The Australian Wine Research Institute

Background

Several different tools are used by wine-grape growers across Australia to manage undervine weeds without chemicals. Most growers use a combination of equipment to achieve good weed control

Cultivation is commonly used for non-chemical weed control, with the finger weeder being a recent and popular innovation.

Action

The finger weeder has ground-driven flexible fingers which fit around the vine and uproot small weeds from the undervine area (Figures 1,2, 3 and 4).

A finger weeder can be used in combination with a ground-driven rotary star tiller or disc plough, which loosen the soil to improve the finger weeder’s action.

Figure 1. Bähr finger weeder (image courtesy of Bähr)	Figure 2. Clemens finger weeder (image courtesy of Clemens)
Figure 3. Fischer finger weeder and rotary tiller (image courtesy of Fischer)	Figure 4. A Boisselet over row frame with finger weeder and rotary star tiller

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages: Finger weeders are robust and have a fast-operating speed. Their shallow operating depth reduces vine root damage, and their flexible fingers cause minimal damage to vines. Finger weeders remove tufts of grass around trunks, providing medium-term control of weeds and do not require high operator skill to operate.

Disadvantages: Finger weeders mound the soil and may spread couch and kikuyu. Undervine cultivation can cause reductions in vine vigour in the first two years until the vine roots adjust by moving deeper into the soil profile.

Table 1. Advantages and disadvantages of a finger weeder

Considerations

When considering which weed control tools to use, it is important to base the decision on each vineyard’s individual characteristics. Factors such as soil type and condition, slope, rainfall and water availability, weed type and pressure, vine age, vine vigour, fruit end-use targets, weather conditions, and compatibility with existing infrastructure and equipment should all be considered.

Table 2. Ease of using a finger weeder on different soil types

*Can be difficult in wet or very dry soils

Cultivation tips

• Control weeds when they are small.
• Any cultivation operation is most effective in hot, dry weather with dry soils.
• Multiple passes may be required if the soils are heavily compacted.
• Using a finger weeder in combination with other cultivation tools such as a disc plough or knife may be beneficial.
• Cultivation may be difficult in very wet or very dry conditions.
• Use an over row finger weeder frame like the Boisselet Acolyte over row weeder (Figure 4).