I wrote an article about this for the HOS newsletter a couple of years back. I wanted to do this for a long time, but couldn't figure out how to do it. The grass kept growing back. I think that newspapers down pretty thick around the dripline is a great start. I like to lay them down in the fall, because they get wet and stay down better. Then i cover with leaves which I tend to get a lot of in the fall. Then they stay down, even in my windy neighborhood. By the time June comes and things are drying out, the newspaper/leaves have rotted enough to stay in place. Wood chips are a great addition on top, or whatever organic you can find. I am very happy with this system.
John S
PDX OR

My Sister dumps the grass clippings around her fruit trees and the mass of material smothers the grass below. I've used Round-up, about every 3 or 4 years, then added mushroom compost. On 'off years' I'll just 'weed eat' the vegetation close to the ground and out to the drip line. ...But I've never been too concerned with looks.

You're right about removing the sod, I find roots very close to the surface; when competing with the grass for moisture and topsoil - they have to be. Several times I've risked my life running my 8 horse Troy-built tiller around the trees... But it's too dangerous and difficult to control, especially on a slope. And, you quickly hit roots. - And - it creates a wide furrow you have to back-fill by shoving most of the soil towards the tree trunk. A much smaller tiller might do a more controllable job..?

Joe, I've got a little "Mattock tool" I call The Backbreaker, it's actually called a "Groundbreaker," and sold in most local garden centers. It's perfect for chopping off dandelions in a roundup zone...

I always rake my leaves, but the timing varies... I've gotten too lazy to rake, then prune, then rake again. So I prune earlier, and rake once! We haven't the mildew and rot problems like other areas in the Willamette Valley. That's another reason grapes do so well here in Yamhill County. I suspect removing your leaves would be a major step toward controlling both of those.

I'm not sure about the cedar..? I doubt its fine enough to rot into the topsoil? And I'm not sure if it contains toxins? Ted - you around? I try to use a mulch that will eventually decay, thus build the soil. Sawdust has worked fairly well, and I've plenty of horse barns looking to give it away around here.

Last year I used mushroom compost, and I've also used our pond’s constant summer crop of "Parrot Feather" weed... And some, if not most years - I've used nothing. Mowing’s more difficult around a ‘thin mulch,’ and I mow as much as I can with our rider. And as much as I cuss that Parrot Feather stuff, it's wonderful mulch! I pile it about 10 inches deep around my Kiwi and it keeps their roots moist and cool.

One good thing about having acres to work with, we spread yourselves so thin neither can worry too much about looks -- we just try to strike a balance " title="Wink" />

Leaves themselves are not bad for mulch. In fact, they are necessary to get all the soil food web going. Tiny microscopic animals live around and create healthy soil. The problem is with leaves that have rust, or some other disease. In general, a grape disease is not going to affect other plants. Keep diseased grape leaves away from grape plants. If the disease is really bad, you'll have to throw away or burn the leaves. Usually though, some organic matter is necessary for soil food web health to occur and leaves are the most common ingredient of that.
John S