Journal | March 28, 2026

Native Cover Crops: formerly considered weeds, Jim Law documents the results of 20 years of nurturing low growing ground covers in the vineyard.

Dead Nettle

Deadnettle is the first of a season long sequence of native cover crops at Hardscrabble Vineyard. Emerging in early March, it is delicate with tiny purple flowers. If not for its precociousness it would probably be crowded out by vigorous vegetation. But right now it takes center stage. In some sections of the vineyard the ground under the vines has a lavender purple hue.



Deadnettle is short and short lived. It will soon fade and die adding organic matter to the soil. Then the more exuberant chick weed will take over.

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Linden Vineyards / Learn More / Latest at Linden | Hardscrabble Journal: March 28, 2026