🌿 Vineyard inter-row

Vineyard inter-row is the strip of ground between two rows of vines in a vineyard. The inter-row is the strip of ground between rows of vines. People walk along it, tractors drive through it, and sometimes grass grows there. The width depends on the vineyard: from narrow, about a metre, to wide, made for machinery.

The space between rows matters for the vineyard. Cover crops, meaning grasses and flowers, are sown in the inter-rows. They hold the soil against washing away, feed it, attract insects and take up excess water. But sometimes the vine needs more water, and then the grass is cut or ploughed in.

The vineyard tractor driver works in the inter-rows: he tills, sprays and trims. The width also affects planting density. The closer the vines, the more they compete for water and the more concentrated the berries. The inter-row is part of the vineyard itself. On steep slopes it may be too narrow for machines, and then everything is done by hand.