Grapes have been used by mankind for about seven thousand years. This is not the first culture used for the production of alcoholic beverages, but certainly the most common and popular.
The secret of this popularity is quite simple: grapes contain up to 30% sugar in fruits, and by the time of ripening, natural yeast appears on its peel. Thus, theoretically, no other ingredients other than grapes are needed to make wine.
Another component of the popularity of this culture is the tasty and rich in vitamins and nutrients berries of table and dessert varieties. They can also be used for wine production. However, in this case, the final product will not have very good characteristics.
The reason for this is that although the listed features (a large amount of sugar and yeast) are characteristic to one degree or another of all grape varieties, in table varieties their concentration is significantly lower. The yield of table grape varieties is on average 20-30% less than that of technical ones.
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Introduction
Merlot technical grape
But that's not all, because grapes, despite their southern origin, can also be grown in a fairly cold climate. (frost is not a problem for most varieties), if only there were enough sunny days a year for the ripening of berries.
At the same time, it should be said that it was grapes that were and remain a crop, the selection work on which is becoming more and more intensive from year to year.
If 50-70 years ago the first early maturing frost-resistant varieties of technical grapes were obtained (in fact, semi-wild, from which dry wines and wine concentrates are obtained), then at present the number of large-fruited early ripening frost-resistant dessert varieties exceeds several hundred.
Uncovered winter-hardy grapes
All this makes it possible to practice viticulture not only for residents of France or Georgia, but also to the inhabitants of more northern latitudes. The modern market of agricultural crops already offers grape seedlings that can ripen in the conditions of Siberia and the Far East. And in Canada and the north of Great Britain they have been grown for more than a decade.
However, one should not think that grapes are easy to grow. This is one of the most difficult crops that requires constant care.
Planting is one of the most important stages in the cultivation of grapes. Timely planting, performed in compliance with all the rules, will allow you to get high-quality and healthy plants,.
The article discusses how to properly plant grapes, what are the features in the preliminary preparation of soil and seed, and how to avoid the most common mistakes.
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grape plantation
The formation of a vineyard should be approached with the utmost seriousness and responsibility. This is not a simple crop, like tomatoes or cucumbers, planted in different places of the site from year to year. Grapes in one place grows for several decades.
Since the culture needs a lot of sun, the most favorable place to plant grapes on it will be the south side of the buildings. You can also place a vineyard 5-6 meters from large trees that limit the orchard.
If you want to combine crop cultivation and design ideas (for example, for decorating arches, arbors or walls with vines), for this purpose it is recommended to use winter-hardy non-covering varieties that do not require multiple treatments for fungal diseases and pests with chemicals.
Covering varieties must be planted in the garden and placed on trellises of a special design. (to which it can be tied with wire). From the trellis it can be easily removed and laid under shelter for the winter. It is recommended to plant nearby varieties that have the same treatment schedule with the same preparations.
bunches of grapes
To plant grapes near the hedge, you should indent from it at a distance of 50 to 100 cm. In general, the culture should not be interspersed with trees or shrubs. But in the area allotted for it, grapes may not represent a monoculture.
It is allowed to grow at a distance of at least 50 cm from the grapes of the following plants:
The neighborhood of grapes with sunflower and corn is unfavorable.
In addition, in order to avoid settlement of the walls from watering the grapes, it is recommended to place it at a distance of 1-1.5 m from them.
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Choice of landing dates
Grapes can be planted both in spring and autumn
There is no fundamental difference in planting; in both cases, the first flowering and fruiting will occur no earlier than in 3-4 years. However, there are a lot of nuances in the timing of planting, and you need to know at least the main features of this process.
The timing of spring planting depends on the type of planting material:
- From the second decade of April to the second decade of May, annual lignified seedlings are planted
- From the third decade of May to the beginning of July - green (vegetating seedlings)
The latter are the youngest planting material obtained this year. (in greenhouses or at home). They should be looked after competently and accurately. Green shoots need pre-hardening before planting and constant monitoring during cultivation.
Grapes Arcadia
You can plant grapes in autumn from early October until the soil freezes. Sometimes the planting dates are shifted a month earlier (so that the seedling has time to take root and adapt to new conditions).
One of the mistakes that experienced gardeners make is so for beginners is the lack of shelters for seedlings during the autumn planting. Usually, they are used only for vegetative seedlings (even though they are pre-hardened), but it is strongly recommended to do this procedure for older planting material.
Protection from the cold can be carried out in different ways. For small seedlings, this may be a plastic bottle with several holes. Larger ones will help to fill the landing pit with sawdust or fallen leaves. Sometimes special plastic containers are used that are suitable in size.
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The place for planting grapes should be well warmed up by the sun's rays.
Regardless of the time of planting (spring or autumn), as well as the method of obtaining a seedling, the method of planting grapes in open ground remains unchanged. The landing site is a specially prepared pit in which a system of watering and feeding the plant will be implemented.
Pit depth
Grapes, correct planting
There are several ways to do this, but the best is to use a wide and deep hole with a layer of drainage at the bottom. To do this, excavate the soil up to a depth of 100 cm and a diameter of at least 60 cm.
The depth of soil freezing in the European part of Russia can reach up to 200 cm, but this does not mean that the pits should have such a depth, since the freezing of the soil is uneven and depends on many factors.
These include:
- soil type
- its degree of friability and moisture
- snow cover
- time of exposure to negative temperatures and their values
The roots of "European" grape varieties are able to withstand temperatures down to -5 degrees Celsius, and rootstock varieties down to -10°C. This temperature will be at a depth of 60 to 100 cm. Therefore, when preparing a pit for planting, all these factors should be taken into account.
Technique for planting grapes with seedlings, planting depth
So, for example, in the Volga region and the Middle Strip, a depth of 80 cm is sufficient to protect the root system of almost all grape varieties from frost. In warmer regions (Moscow region, Belarus, Leningrad region), a depth of 60 cm is sufficient.
Temperature regime in the southern regions and countries (Krasnodar Territory, ChPK, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia) allows the use of pits 40-60 cm deep.
On sandy soils, the depth of the pit may be somewhat greater, since the sand freezes to a greater depth. In sandstones, holes should be dug 20 cm deeper than in ordinary earthen soil.
ground water
Large-scale drainage to drain an area with a high water table
Like most plants, grapes really do not like when the roots are in constant moisture. From this they begin to rot and the bush dies.
Therefore, in order to avoid such situations, it is necessary to place a pit with grapes, or rather its lowest layer, 40-60 cm above the groundwater level. This implies that the groundwater in the vineyards should not lie higher than 1.5 m above the soil level.
This explains the fact that that for grapes the best site would be a hillside with a fairly large slope. This crop is almost never grown in the lowlands.
If the water level is above this level, the grapes are at risk, especially during spring floods and adverse weather conditions. To avoid root rot in areas with high groundwater levels, it should be drained. To do this, they dig special recesses through which excess moisture goes into wells or sewers.
Sometimes it is recommended to use beds for planting grapes in areas with high groundwater, but this is, in fact, avoiding the problem. Every year, caring for crops, the soil under which requires formation, is only permissible for some annual plants.
Bookmark materials
All materials are prepared in advance
After the hole is dug, its layer-by-layer filling begins. The sequence of actions when forming a landing site will almost always be the same.
Below is a step-by-step instruction for forming a planting hole:
- A layer of rubble is poured at the bottom, which is carefully leveled and rammed. This will be drainage for the root system of the plant.
- For irrigation, a plastic pipe with a diameter of 50-60 mm will be used. It is installed at a distance of about 10 cm from the edge of the pit, firmly stuck into a layer of rubble. The height of the pipe should be such that it rises above the ground level 150-200 mm
- A layer of fertile soil 10 cm thick is poured over the rubble. Usually, earth taken out from above the pit is used as a filler for this layer.
- 2 buckets of rotted manure are laid out on the fertile layer. Given the diameter of the pit of 60 cm, the thickness of this layer will be about 7-8 cm
- Top manure sprinkled with fertilizer containing potassium and phosphorus. Therefore, a top dressing is recommended, consisting of the following components: superphosphate 200 grams and potassium salt 150 grams. A layer of fertilizer is evenly distributed over the surface of the manure
- Steps 3-5 are repeated again, laying the next three layers
- After laying the second layer of top dressing, they are sprinkled with garden soil 2-3 cm, rammed and a small mound is made in the pit
- Plentifully water the pit with 20-30 liters of water. In hard ground or dry areas, watering rates are 40 to 50 liters.
After the pit is filled with nutrient mixture, it is left for several months, closing the watering pipe.
After all the preparatory measures, the pit is left open for 3-6 months so that all layers of the soil "sandwich" settle and mix with each other. The soil is not trampled and not covered for the winter.
The above rules also apply in the case of a trench landing. The width of the trench is taken 60 cm, the depth - depending on the climatic zone, and the seats are located at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other to avoid thickening.
Trench landing will give a lot of advantages:
- It highlights the area with grapes in a separate landscape element.
- All plants can be treated (e.g. tying and spraying) at the same time
- All plants have the same growing conditions and are treated with the same products.
An example of the implementation of trench planting bushes
The disadvantages of such a layout can only be attributed to the greater vulnerability of the site to diseases. If the disease begins to spread through it, then it will be much easier for the same fungi to get to neighboring bushes. However, as practice shows, with the right preventive measures, such a spread of fungal infections is unlikely.
Alternative pit preparation
Approximate view of a simple pit for planting grapes
The pit structure could be simpler:
- the number of interleaved layers is reduced to 3
- most of the filling of the pit can be done from the excavated earth, placing a thin layer (no more than 2-3 cm) of humus or manure on the drainage
- the pit can be filled with a mixture of all of the listed components
- You can fertilize the soil with any organic matter at hand.
- etc.
The main thing that needs to be observed, and that always remains unchanged in it - this is a drainage layer and a pipe that delivers moisture directly to the roots.
The simplest grape pit may generally have the following structure: the seedling is placed directly on the drainage and sprinkled with a mixture consisting of three equal parts of humus, compost and garden soil. At the same time, no preparation is carried out, but they are planted on the day the hole is dug.
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Preparation of planting material before planting
Biennial grape seedlings have a branched root system
Before planting grapes, it is necessary to carry out preliminary preparation of its seedlings. They can be completely different material, so the grower should understand what he is dealing with in order not to make a mistake when planting. For example, short chibouks (one-year-old seedlings obtained by cuttings from a fruit-bearing vine) may have differences in planting compared to long two-year ones.
Two-year-old seedlings are recommended for cultivation, as they are more hardy and have a higher survival rate. However, as cultivation practice shows, most varieties intended for cold regions have good planting material even from the first year.
It is believed that if the cutting is rooted or has undergone kilchevanie (a special rooting procedure), then it is able to survive even with an undeveloped root system and a minimum of buds.
In general, you can choose a grape seedling for planting according to the following criteria:
- the presence of at least 3-4 thick roots
- roots should not be sluggish or dry
- the cut of the seedling must be wet
- there should be no cuts and scratches on the stem of the seedling, otherwise it may not take root
- the vine should be warm to the touch and have at least 3 buds (ideally 4-6)
Grape cuttings are also called chibouks.
Brought seedlings after purchase should be soaked for 1-2 days in water with the addition of a growth stimulator. It can be gibberellin or heteroauxin. If they are not at hand, it is enough to add honey to the water in the amount of 1 tbsp. spoons for 10 liters of water.
After that, the two strongest shoots are left on the seedlings, cutting them off by 3 eyes 5 mm above the very last bud. The remaining shoots are removed completely. This is done because young seedlings are not able to support more than 4 vines. For guaranteed growth, their number is reduced to two.
The roots of the seedlings are cut, leaving a length of no more than 15 cm. The upper roots are removed completely, since they still freeze out in winter, and in summer they suck out additional moisture from the upper soil horizons at a time when the plant does not need excess moisture.
The roots of seedlings after pruning are dipped into a talker - a special mixture consisting of 2 parts of clay and one part of humus, diluted in water to the state of gruel. This solution is recommended to be prepared the day before planting. After that, the seedlings are covered with burlap for several hours and taken to the pits for planting.
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Grafted grape bush, not completely covered with soil
The following describes how to plant grape seedlings in pre-prepared pits. It is necessary to plant grapes in the spring at an air temperature of at least + 10 ° C. Cloudy weather is desirable, but this is not critical. The planting depth of seedlings on sandy loam and chernozems is about 50 cm, on stony soils - 10-15 cm deeper.
Short seedlings with roots are placed vertically in the pit, long ones are placed at an angle. The orientation of the seedling should be as follows: the kidneys - to the north, the root heel to the south. The roots must be straightened and evenly placed over the area of \u200b\u200bthe pit.
Often a mound of humus or garden soil is made in the pit. Particular attention should be paid to grafted seedlings. The grafting point should be above ground level. This is due to the unpleasant possibility of the scion having its own roots.
They should not be allowed to appear for two reasons:
- Earlier it was said about the dangers of the upper roots of the vine (excess moisture in the summer and freezing them in the winter)
- The roots of the scion are initially less hardy than those of the stock. Therefore, if there is a “replacement” of the root system, that is, the root of the stock for some reason loses contact with the scion (it dies or separates), then you get a grape bush with a weak root system, and even located in the upper layers of the soil
In any case, such a newly rooted scion may die in 3-4 years. Therefore, it is better to leave the grafting point above the ground and not completely fill the hole. The fact that in this case the seedling will be in a kind of recess from the planting hole is not a problem.
The pit is filled slowly, gradually covering the roots with earth, adding it in handfuls.
Before filling the hole with soil, a couple of handfuls of barley should be added to it to further stimulate survival.
Each layer of earth is lightly compacted. This is necessary so that air voids do not form in the root layer. When the roots are sprinkled to the required level, the grapes are watered with 5-10 liters of water per bush.
After the water is completely absorbed, this usually happens after 20-30 minutes, additional watering is carried out with the same volume of water.
After 2-3 hours after watering, the soil is loosened. Following loosening, the bush must be mulched. For this purpose, some organic fertilizer (humus or peat) is used as mulch.
Mulching with straw or sawdust is a compromise as young seedlings will need sufficient nutrients and the use of mineral fertilizers in this case is undesirable, since even their low concentrations can cause root burns.
To protect against diseases for preventive purposes, copper-containing preparations of reduced concentration are used. They spray the top layer of soil.
Usually, the landing pattern does not play a special role, but in case dioecious varieties are planted, it is recommended to intersperse plants with functional female flowers with bisexual plants blooming at the same time.
For the first year, you can not install trellises near the bushes, limited to ordinary pegs, however, since the growth rate of vines is quite high, it is recommended to install stationary supports already in the second year.
VIDEO: Autumn planting of grapes
Autumn planting of grapes
Planting grapes: timing, distance, preparing a pit and planting a seedling in open ground, conditions for the Moscow region and Siberia | (Photo & Video) +Reviews
