Typical vineyard soils in Rheinhessen
Soil is the top layer of the earth. It covers the rock. Sometimes it is only a few centimeters thick and sometimes it can be several meters. The vine uses the soil for anchoring and as a nutrient and water reservoir. Yet, the soil also has great influence on the microclimate, which is important for vine growth and grape ripeness.
fertile, deep, light loam soil, clayey silt, very good storage capacity for plant-available soil water, adequate aeration, nutrient-rich, calcareous, moderate warmability, good rootability, high growth potential
Especially humus-rich, very good rooting
Particularly rich in humus, very good rootability
Sandy silt, (silt is finer than sand: grain size between 0.002 and 0.06 mm in diameter
Fertile, deep, silty sandy soil, nutrient-rich, calcareous, good storage capacity for plant-available soil water, good ventilation, good rooting, moderate to good heatability, high growth pontencial.
Deep, calcareous sandy soil, only moderate storage capacity for soil water available to plants, very good aeration, moderate to good heatability, usually sufficiently nutritious, calcareous, very good rootability
Deep, gravelly, loamy sandy soil, sufficient storage capacity for plant-available soil water, drought stress in dry years, very good aeration, often poor in nutrients, slightly calcareous, good heatability due to high gravel content, limited root space
Deep clay soil with stable, earthy soil structure, sufficient storage capacity for soil water available to plants, limited to good ventilation, mostly low in nutrients, weakly calcareous, moderate heatability, sometimes difficult to root
Deep, calcareous clay soil with a high proportion of swellable clay, lower storage capacity for soil water available to plants, limited water permeability and ventilation, nutrient-rich, very calcareous, moderate warmability, difficult to root through
Deep, calcareous clay soil with a high proportion of swellable clay, lower storage capacity for soil water available to plants, limited water permeability and ventilation, nutrient-rich, very calcareous, moderate warmability, difficult to root through