How to properly grow grapes in the Nizhny Novgorod region?

Grapes are one of the favorite crops among amateur gardeners, but planting, reproduction and competent vine care require knowledge of the characteristics of this plant. In this article, we will tell you about the main technological methods that allow you to get an excellent harvest in areas with a temperate climate.

Planting grapes

Yield, speed of development and longevity of plants depend on choosing the right place for planting. Grapes are a light-loving culture, therefore, the most illuminated places on the site should be allocated for planting, having foreseen the prospects for shading, for example, overgrown fruit trees.

The grapes are unpretentious to the soil, but they do not like the close occurrence of groundwater (less than 2.5-3 meters) and the high content of clay. The best for table grapes are considered to be rich in humus, moisture-permeable soils - loams and chernozems. The landing site must be prepared in the fall. The selected area should be well dug to a depth of 50-60 cm and manure or compost should be added at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 m2.

It is best to plant grapes in spring, when the weather is warm and the danger of frost has passed. A small amount of humus is introduced into the prepared hole and the seedling is placed along with a lump of earth, after which it is covered, mulched with peat and watered abundantly. The seedling is cut off before planting, leaving two shoots with two eyes on each. A peg is placed next to the seedling, to which it leans. In the first two weeks, watering is carried out every two to three days, then the intensity is reduced.

Grape care

Agrotechnics of grapes varies greatly depending on the cultivated varieties and climatic conditions of the area, but the general principles must be known to every gardener who decides to succeed in viticulture.

After the grapes are planted, it is necessary to monitor the seedlings, keeping the soil loose. As they grow, they prune weak shoots, leaving the fastest growing, which are tied to pegs. At the end of July, pinching must be done (removing the top of the shoot with two or three leaves).

The grape bush must be formed, otherwise a strong growth will complicate its care and will take away the strength of the plant, reducing its yield. The main vine should be about a meter high and consist of one or more stems growing out of the ground. From the main vine, whips diverge. The tied bush should be in the shape of a fan, no more than one and a half meters high.Dried and diseased branches should be pruned. If the shoots interfere with each other, then the most successful ones are left, the rest are removed. After the harvest ripens, the lashes are cut, keeping only those that grow from the ground, they are pinched and brought to the peg - they are the future replacement for the old vine.

In addition to removing diseased shoots, it is necessary to carry out a planned annual pruning of grapes. It is done twice a year, in spring and autumn, while the plant is still inactive. In the fall, during the fall of leaves, cut off all green shoots, in the spring they remove the frozen and dead branches. The length of the pruning is determined by the characteristics of the growth and development of grape shoots, it is believed that for every millimeter of diameter, 1.1 eyes should be left.

Katarovka is the removal of all roots extending from the underground part of the vine within 15–20 cm from the surface. This operation protects the plant from freezing and drought, transferring food to deep-lying roots, it is carried out simultaneously with the planned pruning. However, if the grapes are well covered during the cold season, this procedure can be neglected, as it shortens the growing season, and therefore the time for ripening of the clusters.

For the winter, grapes must be covered, protecting them from freezing. In areas with severe winters and deeply freezing soil, the vine must be hidden as late as possible, a few days before frost, so that the outflow of nutrients from the shoots can take place. Usually, grooves are dug, 15–25 cm deep, where grape bushes are laid and covered with a small layer of earth, dry straw, spruce branches or manure are piled on top, and then pressed with 15–20 cm thick soil.

Propagation of grapes

Propagation of grapes by cuttings

The easiest way to propagate grapes is by cuttings. In the fall, after leaf fall and before the onset of frost, cuttings are cut with a diameter of 5-10 mm, a length of about 30-40 cm, with three to four buds.

After that, they are tied in bunches, taken to the basement or placed in a wintering groove next to the bushes. In early spring, the cuttings are cut, the lower bud breaks out and a third of the length is furrowed with a knife. Then the prepared cuttings are soaked in water for 2 days. The stems that have collected water are placed in a glass jar with a 3 cm layer of water and exposed to the sunny side. After 10-12 days, shoots will go, and after another week - roots.

Propagation of grapes by grafting

Sometimes a gardener comes across poor-quality planting material or some variety does not meet his expectations, but cutting down an unnecessary bush is an unprecedented waste, so we lose a ready-developed root system. For such situations, there is reproduction by grafting - a combination of a developed root system of a stock and a young cuttings (scion) of the desired variety. The main feature of the method is that the stock retains its qualities below the grafting site, and above we get the vines of a new variety. Vaccination can be carried out at any warm season, when the air temperature is above 15 ° C. The most reliable and simplest is root grafting. With this method, a hole is dug up to a depth of 20 cm around the trunk (main trunk), after which the old root is cut off at a depth of 10–15 cm.

Next, the stock is split with a knife and cuttings cut in the form of a wedge with one or two eyes are inserted into the split, the grafting site is pulled together with twine. The hole is covered with loose earth and well watered, followed by the usual care when planting. It should be borne in mind - if the stem is thick enough, several cuttings can be grafted onto it at once, usually up to 4 pieces.

Propagation of grapes by layering

Reproduction by layering is the oldest and easiest way. A long healthy vine is chosen near the grape bush, located not far from the ground, they dig a groove 10 cm deep, bring humus into it and lay the shoot, pinning it to the ground.Further, depending on whether one or several shoots are planned to be obtained, sprinkle the shoot with loose earth along the entire length or partially. In the latter case, the end of the vine, which has not been dug in, is tied to a peg and a hole is formed. During the summer, the cuttings are watered 2-3 times a month, if they have time to grow up to 60 cm, they are minted (the top of the shoot is removed), feeding the bush with potassium foliar dressing. In the fall, the shoots are separated from the main bush and laid for storage, and in the spring they are planted in the usual manner.

Seed propagation is rarely resorted to, since most grape varieties give a wide range of hereditary qualities and not always for the better. This method is interesting for people involved in breeding and breeding new varieties, but not suitable for amateur gardeners.

Source

Grapes are one of the most common crops on the planet. In southern countries, the plant has been cultivated since antiquity, but it is able to grow and bear fruit also in northern latitudes. Grapes are grown quite successfully in Scotland, Sweden, Norway, central Russia. Even in the Leningrad region, enthusiastic gardeners "tame" the vine.

Planting grapes

Grapes are able to grow on almost any soil, except that saline and waterlogged ones are categorically unsuitable for it. But rocky lands and sandstones are ideal for him. In such soils, water does not stagnate, and grapes especially do not like the high humidity of both the earth and the air. Therefore, it is easier to grow grapes in Siberia than near St. Petersburg.

The grapes are quite frost-hardy, it can endure -15-18 degrees. Some varieties can even withstand cold temperatures down to -25 degrees. But the winter hardiness of the culture (the ability to withstand winter thaws, spring and autumn frosts) is low.

Grapes prefer light soils

Seat selection

The main rule is that the more sun the better. The place should be inaccessible to the north wind. Therefore, a sunny area is ideal for planting grapes, illuminated all day long and closed from the north by curtain plants (no closer than 2 m to the vine) or a fence.

You can plant grapes near buildings that will protect it from the wind. It would be logical to place seedlings at some southern wall, but this rule does not apply to all areas. For example, in the northwestern part of Russia, the cold land is poor in humus and warms up slowly. But on the southern side of buildings, the surface of the earth sometimes heats up to temperatures above 20 ° C. In such conditions, the plant wakes up, begins active sap flow. And at night there may be frosts. In this case, the water in the shoots will freeze and tear them apart, the vine will die. Therefore, it is better to plant grapes on the southwest or west side, covering it with planting of curtain plants.

A screen made of dark-colored planks is suitable for fencing grapes: it will protect from the wind and, when heated in the sun, will give its warmth to the seedlings.

The vineyard should be sunny and sheltered from the wind.

It is necessary to place plantings, stepping back from the building about 75 cm, where the soil freezes less.

Make sure that no water drips from the roof onto the grapes.

The western side does not heat up so quickly, but it does not cool down too soon, giving off its warmth at night. The southeast and southwest are well suited for a covering form of cultivation. In the greenhouse, you need to arrange plantings from north to south.

The roots of the grapes are located quite deep, so it cannot be planted in areas where the groundwater level is above 1.5 m.

Pit preparation

The size of the landing pit is 60x60 cm, the depth is 0.8–1 m.

Pit preparation:

1. Drainage is poured onto the bottom with a layer of 10–15 cm: crushed stone, brick scrap, pebbles.

   A drainage layer must be poured at the bottom of the pit

2. Then the pit is filled with a mixture of gravel, sand and fertile soil in the ratio: 0.5 buckets of sand x 1 bucket of gravel x 3 buckets of fertile soil.
3. Be sure to add a deoxidizer - dolomite flour or ash:
   • with slightly acidic soil - 1 tbsp.dolomite flour or 1.5 tbsp. ash on a bucket of rubble;
   • with sour - 2 tbsp. dolomite or 3 tbsp. ash.
     

     They also lower the acidity of the soil by introducing chalk, gypsum or crushed eggshell into it.

4. At the very top, clean fertile soil is poured with a layer of 25 cm.
5. You need to fill the pit gradually, spilling the mixture with water several times and slightly compacting.
6. Near the prepared pit, two metal pipes are driven in, one next to the pit, and the other, retreating 1.5 m from the first. A wire (preferably in a plastic sheath) is tied to these pipes at a height of 40-50 cm to make two parallel rows. This will be a trellis.

Soil deoxidation increases the availability of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and molybdenum to plants, and protects them from harmful supersaturation with aluminum, iron and manganese.

Landing scheme

It is very important to follow the plan for planting new plants. Grapes do not tolerate transplanting, so they plant it once for a long time.

The distance between the seedlings depends on which form of vine cultivation is chosen. A vine is a "sleeve", it can be short (1.5 m) and long (from 2.5 m), it can be the only one on the plant ("one sleeve") or not. Spacing between plants:

• bush "with long sleeves" - 3 m;
• bush "with short sleeves" - 2 m;
• bush "with one sleeve" - ​​1.5 m.

Leave a distance of 2–2.5 m between the rows. Strawberries, greens and even vegetables can be grown in these aisles.

Parsley protects the vine against many diseases. Therefore, growing it at the roots of grapes is a great idea.

Parsley and grapes are good neighbors

Planting depth

The depth of the seedling roots depends on the type of soil:

• 40–45 cm on black soil or clay;
• 55-60 cm on sandy ground;
• 50–55 cm on loam and sandy loam.

A deep planting is needed to protect the root system from frost. Grape roots can withstand temperatures as low as -6oC.

With a high level of groundwater

If groundwater is high at the surface of the earth, then you can:

• Use high embankments and ridges for planting. The ridge should be 0.8–1.5 m wide, 0.4 m high (at least 1 m if the soil is peaty). For spring planting, the structure is prepared in the fall so that the earth settles over the winter. For wintering, the ridges are insulated.

  With a high level of groundwater, you can grow grapes on a hill

• Lay a piece of slate at the bottom of the planting pit (30–40 cm), and plant a cutting on top in the usual way. The roots will rest against the slate and begin to grow to the sides, and not deeper into the waters.
• For drainage, two grooves are dug (1–1.5 m deep) on both sides of the plant at a distance of 1 m from them. The ditches are filled with broken bricks, gravel, and pebbles. The drain should exit into a lowland below the depth of the drainage ditches.

It is known that grapes can withstand flooding for up to 2 months. There is even such a method of fighting phylloxera disease, when the vineyard is flooded for 60 days.

Planting cuttings without roots

Grapes do not tolerate transplanting, so planting with cuttings (shanks) is the best way to propagate.

Preparation and storage of cuttings:

1. Cuttings should be cut in late autumn before being sheltered for the winter. The length of the handle is about 50 cm.

   Cuttings of grapes are cut in late autumn

2. They are stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in the cellar with a temperature of 2–4 ° C, tied in bundles and wrapped in paper or cellophane.

   Instead of paper or cellophane, you can use a plastic bottle to store cuttings.

3. During storage, you need to inspect the cuttings several times: if they are wet, wipe them with a clean napkin, wrap them up and put them back.
4. In the spring, you need to make sure that the roots wake up faster than the rest. For this, the earth must be warm and the air cold. 2 weeks before planting, the shanks are planted in the ground at an angle into a container with earth according to a 10x10 cm scheme. A folded towel is laid on the battery, a container is placed on it, the window is kept open all the time.If the leaves are allowed to appear before the roots, they will begin to evaporate moisture from the cutting and the plant will dry out. There is a more convenient way: spill the landing site with hot water (60 ° C), cover with a black film, make cross-shaped cuts in it, where to stick the shanks.

   Cuttings need to create conditions so that their roots have already begun to grow, and the buds have not yet woken up

Before planting at the shank, you need to scratch the bark at the lower tip with a needle a little, wet it, dip it in Kornevin, and plant it vertically to such a depth that there are 2-3 buds above the ground. You need to plant the cutting next to the pipe that was driven in during the preparation of the pit. Later, when a vine begins to grow from the shank, it will need to be tied to this pipe with a "figure eight". The ground is covered with black spunbond, fixing it with several stones.

The stones on the garden bed heat up during the day, and at night they warm up everything that is nearby.

Video: how to prepare and store grape cuttings

Fertilizers applied at planting

It is not recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers during planting, as they interfere with root development. It is enough to add 1-2 tbsp to the top layer of the earth. l. complete mineral fertilizer AVA or any other, mixing it with the soil. You can bring 1 tbsp into the planting pit. ash. Fertilizers will last for up to 3 years.

Watering after planting

Watering is very important for planting grapes. The intensity of moisture depends on the growing area. If the climate is continental, with dry summers, then every day the seedling needs to be watered with half a bucket of water. If the climate is humid, then it is enough to pour the same half a bucket under the seedling once a week. But in any case, the water must certainly be warm! In case of prolonged cold and rainy weather, watering is stopped.

The grapes are watered with warm water

Features of planting grapes in autumn

The main advantage of planting grapes in the fall is that in the spring the plant will already be ready for an active life. Previously, it was believed that this method is suitable for warm regions. But now there is a positive experience of autumn planting of cuttings in the northern regions, even in the Urals.

You can plant grapes in autumn from October until the onset of frost. The planting hole is prepared in the same way as for spring planting. Before planting a seedling, the pit should stand for at least 2 weeks for the earth to settle and compact.

To prepare cuttings you need:

1. After leaf fall, take a shoot with a thickness of a little finger or more (from 5 to 10 mm). It is important to take a cutting from the middle of the vine, which has already yielded well.
2. Cut a stalk 30-40 cm long with 3-4 buds.
   

   When cutting, you need to use a very sharp tool, ideally a special garden knife.

3. Find the bottom eyelet and make a slanting cut below it.
4. Make the upper cut horizontally, leaving 2-3 cm above the upper kidney.

   The upper cut is made just above the kidney.

5. Melt paraffin or wax and dip the top in it for a few seconds (you can at least cover it with plasticine).
6. Dip the lower end into a growth stimulant solution (for example, Kornevin - 1 bag per bucket of water) for a day.

The prepared shank-shank can be planted in a ready-made, moistened pit. It is better to place it obliquely, at an angle of 45o, tilting to the south, 3 buds should lie in the ground, one should rise above the soil.

For the winter, the seedling needs to be covered: with a layer of earth of 10 cm, then the same thickness with a layer of leaves, on top with more earth 30–40 cm. Above this "sandwich", an arch made of polyethylene is installed.

Features of planting grapes in the lowlands

The grapes do not tolerate the northern slopes, stagnant water and lowlands. However, there is a unique method by A.G. Kudryavtseva. The bottom line is planting grapes in trenches lined with heat-conducting material (boards, brick or slate), which accumulates heat during the day and gives it back at night.

From April to June, the grapes lie in this trench, covered with foil frames (practically in a greenhouse), in a warm season the vine is raised on a trellis, and in the winter they are laid back, covered with insulation.

More details about the method can be found in the book by A.G.Kudryavtseva "Grapes in Siberia".

Grape planting methods

There are different ways of planting grapes. They differ in the method of preparing the site for the seedling and the type of planting material.

Classical

Classic way of planting:

1. In the fall, dig a planting hole or trench: the size of the hole is 80x80x60 cm (width, length, depth), the length of the trench is taken taking into account that the distance between the plants should be at least 2 m, and the width and depth - the same 80x60 cm, the distance between the rows - 2.5 m.
   

   The pit is prepared in advance, otherwise the earth will settle later, breaking off the roots of the seedling.

   

   Pits or trenches for grapes are prepared in advance so that the earth has time to settle

2. Fill the hole: at the bottom of 10 cm of drainage (crushed stone, broken brick, trimming boards), then a mixture of crushed stone, sand and fertile soil (half a bucket of sand and 3 buckets of soil on a bucket of crushed stone), add 1.5 tbsp of crushed stone to the bucket. ash or 1 tbsp. dolomite flour and 2 tbsp. l. complete mineral fertilizer.
   

   To enrich the roots with oxygen, you can throw a handful of wheat or barley grains into the pit.

3. Take a stalk harvested in the fall, cut the lower end obliquely under the kidney, the upper end horizontally at a distance of 3-4 cm above the upper kidney, scratch the bark in the lower part of the stalk with a needle.
4. Dissolve root formation stimulants in a bucket of water (Heteroauxin, Epin, Kornevin or just 1 tablespoon honey), put the finished cuttings in water for 2 days at room temperature.

   Cuttings are left in a jar of water for several days.

5. Move the cuttings to jars or cut plastic containers with clean water (the water level of 5 cm must be maintained at all times), after 2-3 weeks the first roots and green shoots will appear.
   

   If there is too much water, the cutting may suffocate!

6. A stalk with roots is planted in a seedling container filled with soil (5–7 cm) on top of a 2-3 cm drainage layer (expanded clay).

   The stalk with roots is planted in a seedling container

7. Watering should be done often, but little by little.

   Water the cuttings often and little by little

8. The shoot is pinched so that 2 small branches remain, which after 2 weeks need to be pinched again.
9. Rooted cuttings are planted in May - June, when the ground warms up to 16 ° C, watered with 2 buckets of warm water per plant, the soil is mulched with 1–2 cm of a mixture of dry earth, sand and sawdust.

On the trellis

By their nature, grapes are liana, which means that they need support. In the wild, he lives like this, winding around trees and shrubs. Therefore, growing on a trellis is a logical and convenient way.

Supports can be very different in shape and number of planes. All of them consist of support pillars and a wire stretched between them. It is best to make poles from steel or asbestos-cement pipes with a diameter of 50-100 mm, but wood can also be used. Oak poles will last about 20 years. The wire should be 2–5 mm in diameter, it is better if it has a plastic coating.

The simplest trellis consists of a wire tied to pipes, forming two parallel rows at a distance of 40-50 cm from the soil surface.

For the first two years, it will be enough just to tie the growing vine to the post. In the 3rd year in the spring, after removing the shelter, a vine is laid on a horizontal trellis, twisting both wires in turn. In the 4th year, you can add another trellis at a distance of 40 cm from the first.

For northern areas, a single-plane trellis is better suited, located in the direction from north to south, in order to avoid shadow in the aisles. And it is better to install the trellis with a slight slope to the south.

For good growth and fruiting, grapes need support

On the ridges

The method of growing grapes on the ridges is suitable for northern areas. Its pluses:

• protection against flooding of the vine in the spring;
• rapid heating of the soil;
• great air permeability of the earth;
• less labor for weed control.

To create a ridge:

1. Dig a trench 10 m long, about 25-30 cm deep, 100 cm wide.For better illumination, you need to orient the ridge from north to south.
2. Prepare the soil with sand, gravel and fertilizers in the usual way.
3. Fill the trench with soil so that the ridge rises 30–35 cm above the ground, and the slopes are gentle.
4. The entire ridge or only the slopes can be covered with insulation (spunbond, corrugated cardboard) or mulched.
5. To deepen the roots of the seedlings 40–45 cm from the surface of the ridge.
6. On the perimeter of the ridge, you can dig in dark bottles with the necks down, it will be a kind of solar panels for plant roots, as well as strengthening for the walls of the ridge.
7. For watering and feeding, vertically bury a piece of pipe with a diameter of 30–35 cm into the ridge.

Cover the vineyard with black spunbond for warmth and weed control

In the greenhouse

The greenhouse climate is most favorable for grapes. Due to the elevated temperature, the grapes grow faster and begin to bear fruit earlier.

Table: temperature regime for grapes in the greenhouse

Planting grapes in the greenhouse:

1. Prepare the soil in the greenhouse in the same way as for all other planting methods.
2. It is better to root the cuttings in advance in small containers in a warm room.
3. Plant in a greenhouse at a distance of at least 1.5 m from each other.
4. Cover with spunbond immediately after disembarkation.
5. Water once a week, combining watering with top dressing.

Grapes have periods when they do not need to be watered at all: this is the time before and during flowering and before harvesting. If you water the plant during these periods, the color will fly around, and the harvest will slow down ripening.

Greenhouse grapes grow faster

Into containers

The container method increases the growing season of the seedling in the 1st year of planting. This is especially important in colder areas. The essence of the method is that seedlings (with roots) are planted in spring in large bags (diameter 35 cm, height 40 cm) of black dense polyethylene with a cut bottom.

Features of the process:

1. The packages are placed in a pallet (box covered with foil).
2. The soil is composed of 1 part of humus and 3 parts of deciduous forest land.
3. Before planting, the roots of the seedling are cut off to a length of 10-15 cm, its entire lower part is dipped in a clay mash (a little cow dung and Kornevin powder can be added to the clay).
4. The seedling is placed in a bag with soil, the roots are straightened, covered with the remaining soil, and watered with warm water.
5. Plants are kept warm at home until bud open.
6. Then, if the weather permits, they begin to take it out into the air. 2 days put in the shade (for hardening), then you can leave in the sun.
7. Water as the soil dries up.
8. At night, if there is no frost, you can leave it in the greenhouse.
9. They are planted in the ground after the threat of frost has passed.

Moldavian planting

The old Moldavian way of planting grapes is very interesting. It needs a vine with a length of at least 60 cm. Further actions:

1. In the spring, you need to twist it with a ring several times, grabbing the turns with a rope.
2. Then put it in a deep hole, making sure that there are 1-2 buds on the surface.
3. To prevent the buds from drying out, pour a pile of earth over the peeking end of the vine.
4. Water as needed.
5. By autumn, a strong plant will develop from the ringlet, which can give the first indicative berries next year.

   When planted in the Moldavian way, the roots grow along the entire length of the vine.

The trick is that a large vine has a good supply of food for the growing roots, which grow a lot along the entire length. They, in turn, intensively nourish the upper kidneys.

A vine can live for over 100 years without losing its ability to produce excellent fruit.

Planting by thickening

For hot dry climates, there is a thickened method of planting grapes, when up to 7 bushes are planted per 1 m2. In this case, the grapes are grown in a bush form without a garter. Annual growth is carried out in the flooring. The vines are cut short on a low stem (30–40 cm).On the one hand, it is a very economical way of growing, does not require the installation of supports. On the other hand, thickening of the shoots is favorable for the development of fungal diseases and the yield decreases with this method.

Growing grapes in different regions

Thanks to the warming climate and the unique plasticity of the vine, it is conquering more and more territories on the planet. Each locality has its own climatic and soil characteristics. Having studied them, you can successfully grow grapes by choosing suitable varieties and agricultural techniques.

Cultural varieties of Amur grapes are successfully grown in the Far East

Table: the natural specifics of the regions and the peculiarities of planting grapes

In recent years, interest in growing grapes in northern latitudes has grown like never before. A rare gardener has not tried to domesticate a southern vine. The grapes turned out to be not such a bird of paradise in our area. With the right approach, he happily lives next to us. And it gives not only a tasty harvest, but also the joy of new discoveries, and the pleasure of earned success!

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 appearance, 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 options and combinations of fans 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 in the case of a stamp-free 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