We spent yesterday taking pictures in the vineyards of the newly established ground covers. We also took some data (not replicated) on percent coverage. We wanted to get an estimate of germination of these covers as well as the amount of weeds that established. In an ideal world the covers would outcompete the weeds but since we know that weeds are more competitive (grow quicker, scavenge nutrients better and need less water) they are able to establish. In the fall the weeds will go to seed and then go dormant, this will give the groundcovers a chance to recover. Here is how we estimate coverage: using a square of a known size, we identify total coverage of green cover in that square, percent of that total that is ground cover (whether it is clover or no mow) and the percent that is weeds. We then identify whether the weeds are winter annual broadleaf, summer annual broadleaf, summer annual grass, perennial grass, or perennial broadleaf. From our exeprience with our own trial these different groups of weeds appear at different times of year and the dominant group varies in the different treatments.
