripening.
7
Q
How can a grape grower figure out if a soil has good health? How often is this done?
A
- Soil tests, usually done annually
