Journal | May 8, 2026

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

Native Cover Crops | Catchweed Bedstraw

Catchweed bedstraw is not super prevalent at Hardscrabble Vineyard. In some instances it does get a bit too tall for my liking. It barely qualifies to be included in my list of desirable native cover crops.

I have to admit that its endearing name gave it the edge to be included on my list.  Some of the names given to weeds and wildflowers seem from a different era. Because they are. Until a few centuries ago most people farmed and paid great detailed attention to their environment. Bedstraw catchweed is an euonym: its name describes its characteristics. (If I was an attorney this would apply to me).

Catchweed because of its fine Velcro-like texture that lightly clings to any object close by, including vine trunks. Bedstraw because once this high-density plant attains a certain height its weight pulls the whole mass down to the ground making and inviting mat on which one might think about taking an afternoon nap. 

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