Ploughing at a depth of 20 – 60 cm can have advantages:

• Incorporates fertilisers
• Increases aeration & drainage (can double vine root weight at the end of the first year)
• Exposes large roots which can be removed
• Destroys existing vegetation – beware of ploughing in long grass → anaerobic layer.

In heavy soils, deep ploughing is best done in autumn, so as to benefit from freeze-thawing action during winter.