In spring, grapes, especially in the first years of life, require increased attention. The future harvest depends on the timely removal of shelter, pruning and top dressing of grape bushes. We will find out what work will be done in the spring to the owners of the vineyards.
When do spring grape care begin?
Spring grape care includes a whole range of work, the timing of which depends on the climate, specific weather conditions and the method of wintering grapes.
The signal for the beginning of spring work is the cessation of night frosts. To free grapes from shelter, wait until the daily average temperature exceeds 5 ° C. As soon as stable warm weather is established, the grapes are opened and begin to carry out the spring complex of works.
What you need to know about the beginning of spring departure:
- Pruning of non-covering grapes can begin at the beginning of March, as soon as weather conditions permit.
- Pruning must be completed before the swelling of the kidneys, otherwise the trimmed bushes will dry.
- In early March, you can also start feeding. Moreover, covering grapes are not necessary to open for this.
In the middle lane, varieties that withstand frosts down to minus 32 ° C are not covered. In the south, grapes are grown without shelter with frost resistance up to minus 25 ° C.
Inspection of grapes and elimination of possible problems
Visually inspecting the grape bushes, identify damage acquired by the grapes during the winter. Some problems can be solved on the spot, others require radical action - it is necessary to replace the dead bushes.
If the vine is withered or ripe
Frequent temperature changes accompanying winter thaws lead to damage to the shoots. The annual vine is particularly affected. Damage Options:
- The vine has dried up. The bark of the shoots is cracked. If you raise the shoot - to tie up, you hear a clearly audible crunch.
- Vine sneaked. The ripened shoots are wet to the touch, they are darker than others - they look like damp wood. There may be a whitish coating and mold on the cortex.
Such damage is not a reason for uprooting the bush. Try to fix the situation:
- in a black ruberoid film (50 x 50 cm), cut a hole with a diameter of 10 cm in the middle;
- dig out the shoots so that the calcaneal roots appear - they may well wake up sleeping buds that will grow;
- cover the seedling with a film, crushing its edges with something heavy, pour the bush through the hole with water (temperature 45-55 ° C);
- add growth stimulator and biofertilizer to water.
After 1-3 weeks, the result should appear - from the awakened buds, shoot growth will begin.
Sudden spring frost
For many crops, spring back frosts are a huge danger. When the frost takes the plant “by surprise” - after the start of sap flow, the consequences can be disastrous. The owner of the vineyard runs the risk of losing part of the crop, or even left without it. Freezing kills all buds that open.
The task of the winegrower is to prevent the death of the kidneys. When the shelter is removed, it is necessary to slow down their disclosure. For this, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of iron sulfate. This drug will not only delay the growing season for half a month, but also prevent the development of many diseases of grapes.
Condensation problems under cover
Condensation can accumulate under cover due to soil moisture and air. This leads to mold and the development of fungus. If the weather is cold and it’s too early to remove the shelter, it’s useful to arrange a daytime airing.
If the option with ventilation does not fit, and the grapes run the risk of ripening under cover, do this:
- Peel off the film. Do it on a warm and sunny day.
- Fill the trunk circle with soil. Do not ram it. For one bush, 2 buckets of land are enough. This procedure is carried out if the vine is not dug up for the winter.
- A hill, poured around the bush, will protect the roots of grapes from spring frosts.
- Pin the vine to the ground and cover it with fiberglass. This light and breathable material will prevent the accumulation of moisture, due to which the shoots will melt and get sick with a fungus.
Winter Shelter Removal
The timing and technique of removing the shelter depends on the characteristics of the regional climate. If the spring weather is unstable, the opening of the bushes is carried out gradually. As soon as the positive temperature is established, holes are made in the covering material - for ventilation. When the green cone appears, the shelter is removed.
Swollen kidneys are not a reason to remove the shelter. A clear signal is the appearance of shoots on the vine.
If the bushes grow in lowlands or trenches, make narrow grooves - to divert water. If you do not dig them, you will have to scoop up water from under the bushes, otherwise the roots will rot.
Garter
One of the first spring grape care activities is garter shoots. Dry garter of the bearing parts to the trellises is carried out before the formation of green leaves and shoots.
If you are late with a garter, the following problems are possible:
- defeat by insects and diseases;
- complication of the formation of bushes;
- drop in yield and deterioration in the taste of berries.
For garter use a soft cloth, twine or special devices - they can be bought in specialized stores. It is forbidden to use fishing line and nylon ropes for garter.
Features of a grape garter in the spring:
- For young bushes - up to two years, put a wire mesh or a small vertical support. On the grid, the vine creeps on its own, tied to a peg as it grows.
- Fruitful branches bend to the bottom row of trellises so that the green shoots have the opportunity to grow up. Further garter will be made as the shoots grow - every two weeks.
Watering Schemes
The first time the grapes are watered in order to awaken it and stimulate growth. On the other hand, watering slows down the blooming of the kidneys a little - this prevents their defeat by frost. Watered bushes with warm water. In anticipation of severe frosts, grapes are recharged with cold water.
Features of watering grapes in spring:
- 200-300 liters of water are spent on an adult grape bush. Water, penetrating into the deeper layers of the soil, will nourish the roots for several months.
- The following watering is not so plentiful - 20-30 liters per bush. The interval between watering is 8-10 days.
- The second water-charging irrigation is carried out at the end of spring - 3 weeks before flowering.
- Water is poured into the holes near the stems - at a distance of half a meter, or dug grooves with a depth of 20 cm.
- Watering is recommended to combine with top dressing. To do this, special watering holes are installed in the soil or a drip irrigation system is laid.
Before and during flowering, grapes should not be watered abundantly - many flowers may crumble.
Drainage holes made along the perimeter of the rhizome, can effectively moisturize the grapes. How to build an irrigation system:
- On 4 sides of the bush, drill 4 holes per meter in depth.
- The distance from the bush to the holes is determined by the length of the roots, it leaves 50-80 cm.
- At an elevation, place a 200 liter barrel. Connect a hose to it. Attach an adapter to the end of the hose and attach 4 tubes.
Such an irrigation system allows you to water the bush quickly and fully. This method is especially good at the initial stage of the growing season.
Loosening
The purpose of loosening is to improve aeration and water permeability of the soil. In spring, two loosening is carried out:
- After removing the shelter. Deep loosening - 20-25 cm.
- Before the entry of the bushes into the flowering phase. Depth - 10 cm.
Too often it is impossible to loosen the soil - it is possible to disrupt the natural processes in it.
When and how to mulch the soil?
Mulching consists in covering the soil with different materials. This is done to improve soil properties. Benefits of mulching:
- formation of an earth crust is prevented;
- moisture is well preserved in the soil;
- the roots are protected from overheating and drying out;
- the soil remains loose for a long time;
- during rain and watering, soil particles on which pathogens can be found do not fall on leaves;
- the lower clusters remain clean after rain, less covered with dust;
- wind entrainment of particles of fertile land is prevented;
- organic mulch is also a fertilizer that forms humus over time;
- weed growth is prevented;
- the vineyard looks more attractive.
Mulching is a simple and inexpensive process. Spend it in the spring, after water-loading irrigation. As a mulch, different materials are used. The soil is sprinkled with straw, wood chips, sawdust, bark, needles, cones and other suitable materials.
Fertilizing and fertilizing
For spring fertilizing fertilizers use organic and mineral fertilizers. Grapes can be fed with cow or horse manure, chicken droppings, compost, complex fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Top dressing is poured into the furrows 40 cm deep - they are done around the trunks at a distance of 50-80 cm.
Dates and composition of top dressing of grapes in spring:
Top dressing period | What to deposit? |
Before removing the shelter | In a bucket of water - 5 g of potassium, 10 g of ammonium nitrate and 20 g of superphosphate. 10 l of fertilizing - for each bush. |
Beginning of april | They bring manure or compost. They are laid around the trunk, and then dug up the soil. |
Mid may | In a bucket of water - 10 g of phosphorus, 30 g of nitrogen and the same amount of potassium. |
Pruning
Grapes are very thermophilic, so often its vine freezes even under shelter. In spring, two types of pruning are carried out:
- Sanitary. They approach her immediately, having removed the shelter. Damaged and dead shoots are found that are immediately cut off.
- Formative. After sanitary pruning, the formation of a bush begins. This pruning is aimed at adjusting the length of cordons and sleeves.
In order for the sections to heal faster, they are made even, smooth, neat. When pruning old branches under the ring, the stump should be small - no more than 1 cm high.
Slices are done on the inside of the bush. On the branches, 4 buds should be left, on fruit arrows - 12-14 pieces. Be sure to remove all basal shoots so that they do not pull on themselves the nutrients and strength of the plant.
Correct pruning is the key to a high yield, the proper development of the vine and the good taste of berries.
Graft
Vaccination is done in order to improve productivity, increase frost resistance and immunity. For grafting use cuttings 10-15 cm long. They should have 2-3 eyes. They are cut off in the fall and stored until spring, after having dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate, dried and wrapped with a film. Store them in the cellar or in the refrigerator.
To ensure that the spring vaccination is successful, varieties with the same growth strength are inoculated. Use only disinfected tools. Inoculate grapes end-to-end, by copulation, flap or half-flap.
Disease prevention
Preventive measures in the spring:
- To prevent infection with mildew, after they remove the shelter, they immediately tie the vine to the trellis. Leaves and shoots must not be allowed to touch the ground and absorb moisture - this contributes to the spread of infections.
- After the garter, the soil is disinfected. The soil in near-stem circles is treated with Bordeaux liquid, vitriol, preparations of Tsineb or Ridomil Gold. The last drug is preferred - it is the least toxic.
The lower branches of grapes are especially carefully sprayed - the basal zone is most affected by diseases. Bushes can also be sprayed with biological products - Fitosporin, Trichodermin, Actofit.
Preventive spraying is carried out at intervals of 10-15 days or on the recommendation of the manufacturer of the drug.
Get more information about how, when and how to spray grapes in the spring on the pages of our site.
Pest treatment
Fighting insects usually begin after their appearance. Use insecticides. But they also carry out preventive spraying. So, with the help of Nitrofen, you can destroy almost any parasites. For prevention, the bushes are sprayed with Nitrofen, diluting 200 g of the drug in 10 liters of water.
The most dangerous pests for grapes are phylloxera, mealybug and spider mite. For prevention, grapes are sprayed with malathion. Per 100 square meters m use 15 l of solution. For its preparation, 60 g of the drug are dissolved in 8 l of water. To destroy phylloxera when it appears, you can use the preparations Zolon, Actelik or Confidor.
Transfer
To transplant grapes, you have to consider the size of the root system. The depth of the roots is 60 cm. The order of grape transplantation:
- Dig a plant within a radius of half a meter.
- Remove the bush from the ground. If the roots are deeply sprouted, prune them.
- Clear the extracted rhizome from the ground. Dip the roots in the clay mash.
- In a hole dug for landing, pour warm water - 10 liters.
- Pour sand, clay and gravel into the pit.
- Immerse the roots of the plant in the pit and fill them with fertile soil.
To improve the survival of grapes and enrich the soil with iron, 200 g of barley and two rusty nails are placed in the planting pit.
If a young plant is transplanted, it is moved to the planting pit along with an earthen lump - the method of transshipment.
Stop "crying vines"
“Weeping vines” refers to the flow of juice from the slices left after pruning. If the juice production is moderate, nothing should be done - this is a normal process for grapes, indicating a good metabolism and plant health.
The volume of fluid released during the "cry" depends on the size of the bush and is 0.3-2 liters. With prolonged and profuse flow, the soil is depleted and dehydrated, so it is stopped if necessary.
How to stop the allocation of juice:
- In the near-stem circle of all grape bushes, add 5-10 g of complex non-mineral fertilizers.
- Loosen the soil thoroughly and water the plants.
Monthly agricultural activities table
Spring work is carried out in a certain sequence. Dates and subtleties of agricultural activities are adjusted taking into account the peculiarities of the local climate.
Spring work calendar:
Month | List of works |
March |
|
April |
|
May |
|
Features of spring care depending on the region
Spring care depends on climatic conditions. The timing and order of agricultural activities are affected by humidity, temperature, soil structure and other factors.
Features of spring grape care in different regions:
- The middle strip and the suburbs. Here spring begins late. There is a risk of freezing frost. With the removal of the shelter is not worth the haste, it is removed at the end of April. First, remove the top coating, then the rest. Conduct sanitary pruning. After 10 days - top dressing. Frequency of top dressing - every two weeks until fruiting.
Local soils lack magnesium. The soil is mulched, occasionally watered if there is no rain. A local feature is the waterlogging of the soil, this contributes to the spread of fungi. To prevent disease, it is recommended to tie the vine on the trellis. - Volga region. Shelter is removed in late April or even in early May. It is dangerous to remove the shelter immediately, since there remains the risk of night frosts. At night, the grapes continue to cover. Option - installation of the arc frame, which stretch the film.
In such a temporary greenhouse, grapes quickly awaken. The gradual removal of the shelter allows you to painlessly and safely awaken and adapt the plant. After opening, the bushes are sprayed, protecting from fungi and insects. Irrigation is rare, but plentiful, when loosening fertilizer.
- Siberia. Only the most winter-hardy varieties with early ripening are cultivated here. Usually, white and pink hybrids are planted in Siberia, since dark grapes simply do not have time to ripen. In the Siberian climate, grapes are grown only in greenhouses. The soil here uses light, well-aerated soil.
With the onset of spring, grapes are fed with complex mineral compounds. It is important not to overdo it with nitrogen fertilizers - their excess leads to intensive growth of leaves and shoots, impairing flowering and fruit formation. Grape pruning is carried out in the spring only sanitary, the formation of the bush is postponed until autumn. - Ural. Here the climate is less severe than in Siberia, but still it is unfavorable for grapes. They grow hardy varieties in the Urals that are hardy and resistant to diseases. Shelter is not removed until May - the bushes are protected from frost.
Open grapes after the onset of steady heat - when the temperature does not fall below 13-15 degrees heat. The grapes are ventilated before opening to prevent condensation. During the day they open the shelter, and close it at night. Trimming is regular, but not strong. - Crimea. Here the vine is not covered for the winter, so it does not have to be removed from the trellis. Pruning starts in February. In the south, it is important to control the soil moisture, as a lack of water leads to the rapid drying of the vines.
The fate of the harvest is largely dependent on spring care. If correctly and in time to carry out each agrotechnical action, all prerequisites for a full-fledged crop will be created. It is especially important to remove the shelter in time, it is worth rushing, and the plants will be irreparably damaged.
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