Soil characterization for a long‐term soil health research vineyard in eastern Washington

Healthy soils are fundamental to sustainable agriculture, but research efforts have largely centered on annual cropping systems, with far less attention given to the unique dynamics of perennial systems such as vineyards. Addressing this gap requires long‐term research efforts designed to monitor how soil health evolves under different management practices. This study was conducted to (1) describe the establishment and experimental design of a long‐term soil health research wine grape ( Vitis vinifera) vineyard in eastern Washington and (2) characterize baseline physical, chemical, and biological soil health indicator values across the site. Soils were sampled pre‐ and post‐planting across five management treatments and four depth intervals (0–15 cm, 15–30 cm, 30–60 cm, and 60–90 cm) of a vineyard with two wine grape cultivars on a common rootstock. Post‐plant samples were also collected in the under‐vine and alleyway areas to capture initial spatial variability associated with floor management zones. Samples were analyzed for a suite of chemical, biological, and physical soil health indicators. Pre‐ and post‐planting soil characterization confirmed that the experimental design adequately accounted for spatial variability, providing a reliable baseline for evaluating subsequent management and temporal effects on soil health. Most soil health indicator values were surface‐weighted, with organic carbon and microbial activity concentrated in the top 30 cm, while inorganic carbon was the dominant carbon pool at depth. These results establish a robust foundation for detecting long‐term management effects, highlight depth‐driven soil processes, and inform indicator selection for monitoring vineyard soil health over time.