Survey of Texas Vineyard Soils Characteristics and Challenges Ed Hellman Professor of Viticulture Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Science Degree Concentrations: Viticulture and Enology Local Food & Wine Production Systems Horticulture and Turfgrass Science 1
Survey of Texas Vineyard Soils General Criteria Suitable Vineyard Soil Depth of at least 3 ft (91 cm) Moderate to high water infiltration rate (permeability) Good internal drainage Good water-holding capacity ph between 5.5-8.0 in root zone Absence of toxic concentrations of salts or nutrients Source: Nicholas, 2004. Soil, Irrigation and Nutrition 2
Water Infiltration Rate Hydrologic soil group = Moderate or high infiltration rate Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity = 0.30-30 cm/hr Good internal water drainage Moderately well-drained to well-drained Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity = 0.30-30 cm/hr 3
Available Water-holding capacity Good water-holding capacity 0.06 to 0.15 inches water per inch soil depth Soil Chemistry ph 5.5 to 8.0 Absence of toxicity Sodium < 690 mg/l Chloride < 350 mg/l Boron < 1 mg/l Salinity conductivity 1.5 to 2.5 mmhos/cm 4
Soil Association Dominant adjacent soils within delineated map area (multi-county soil survey maps) Fairly uniform distribution pattern and relative extent of dominant soils Dominant soils may differ greatly 61 Soil Associations 5
American Viticultural Areas of Texas Texoma Texas High Plains Mesilla Valley Texas Davis Mountains Escondido Valley Texas Hill Country Bell Mountain Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country Great Plains Created from Windblown Deposits from Rocky Mountains Texas High Plains AVA 6
Texas High Plains AVA Soil Associations Pullman-Randall-Lofton Brownfield Pullman-Olton-Randall Acuff-Amarillo-Olton Amarillo-Acuff-Olton Patricia-Amarillo-Gomez Patricia and Amarillo loamy fine sands Texas High Plains 7
Soil Association Data Physical and chemical soil properties Dominant soils may differ greatly Range of values for soil properties Range depicts geographic extent Soil Characteristics Patricia- Amarillo- Gomez Amarillo- Acuff- Olton Pullman- Olton- Randall Depth to bedrock (cm) 152* 152* 152* Texture (depth, cm) upper sand (40) sandy loam (30) clay loam (20) lower sandy clay loam sandy clay loam clay, clay loam Permeability (cm/hr) upper 23.30 8.48 1.35 lower 4.17 3.16 0.56 ph upper 7.3 7.3 7.2 lower 7.7 8.0 7.8 Available Water Capacity (cm) 0-100 cm 12 15 26 100-150 cm 19 22 32 8
Good internal water drainage Moderately well-drained to well-drained Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity = 0.30-30 cm/hr Vineyard Soil Series Texas High Plains AVA Hectares 9
Soil Association Dominant adjacent soils within delineated map area (multi-county soil survey maps) Fairly uniform distribution pattern and relative extent of dominant soils Dominant soils may differ greatly Soil Series Soils with almost identical profiles Surface layer may have different texture Major horizons similar in thickness, arrangement, other important characteristics Used to identify soil map units on countylevel Soil Surveys 10
Official Soil Series Description https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov Patricia fine sand Very Deep Well-Drained Good Water-Holding Capacity Low-Moderate Fertility 11
40 inches Caliche Layer (Calcium Carbonate) Amarillo fine sandy loam Texas Hill Country AVA Soil Associations Tarrant-Real-Brackett Eckrant-Rock Outcrop- Brackett Brackett-Purves-Real 12
Texas Hill Country AVA Soil Associations Soil Characteristics Brackett- Purves-Real Eckrant- Rock Outcrop- Brackett Tarrant- Real- Brackett Depth to bedrock (cm) 91 45 46 Texture (depth, cm) upper clay loam (20) Clay (30) Clay (30) lower loam, clay other other loam Permeability (cm/hr) upper 3.88 5.09 2.25 lower 3.75 6.00 3.20 ph upper 8.1 7.6 8.0 lower 8.1 7.9 8.0 Available Water Capacity (cm) 0-100 cm depth 8 4 5 Brackett Series 0 to 14 inches Paragravelly clay loam Hard, friable Well drained 14 to 60 inches Fractured, weathered limestone bedrock Roots can enter vertical fractures 13
Vineyard in Texas Hill Country Comfort stony clay Texas Hill Country Critical Calcium (ppm) 31,417 (180) Potassium (ppm) 375 (150) Magnesium (ppm) 499 (50) ph 8.3 14
Very High Soil Calcium Induces Magnesium Deficiency Texoma AVA Soil Associations Windthorst-Duffau-Bunyan Fairlie-Dalco-Crockett Callisburg-Gasil-Aubrey 15
Soil Characteristics Windthorst- Duffau- Bunyan Fairlie- Dalco- Crockett Callisburg -Gasil- Aubrey Depth to bedrock (cm) 146 117 133 Texture (depth, cm) upper sandy loam silty clay sandy (30) loam (30) loam (20) lower clay, sandy clay loam clay, silty clay clay, sandy clay Permeability (cm/hr) upper 5.97 0.47 7.19 lower 1.67 0.41 2.95 ph upper 6.7 7.7 6.6 lower 6.6 7.7 6.1 Available Water Capacity (cm) 0-100 cm 14 14 14 100-150 cm 21 19 20 Normangee clay loam Texoma AVA Critical Calcium (ppm) 3,192 (180) Potassium (ppm) 82 (150) Magnesium (ppm) 389 (50) ph 6.5 16
Gulf Coast clay soil Critical Calcium (ppm) 12,079 (180) Potassium (ppm) 288 (150) Magnesium (ppm) 146 (50) ph 7.8 Where to Find Soil Information? http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov 17
Locate Your Vineyard Report-Physical Soil Properties 18
Report-Chemical Soil Properties Successful Vineyards Exist on Many Different Soils 19
General Criteria Suitable Vineyard Soil Depth of at least 3 ft (91 cm) Moderate to high water infiltration rate (permeability) Good internal drainage Good water-holding capacity ph between 5.5-8.0 in root zone Absence of toxic concentrations of salts or nutrients Source: Nicholas, 2004. Soil, Irrigation and Nutrition 20