One wire less in the grapevine

In these days, between the many things to do, I am removing one of the wires, the lowest, about 45 cm (about 1' and a half) from the ground: this was used to support plants when they're small. Anyway I prefer to use stakes when it's necessary having an easier passage underneath the wires supporting the grapevines.

Dotted line on the lower wire

 It looks much better this way and it's so much easier to do the basic maintenance of "cut and mulch" from one side to the other... it's a great improvement already.

In the reality before actually getting into inspired Permaculture design, in this first evolutionary phase, I am following three basic principles:

(1) cut and mulch, (2) improve diversity, (3) enhance nice native plants. So basically I just select patches where the native plants that I want to expand are about to flower and go to seed... and leave them there cutting all the rest.

Here is a parch that I liked...

These little plants on top have cute tiny blue flowers and they are soooo easy to cut with the scythe, getting close to the ground with a flat regular look. It could be related to mauve but it's just a guess of mine. The flowers have already gone into seed so we're sure that they'll expand next year! 

I am curious to see these other tall plants going to flower. Dandelions are still around but they have all already seeded. We'll see.

So the idea behind the decision of taking out the lowest wire is to improve the concept of marrying plants, that is to have different crops on plants supporting each other, climbing on top of each other... almost like grafting without grafting! Getting more space allows an extra layer under the grapevines: space for flowers, herbs... and other fruit too! Can you see the a b c...?

 

   a raspeberry bush 

   b grapevines

   c cherry tree

I am obviously NOT worried about shadows on the grapevines, which seems to be a big concern for all the common viewers. 

Nature does not worry.

Now here are some quick sketches of where I could possibly be headed to, in this slow evolution, year by year...

First I am going to try to raise all the arched branches and straighten them up along the main wire in the present position. I have already written on this procedure. Various plants in this grapevine have already been set this way.

Then as I keep on mulching (with the little section detail of layered biomass around every plants) and removing the lowest wire, I could cut the main branches and allow them to raise more on another supporting wire at a higher level.

Finally the present wire at the middle position could even been taken out, as the mulch keeps growing... even in the possibility of some dry stone wall additions where to add new organic matter and maybe sit down to have rest.
It's just an idea!

In the meantime other stuff it's already happening between the rows...