Term for the reclamation of land not yet used for agriculture, usually the conversion of forest areas into arable land. Incomplete clearing, in which the tree stumps or roots are not removed, is called "Schwenden". The term Riede (Lage), which is used mainly in Austria, is derived from Roden. The newly gained arable land is called clearing. In viticulture, this is understood to mean the uprooting of vines for various reasons. Traditionally, this is the removal of (too) old vines that produce too low a yield. Other reasons are a change of grape variety or when a vineyard has been extensively attacked or destroyed by vine diseases or pests. The picture on the left shows the grubbing up of cherry trees, the picture on the right a slash-and-burn (painting by Eero Järnefelt). After grubbing up, a correspondingly long fallow period is required, i.e. a temporary suspension of use. Loosening the soil before planting a new vineyard is called rigole.
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Thomas Götz
Weinberater, Weinblogger und Journalist; Schwendi