How to properly grow and care for grapes?

Growing grapes is not as difficult as it is commonly believed. Large bunches with juicy fruits will brighten up your vineyard if you follow the basic rules carefully, taking into account the advice of experienced growers.

What should you consider before growing grapes?

Vineyard photo

Why does not every gardener manage to grow good grapes on their plot so that they do not freeze over the winter, do not rot in the summer and bring a bountiful harvest of decent quality? The fact is that the cultivation of this culture must be taken seriously.

First of all, you should choose a suitable grape variety that will feel comfortable in your area. For instance, growing grapes in the middle lane gives good results only when using winter-hardy varieties with early ripening. Among the new varieties, you will find many excellent options that are resistant to fungal diseases, pests and severe frosts, with high yields and the ability to ripen even in a cloudy short summer.

Video about growing grapes

Black varieties tend to require more sunlight and warmth than light grapes, although there are some hardy black varieties.

Pay special attention to the appearance of the seedling when buying. Look for any mechanical damage, signs of drying or strange stains on the plant? Healthy grape seedlings should have at least three well-developed roots and a shoot about half a meter high. In order not to doubt the quality of planting material, buy seedlings in the nursery, and preferably in a container - this way the plant will take root better.

It will be easier for a novice gardener to plant a ready-made grape seedling, especially if you want to create a vineyard from scratch. Experienced growers can easily cope with cuttings, but those who are not afraid to experiment can try growing grapes from seed.

In the photo grape seedlings

Step-by-step technology for growing grapes

When starting to create a vineyard, it is important to take into account the climatic features: if the region is characterized by little snowy winters and severe frosts, it would be preferable to plant grapes in trenches or holes, but if there is enough snow in winter, but the summer is too short and cold, it is better to plant seedlings in bulk ridges. In the pits, the root system will be reliably protected from freezing, and in the ridges, the roots will receive more heat during the summer months.

You can plant grapes both in spring and autumn, depending on which planting material you have chosen. Consider the most common and simplest option - the autumn planting of grapes with seedlings in planting holes.

In the photo, planting grapes

Stages of planting a grape seedling:

• choose for planting well-lit by the sun, a flat place where there are no drafts and excessive moisture;
• dig a planting hole according to the size of the root system, with a depth of 0.2 to 0.5 m (less for clay soil, deeper for sandy soil);
• mix the soil from the pit with organic and complex mineral fertilizers;
• put a layer of gravel on the bottom of the hole, and put branches or planks on top;
• install a pipe with a diameter of 10 cm or more in order to water the grapes and fertilize the soil through it;
• form a small mound of the prepared earth on top of the layer of gravel and branches;
• before planting, dip the roots of a grape seedling in a solution of clay and rotted mullein (clay is twice as much as a mullein);
• cut the shoots into a couple of buds and dip them in melted paraffin;
• place the seedling in the hole, spreading its roots;
• fill the hole with the remaining soil and tamp it carefully;
• pour warm water over the grapes;
• cover the hole with compost or rotted manure.

Photo of watering grapes

If you are going to plant several bushes of grapes, leave at least one and a half meters between them. At the same time, it is recommended to arrange plants from the south to the north.

How to properly grow and care for grapes?

For the correct formation of the vines, it is necessary to install a solid trellis. The simplest construction consists of two metal or wooden posts with several rows of wire between them. As the vines grow, they are neatly tied to a wire, giving them the desired direction.

In the photo grapes

In the first three years, pay particular attention to planting: carefully loosen the ground two days after rain or watering, do not allow leaves to wither and dry out the soil from lack of moisture, destroy weeds. From the fourth year on, it is sufficient to water the vineyard three to four times per season during the most important phases of development.

Periodically, the vines should be fed through drainage pipes and along the leaves, and treated with suitable fungicides against pests and diseases. Inspect the plants more often in order to start the fight against dangerous enemies of grapes in time and prevent the death of the entire vineyard!

Video about the technology of growing grapes

Prune the grapes every fall after the fall. With the onset of the first night frost, remove the vines from the supports, pin them to the ground with brackets, treat with a solution of copper sulfate and cover with plastic wrap. In the spring, take your time to open the grapes until frosts and sudden changes in temperature stop.

By following the grape growing technology outlined in this article, you can create your own vineyard and enjoy delicious, juicy fruits every year.

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Grown over millennia, grapes have undergone major changes over the past couple of centuries. Many new varieties have appeared that regularly yield crops even in those regions where they had never heard of a wine berry before. Breeders have bred not only winter-hardy varieties, but also species that are little affected by diseases that are dangerous for the culture, giving extra-large clusters and incredibly tasty berries, completely devoid of seeds. And yet, growers know that you can get a decent return on a bush of even the most productive and unpretentious variety by investing a lot of work and skill in growing and caring for grapes.

The first, after planting seedlings in the ground, a contribution to the future harvest is the formation of a grape bush, which begins from the first year of the plant's life and, together with the shape of the plant's crown, determines its fruiting.

With a competent approach, by the fourth year the bush takes on its final form, but this does not mean that the work of the grower is completed.

Formation of a grape bush

The choice of the shape of the grape bush, which determines its appearance, structure and number of both new shoots and green mass, depends on the climatic conditions of growth, soil fertility and the characteristics of the plant variety.

The result of the correct formation of the grape bush is:

• regular and, in accordance with varietal characteristics, bountiful harvest;
• a qualitatively ripening growth at the end of the growing season;
• a plant that tolerates winter without problems and does not suffer from diseases of grapes and its pests common in the area;
• providing a simple care for a grape seedling;
• facilitating the pruning of the vine and its watering, rejuvenation and adjustment of the existing load.

When wondering how to grow grapes, some novice gardeners act on a whim, not paying due attention to pruning the bush. However, there are many well-established options and types of forms that allow you to get good results in a wide variety of farming conditions. With the help of spring pruning, the grape bush is formed with or without a stem of various heights.

Most often, growers give rooting grape seedlings:

• capitate shape without perennial sleeves, but with a thickened upper part of the stem, from which, due to pruning by 1-2 eyes or per ring, a mass of new shoots grows;
• cup-shaped with sleeves of various lengths extending from the trunk, resting on stakes;
• a form with fruit links directed in one or two directions, the entire growth on which is distributed on a vertical trellis;
• cordon form with one or more perennial cordons, along which fruit links or branches are distributed. This option is convenient in growing and caring for grapes, gives high yields, but is more common in regions with a warm climate, where the vine does not require shelter for the winter;
• fan-shaped and semi-fan-shaped, resting on a trellis and having several sleeves of different lengths and strengths.

It is the various variants and combinations of the fan that have received the greatest recognition of winegrowers in Russia, since such a grape bush is easy to care for.

The bush can be adjusted if desired, and when arranging the trellis, the plants receive enough air, light and nutrition, give consistently high yields, can be removed and sheltered for the winter. The main part of the work on the formation of a grape bush is carried out in the spring, while in the summer excess and overgrowing shoots and stepchildren break off, a garter and other procedures are carried out, aimed at maintaining fruiting and the intended shape of the plant.

Tapestry for grapes

Since grapes are a vigorous liana, in most cases reliable and comfortable support is needed to grow them and facilitate maintenance. The presence of such structures is especially important for the stemless crown shape and the cultivation of vigorous varieties, as well as when using grapes for landscaping sheds, gazebos and other buildings.

Walls, poles, stakes and even trees growing next to the bushes can serve as a support for the vine, but the best solution would be to install a special trellis for grapes.

In amateur gardening, two types of construction are most common.

• vertical trellis, where the grape shoots are located in the same plane;
• an inclined trellis, on which the shoots are spaced into two planes at an angle to each other.

In both cases, reliable pillars serve as the supports of the structure; rows of strong wire are pulled between them, which will have to withstand not only the weight of the shoots, but also the weight of the pouring brushes.A single-plane trellis for grapes is simpler in the device and much cheaper, but for obtaining high yields from a bush, a two-plane option is more convenient, providing a large area to support fruiting shoots and withstanding a serious weight of the vine.

To simplify the cultivation and care of grapes, between the trellises, there are aisles sufficient to remove the bushes and cover them during cold weather, as well as to provide sufficient lighting for the plantings, and the rows did not overlap. It is better if the trellis for grapes on the site will be located from north to south. In this case, the height of the structure is chosen depending on the growth of the grower, the characteristics of the variety and the chosen shape of the bush.

How to tie grapes

As the grapes grow during the growing season, the shoots are tied several times to the horizontal rows of the trellis or fixed on other types of supports. In this case, the garter, during which the shoots are evenly distributed in one or two planes, serves to solve several problems:

1. The plant is provided with the best light and air conditions.
2. It is easier to trim and normalize the green mass and ovary.
3. Carrying out foliar dressing of grapes, as well as performing "green pruning" is facilitated.
4. Vertical shoots grow and mature better.
5. The risk of developing grape disease and pest damage is reduced.
6. The budding winegrower should know when and how to tie the grapes.

The first time to fix the position of the shoots is necessary when they are about 40-50 cm long and reach the bottom row on the trellis. Then, as they grow, the stems are tied sequentially to all rows.

As a garter material, it is better to take scraps of textiles or knitwear, natural twine or twine, that is, means that do not squeeze or pinch the growing shoots. It is convenient to use a special tool for tying a grape seedling, freely fixing the shoots with a plastic clip. On trellises, where the wire is stretched in two parallel rows, the shoots only start in such a gap, and the resulting whiskers are firmly fixed on the support over time. If grapes grown on a gazebo or shed are being taken care of, where free growth is provided, then such shoots do not need to be tied up.

Grape picking

In the summer months, growing and caring for grapes does not involve pruning perennial shoots, but you cannot do without removing some of the green parts of the plant. Depending on the grape variety, the load experienced by the bush, as well as the cultivation conditions, from the buds on the shoots of the current year, plants can produce a significant number of second-order shoots. If left unchecked, these stepchildren will take away much-needed nutrients from the future harvest and shade the entire bush. Excessive bush density is a serious risk factor for the development of grape diseases such as mildew and powdery mildew. Therefore, you should not wait for the growth of parasitic shoots.

If in regions with a short summer, grape pinching consists in the complete removal of shoots already at the initial stages of development, then in the south, especially when growing early varieties, stepchildren are only shortened in order to get an additional harvest of sweet berries by autumn.

And in some cases, for example, when the vine suffers from frost or hail, grapes are not pinched at all. Stepsons replace the lack of green mass on the bush and help to resume the development of the bush.

Preventive treatment and foliar feeding of grapes

Getting a high-quality and stable grape harvest is impossible without providing the plant with the proper amount of nutrients. Growing on a trellis gives the grower the opportunity to use foliar dressing of grapes, an effective source of additional nutrition and minerals.

The greatest need for such dressings is experienced by grape bushes:

• before and after flowering;
• during the period when the coloring of berries begins;
• a few days before harvest.

For feeding grape seedlings and adult bushes, use a solution containing 5% superphosphate, 0.5% ammonium sulfate and 1% potassium salts. When the berries begin to ripen, the vine no longer needs nitrogen, but trace elements, for example, zinc and boron, can be added to the top dressing.

After flowering, the bushes are treated with a 1% solution of boric acid in combination with a fungicide that prevents the development of downy mildew, a disease that occurs in conditions of high humidity and has a detrimental effect not only on the future harvest, but also on the entire grape plant. The final foliar dressing of grapes can be carried out on the basis of the infusion of wood ash. The introduction of such dressings, as well as spraying the bushes with fungicides and insecticides, is carried out in the afternoon, when the temperature drops, the sun cannot burn the leaves and inflorescences or in cloudy weather. The longer the drops of the product remain on the greens, the greater the effect of the procedure.

How to treat grapes after rains, when fungicides and solutions of trace elements are washed off?

In the case of severe precipitation, the treatment is repeated as soon as possible, paying attention to spraying the bushes with Ridomil, especially during the period when the flowering has already been completed, and the likelihood of mildew development is high.

No less dangerous disease for grapes is powdery mildew, which often develops in dry hot weather. The first preventive treatment against this disease is carried out in the spring. If a light white fluff is found on shoots, foliage and berries, at the initial stage, treatment of grapes with soda and potassium permanganate in the form of a slightly pink solution will become a rather effective remedy for powdery mildew.

At the same time, do not forget that the effectiveness of dressings and remedies is really high if all the rules for growing and caring for grapes are followed, weeds and excess shoots are removed in time, air and food are provided to all shoots.

All about planting and growing grapes - video

The extreme climate of a sunny berry is not a hindrance. And getting a good grape harvest in the second or third year after planting is an achievable goal even for beginners. So how to stop dreaming and start growing grapes ...

First, let's decide on the two most important tasks in growing grapes - we will choose a place for planting grapes and the varieties that we will plant. In principle, the vine will grow almost everywhere (except for a solid shade), and if you take care of it, at the very least it will bear fruit. However, competent planting in the right place will allow you to get really good yields with much less effort. Remember that planting seedlings of low-quality varieties in a vineyard will take your time, energy and good mood. You may be undeservedly disappointed in the grapes, although the mistake will be entirely yours.

Place for planting grapes

The vineyard should be sunny and sheltered from the wind, for example by the southern wall of a house, a barn or a south-facing fence with well-drained soil. If there is a minimum slope on the site, plant the grapes on a gentle southern or south-western slope, orienting the row in the south-north direction. If the plot is flat and the southern walls are occupied, create a place for your grapes by building in any convenient place on the plot a nice solid fence 1.8–2 m high, oriented along the "east-west" line. And you will immediately understand the secret of the monastery vineyards! You can also use for this purpose dense hedges or screens from available materials, for example, from vines or reeds.

Tips for a new wine grower

• The method of planting grapes depends on the type of soil.Variants are possible, but usually it is recommended to plant grapes on sandy soils in trenches, and on poorly heated loams and clays and in areas with close groundwater occurrence, it is recommended to plant on ridges, which in the old days were called "created".

For watering and fertilizing the grapes, I place plastic bottles with a cut-off bottom between the seedlings. For table varieties, as the bushes grow older, I replace them with asbestos-cement pipe trimmings, and for “techies” (wine varieties) I remove them altogether after three years. Mature wine grapes have to get their own water from the soil, and the deeper the roots, the better the wine from its berries.

• Do not rush to plant seedlings "for permanent residence", especially if these varieties are on trial. Let them live until the first signal brushes in the school (where it is easier to cover). In the first year, some northerner growers do not plant seedlings in open ground at all, but keep them there in mobile containers (for example, in buckets), half buried in the ground. In autumn, containers with seedlings are moved to the basement, and in late spring they are planted. Such seedlings begin bearing fruit earlier.

• Don't spontaneously plant vines. If your grape bushes are not in a "spot" planting, planning of the vine plot is necessary. Group varieties by purpose, as they have different planting intervals. The distance between bushes of varieties for juice and wine purposes is 0.8 m, for table varieties - at least 1.5 m, between rows - 2–2.5 m. It is advisable to clarify the strength of growth of the selected varieties in order to correctly calculate the desired place. The grouping of varieties by ripening and frost resistance will facilitate the care of the grapes. You will not need to spray and cover everything to the maximum.

• Do not plant grafted seedlings (from European and southern nurseries) vertically, but place them practically lying at the maximum possible angle, otherwise there will be problems with the ripening of the vine. Gradually translate them into your own roots.

• Remember that grapes have the property of vertical polarity. When opening, tie a fruitful arrow on a trellis or stakes only horizontally - then all annual green shoots will grow equally. With a vertical garter, shoots grow intensively only from the upper eyes, and from the lower ones, they grow weakly or do not grow.

• Limit watering. It is only necessary to water young vines for the first 2 years and water recharge watering, common for all varieties, in the fall. Stop watering 7-10 days before the expected flowering, as excessive moisture causes the color to shed and delays the ripening of the crop.

• Do not use sprinkling, otherwise you will provoke diseases. Arrange drainage channels and place irrigation pipes on the side of the row spacing no closer than 30-50 cm to the base of the bush. Grapes do not like wet leaves and damp ground surfaces. If possible, arrange a visor over the grape bushes.

• Conduct green operations sparingly and on time. Simultaneous removal of all growth points on the shoot is unacceptable: both chasing the top and pinching the stepsons. After all, there is a danger that the wintering buds of the bush will start to grow and its potential will drastically weaken. Do not break the stepchildren completely, leave 1-2 sheets. Carry out minting in August, immediately after straightening the crown.

• Pruning grapes is necessary, otherwise the berries are crushed, and the bush will grow unnecessarily. But in the year of planting, there is no pruning, except for the removal of unripe green parts of the shoots in the fall. From the 3rd year, cut the shoots according to the recommendations (short or long pruning), but do not mindlessly follow the recommended total load, since your conditions - relief, soil, the sum of active temperatures (CAT) - will correct it. Write down from which bud the fruiting shoots grow specifically for you.

  Read more: Pruning grapes for beginners . 

• Do not prune in autumn before natural leaves fall or night temperatures are below freezing (early November).Do not prune in the spring, as the "crying" of the vine (sap outflow) weakens the plant.

  Read more: How to stop the crying vine>. 

• In the north, it is more reliable to use non-standard formations of a fan or semi-fan type, and not high-standard ones, including for arbors.

Read more: Cordon formation and pruning of grapes.

Read more: Forming grapes for growing on a gazebo>.

• Winter shelter for the first 2-3 years is needed for all seedlings. The first year the grapes grow tied to a temporary trellis. In autumn, shoots are removed and covered with a two-three-layer air-dry shelter. As a bedding - spruce branches or a board, on top of the seedlings - a layer of spunbond or corrugated cardboard and a film on top (roofing paper, old linoleum). Snow will complete the rest. Leave ventilation slots at the ends of the shelter.

• Do not remove the cover immediately and completely in the spring. And when removed, leave a couple of layers of spunbond or lutrasil nearby in case of frost.

• Record the timing and characteristics of planting, flowering, ripening, pruning and loading of grapes in a diary. Otherwise, the most valuable information for the analysis of variety testing will be forgotten and lost. And you and the next generation of northern winegrowers, who will definitely come after you, need it so much.

How to grow grapes in the middle lane.

Winter hardy grape varieties

The most necessary requirements for grape varieties in the Moscow region and to the north are frost resistance, the ripening period of the crop and vines. But you shouldn't put so-called “non-concealment” at the forefront. This concept is relative and does not depend on the variety, but on what are the minimum temperatures in winter in your country house. In the first step, choose the earliest frost-resistant varieties. Later, with experience, an understanding will come that northern viticulture also provides us with certain bonuses, for example, in the form of long daylight hours, which partially compensates for the missing warmth of the grapes. And then you can try growing later varieties.

In addition, in the north, there are practically no diseases and pests of grapes. However, it is always better to prevent danger. There are so-called complex-resistant grape varieties - with high resistance to both frost and disease.

Read more about grape diseases and how to treat them.

Also determine the purpose of the grapes. Why do you need it: for the table, for juice and wine, for decorating the gazebo, or just "so that there was"? Today there are more than 15,000 grape varieties, so there is plenty to choose from.

For beginners, I would advise tasty and unpretentious table varieties ‘Agat Donskoy’, ‘Aleshenkin’, ‘Yubileiny Novgorod’, universal ‘Platovsky’, ‘Crystal’, ultra-early table ‘Krasa Nikopol’, as well as some universal Amur hybrids A.I. Potapenko and F.I. Shatilova. Those who have children should pay attention to the super-early and tender-sweet varieties ‘Liepaja Yantar’ and ‘Early Tsiravsky’ (selected by G.E. Vesminsha), as well as the ‘Krasa Severa’ variety with a high content of useful folic acid. From the listed grape varieties, choose no more than four to five for the first planting.

How to buy grape seedlings and rooting cuttings

The most reliable sources of planting material are wine growers' clubs and forums, where enthusiastic and experienced gardeners and collectors communicate, as well as MOIP and TSKHA. You should not buy seedlings and cuttings at spontaneous roadside markets and exhibitions (of course, this does not apply to the stands of well-known nurseries).

How to buy grapes and choose a good seedling.

You can ask a question to the author of the article, wine grower Olena Nepomniachtchi, here .

You can find out how to grow other plants, what gardening work you need to plan, from other articles on our website. Also, please pay attention to the information block to the left of the text. The links located in it lead to articles of related topics.

Grapes are called the berry of life, because they are not only very tasty, but also healthy. There is no gardener who would not want to have this beautiful plant on his site, but growing grapes is not an easy task. The experience of its cultivation comes over the years, but you have to start somewhere, and those who spare no effort and effort achieve excellent results.

Some believe that this culture is unpretentious, quickly takes root and bears fruit abundantly. How wrong they are! The grapes are not so simple. Planting and caring for it requires increased attention. There are a lot of specifics here that need to be dealt with before starting cultivation.

Variety selection

The main condition is to select a grape variety that adapts well to local conditions. The further north the region is, the earlier and frost-resistant the variety should be. Some of the popular varieties with high yields and excellent taste are Isabella, Nina and Madeleine Angevin.

Complex-resistant varieties take root well and do not require too careful care. They are distinguished by resistance to cold and frost, as well as resistance to fungal diseases. The most delicious and hardy among them are Moldova, Lydia and Delight.

In addition, when choosing a variety, one must pay attention to such a factor as the strength of growth. For beginners, medium and low-growing grapes are better suited, planting and caring for which do not present significant difficulties. These are the varieties Jubilee of Moldova, Timur and Novinka.

Planting material

It is better to buy seedlings in autumn in special nurseries. This will make it possible to visually determine the selected variety externally and to taste and have a guarantee that high-quality and healthy planting material has been purchased.

Grape seedlings planted in the fall usually begin active vegetation the next year and are significantly ahead of those planted in spring.

If you prefer spring planting, then purchase only vegetative seedlings. Their quality can be immediately assessed by their appearance. Their growth is at least 25 cm with a thickness of about 5 mm. They already have several developed bright green leaves (4–6 pcs.) And several roots.

How to choose a landing site

Since grapes are a very thermophilic crop, the place for it should be sunny, without shade, drafts and dampness. Growing grapes will be effective if the south or southwest side is chosen along the fence or buildings or slopes oriented to the same cardinal points. It is recommended to retreat from trees and bushes not less than 3 m, and from buildings and fences - at least 0.5 m.

The plant thrives on loamy and sandy loam soils. With proper care, it can also be grown in stony, clayey and gristly soils.

You should be aware that grapes will not grow on saline, waterlogged soils and those where groundwater rises close to the surface.

How to plant grapes

If you want grape seedlings to develop well and grow healthy, then before planting, you need to create a supply of nutrients in the soil for them. Planting holes should be at least 80 x 80 cm and the same depth. They are prepared two months before planting.

The top fertile layer removed from the pit, removed to a depth of 30 cm, is mixed with wood ash and manure, taken in 2 buckets, as well as with 0.5 kg of superphosphate. If the soil in the pit is clay below 30 cm, then it is diluted with sand. The prepared pit is filled halfway with the prepared potting mix and left to shrink.

To grow great grapes, planting and grooming must be correct from the first steps. Therefore, do not skimp on the size of the pits and the nutrient mixture. Start planting immediately after the seedlings are purchased so that the roots do not dry out.

Previously, the seedling is soaked in water for a day, after which it is removed, the roots and shoot are slightly trimmed.

The roots and the lower part of the bole are dipped in a clay mash and start planting.

• a small mound is poured onto a layer of nutrient soil in the pit;
• put a seedling on it, spreading the roots, lightly sprinkling them with soil;
• The "heel" of the seedling is located at a depth of at least 50 cm;
• then the hole is covered with ordinary earth, which was dug from the lower layers, and compacted;
• watered abundantly, and after shrinkage, add more soil to the level of growth;
• the resulting hole should be 25-30 cm deep.

If a spring planting is carried out, then the seedling is protected from direct sunlight by placing a box or a wooden shield.

When planting in autumn, before the onset of frost, the grape stalk is covered with a plastic bottle, in which holes are made. The hole is mulched by adding peat. And before the onset of cold weather, the pit is completely filled up and a mound up to 30 cm high is formed from above.

Grape care

There are several general rules that must now be followed in order for the grapes to develop well. Planting and care is not difficult, even a novice gardener can handle them. The new stage is cultivation. The first 3-4 years, it is necessary to carry out mandatory procedures:

• the soil is constantly loosened and weeds are destroyed;
• every spring they carry out katarovka, for this purpose they dig up the bole to a depth of 20 cm, remove the thin (dewy) roots, and again fall asleep;
• in order to prevent diseases, before the start of active growth, the plants are sprayed with a Bordeaux mixture (3%);
• as soon as the growing season begins, the grapes should be watered vigorously.

Forming grapes

As the vine grows and shoots, it begins to form.

To prevent neglect of the plant, young shoots up to 3 cm long are broken off. To regulate the optimal ratio of fruitful and sterile shoots, they are pinched off when they reach a length of 10-15 cm. This helps to prevent depletion and overloading of the plant.

When the shoots grow to a length of 50-80 cm, in the first year they are tied to pegs, and the next year they are wound along the trellis in the right direction.

Summer grape pruning

Pruning grapes in summer is not actually pruning in the full sense of the word. It comes down to pinching shoots, pinching and removing unnecessary branches. It is carried out to ensure favorable conditions for the growth of bushes - better ventilation, access to sunlight to the bunches, faster ripening of berries.

When the vine enters the fruiting period, it is necessary to pinch the fruitful shoots. This procedure is carried out about a week before flowering begins. Such pinching of the growth point on the processes provides an influx of nutrients to the inflorescences, so that the flowers and ovary do not crumble.

Passionate, namely the removal of the processes growing in the sinuses, is a mandatory procedure. It is carried out in July, when flowering ends.

In August, they start minting young shoots. It differs from pinching in that most of the shoot is removed - about 40 cm, but so that about 14-15 leaves remain on each shoot. This contributes to the faster ripening of the berries.

Usually the grape pruning ends in summer with the clarification stage. Its essence lies in the fact that excess foliage is removed. It is carried out during the ripening of the bunches, thereby providing good ventilation.

Proper watering

As soon as the grapes enter the growing season, they must be watered regularly. At least 4 times a season, 12-15 buckets of water are poured under each bush. A good option is pipes buried in the ground between the bushes, where water is poured. This not only reduces its consumption, but also allows good moisture access to the roots.

How to feed grapes

With the beginning of the fruiting period, regular feeding of the grapes is required. It is desirable to carry out it 3 times per season. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that the first one takes place before flowering, and the second one 2 weeks after it.For this, mineral and organic fertilizers are used. They are bred in water and the bushes are watered with the resulting solution.

The third dressing of the grapes must be carried out before the berries begin to ripen. It completely excludes the use of organic matter, which is replaced by wood ash.

Why process grapes?

When the harvest of juicy berries is harvested, a new task is on the agenda of gardeners - the processing of grapes. Its essence lies in taking measures to combat plant diseases, as well as to prevent infection of healthy bushes.

This is necessary so that the plant does not leave for the winter, affected by diseases. After all, some pathogens of diseases will destroy it under the snow, and in the spring it will be very weakened and will not grow well.

This is why processing the grapes before wintering is necessary. It consists in spraying infected plants with fungicides. This will help reduce exposure to pathogens and give the vine a chance to store more nutrients.

Diseases

Grapes can be susceptible to two types of diseases - infectious and non-infectious. And although bushes affected by a non-communicable disease are not infectious to their neighbors, they become very weak, with reduced yields.

Experienced gardeners distinguish grape diseases by the appearance of plants. Their description will help you to determine the condition of the bushes and heal them.

• grape anthracnose is immediately visible on the leaves, they are covered with brown spots, turning into ulcers;
• powdery mildew (false) appears on the leaves, which are replete with round spots, as if sprinkled with white dust, it also affects shoots, inflorescences and fruits;
• oidium is very similar to the previous disease, only it manifests itself even more strongly: at first the plant is simply strewn with whitish spots, and then the affected parts begin to die off;
• rot (gray and white) affects the stems and berries, which are covered with brown-purple spots and soon dry out.

To combat these infections, there are now many remedies suitable for different types of diseases. Among them are copper or iron vitriol, Bordeaux mixture, Antrakol, Ridomir and others.

A well-groomed vineyard will delight its owner for many years with both the abundance of the harvest and the appearance. The most important thing is to make every effort and knowledge to ensure that the plant grows healthy, strong and resistant to climatic fluctuations.

As you can see, the hassle of growing grapes is enough. But even beginners, observing all the rules of care, will be able to grow it and enjoy the fruits of their labor.