Sowing Gardens: the auxiliary species that take care of the future vineyards.

23 Apr 2021 / Sustainability

The vine is a living organism that balances itself when it is in symbiosis with other organisms. 

Sowing helps to maintain and improve the biological system of the vine. In addition, it reduces vulnerability to pests and diseases and improves resistance to water stress and deficiencies. Thus, it increases the longevity of the vine and improves the structural and aromatic richness of the wines. 

Curious to know more? Follow us throughout the article to find out more about this technique. 

After all, what is sowing?

Sowing is the technique of planting auxiliary species, in the middle of the bards of the vineyard, to increase the health of the soil in a natural and sustainable way. 

There are different plant seeds that can be used, such as legumes, grasses or melliferous plants. Legumes are particularly important, as they have the ability to retain and fix atmospheric nitrogen in the roots, which is then released to the vines. 

7 contributions of sowing to the sustainability of the vineyard

One of the central pillars for Aveleda is sustainability and sustainable practices are part of our daily work. In viticulture, these practices are even more present and sowing is a visible example of this mission. 

These are the 7 main advantages that sowing brings to Aveleda vineyard: 

  1. Improve soil conservation and root development; 
  2. Control of soil erosion; 
  3. Decreased vulnerability to pests and diseases, providing greater longevity to the vineyard; 
  4. Increased biodiversity in our ecosystems; 
  5. Reduction in the use of chemical fertilizers – we do not use any type of herbicide in 20 hectares of vineyard, at Quinta da Aveleda; 
  6. Improvement in the organoleptic quality of wines; 
  7. Soil regeneration. 

Leaving a legacy…

Our dedication to the vineyard and the environment goes far beyond flowering vines. We are driven by the desire to do better and to leave a legacy for future generations. The balance of ecosystems is central to this and is born from biological diversity. Sowing is a small but important part of the effort we make every day to contribute to an ecosystem in harmony…it is the small details that make great wines. 

Written by Aveleda