How to properly prepare a vine for wintering. How to prepare grape bushes for winter

Foreword

For many gardeners, winter becomes a real test, since frost can destroy all plantings, there is nothing to say about the harvest. That is why it is so important to know how to prepare plants for cold weather.

Required tools and materials

Staples

What harm can frost do to grapes?

From severe cold weather, grape bushes can be damaged of varying severity. Naturally, this will lead to further problems with the development of plants and their yield.

Frost can lead to the death of one-year growth and perennial branches, due to which active growth will be observed only in coppice shoots;
Due to cold weather, the aboveground part of the vineyard may die;
If fruit buds suffer from frost, there will be no flowering of grapes in the new season, which means that you will receive a harvest at least in a year;
Severe cold weather can damage not only the entire aerial part, but also the root, due to which the grapes will cease to grow and produce crops.

Knowing how to preserve grapes in winter can avoid these problems. And the lack of shelter will lead to the death of a young vine, and branches, and the root system. As a result, you can lose almost all of your crop. Preparing grapes for winter is what will help to avoid severe frostbite.

How to Prepare Grapes for Winter: Grape Vine Care

From March to November, it is necessary to constantly inspect the grapes, quickly and effectively eliminating diseased shoots, cutting out damaged or frozen branches. It is also carried out with the help of fungicides. After harvesting, you can use an increased dose of processing chemicals to help the grapes ripen and winter in a healthy state.

Winegrowers know that plants, being under cover in warm temperatures, spend a lot of nutrients to support the processes in the "body". And so that the grape vines have enough nutrients for the winter and for the subsequent development of new shoots in the spring, the plant is fed with mineral and organic fertilizers. It should be remembered about foliar feeding, which is carried out several times over the summer.

The prerequisites for caring for a vineyard are:

Timely thinning of the vine and removal of unnecessary branches;
Supports vine health by providing nutrients.

The second stage of preparation for winter is pruning and katarovka

If you have taken care of the grapes for a year, trying to keep the plants healthy, you can proceed with the next step -. However, before that, it is necessary to trim and cut (remove) part of the root system. Keep in mind that the branches are pruned some time after the grape harvest - the vine needs to get stronger a little, replenishing the supply of nutrients.

As growers say, early removal of shoots reduces the frost resistance of the plant - it is advisable to start these works at the onset of the first frosts. Catarovka (removal of roots that grow near the soil itself) is carried out in order to strengthen the root system.

The work is carried out as follows:

First, we dig a ditch around the boles up to 25 cm deep;
Cut off the roots to the base and cover the slices with vitriol;
Fill the trench with sand on top;
We huddle and water the bushes.

How to save grapes for the winter - choosing a shelter

The most popular shelter methods are the dry option and covering the vines and shoots with earth. Sprinkling with soil is considered the easiest option, it is most acceptable for young grapes. The shelter goes like this:

We dig a trench to a depth of 20 cm, put a sleeve in it, cover the bottom with straw or fallen leaves with a layer of about 5 cm;
We remove the vine from the trellises and put it in a trench, covering it with straw.

To carry out the dry method of sheltering, you will need plastic wrap and such dense material as mats, tarpaulins, agrofibre. To carry out a shelter in this way, you do not need to dig a trench, since we will lay the branches on mulch under the bushes of grapes, covering them on top with hay or straw with a layer of at least 30 cm... We put bags, film on top of the material, fixing them with steel brackets.

When preparing a grape planting for the winter, it is very important to correctly carry out all the activities in the fall, which will help preserve the berry culture without losses until spring, and will also allow you to get a rich and high-quality harvest next year.

Features of preparing grapes for winter in the Middle Lane: how to cover, cut, process

Proper care in the fall is especially important for young planting of grapes. Saplings, as well as young bushes of this berry culture, regardless of the cultivar, have sufficient winter hardiness, therefore, with a frosty winter with little snow, the risk of freezing out of the vine and grape leaves sharply increases. A newly planted seedling of this garden culture is especially susceptible to freezing.

The best covering materials

Today, gardeners practice several methods of sheltering grapes for the winter.

Shelter method	Execution technology	Application features
hilling	Creating a mound above the plant with a height of 10 cm to 25 cm	Suitable for protecting the first year of life
half-shelter	Create a cover for sleeves, bush head and shoot base from straw or agrofibre	Protection of the part of the crown of the grape bush located closest to the soil surface
full cover of bushes	Remove the vine from the trellises and defoliation with formative pruning. Bend the plant to the ground, and then cover it with natural fabric and insulation film	In warm winter, ventilation should be provided in insulated structures to prevent steaming of the plant and premature opening of the buds.

Winter pruning rules

Podwinter pruning is recommended in regions of sheltering viticulture and contributes to a more effective shelter of the plant before the onset of winter cold weather:

no more than four eyes should be left on the replacement knots;
it is advisable to leave more than ten eyes on fertile vines;
the cuts should be facing the inside of the plant;
all bends left must be strong and healthy;
it is recommended to remove non-fruiting arrows;
replacement knots should be as close as possible to the trunk;
the cut area is desirable to process.

When pruning vines, it is advisable to leave small stumps that will not allow the wounds to heal for too long. The optimal pruning time depends on the weather and soil-climatic conditions in the region where the grapes are grown. All affected by diseases and too old shoots are subject to mandatory removal during this period.

Top dressing, watering and other care in the fall

In autumn, water-charging irrigation is very important, which should be done in trenches that remain after the plants are covered with soil and with the help of special drainage holes. If the soil remains dry, the winter frosts can penetrate deeply into the soil, as a result of which the rupture and death of the root system is often observed. In a rainy autumn with well-dug and loose soil, there is no need for water-charging irrigation.

After active growth and a productive phase, the grapes need to replenish the expended energy, which will allow them to prepare themselves in the best quality for winter, as well as for the next fruiting season. In the fall, you should adhere to the following recommendations for feeding berry crops:

in early September, the first top dressing accelerates the ripening of the vine and prepares the plant for winter;
for the first feeding, 20 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium salt are used for each square meter of the vineyard;
a good result is given by the addition of the first feeding 1-2.5 g of boric acid, 2 g of zinc sulfate and 2-2.5 g of manganese sulfate;
in the presence of sandy soil, 1 g of potassium iodine is introduced;
in the late autumn period, feeding is carried out by introducing 25 g of potassium and 25 g of phosphorus for each square meter of the planting area.

All dressings must be accompanied by the most abundant watering.

Protection of vines from diseases and pests

The processing of the vineyard in the autumn allows maintaining the health of the berry culture and is carried out according to the following scheme:

conduct a visual inspection of the aerial part of the plant to detect mildew damage;
if necessary, remove diseased shoots and treat the vineyard with chemicals;
for spraying, you can use "Amistar", "Mikal", "Efal", "Delan", "Ditan-M45", "Strobi", "Novozir", "Utan", "Penkoceb", "Acrobat", "Ridomil-gold "," Kuproksatom "," Kartotsidom "," Sandofan "," Copper oxychloride "," Oxyhom "," Agiba-Peak "," Polyram "," Avixil "or" Folpan ";
if the vineyard is found to be damaged by powdery mildew, then the plant is treated with sulfur preparations;
with oidium, it is advisable to spray the above-ground part of the grape bush with "Gray Colloid", "Mikal", "Fundazol", "Amistar", "Vectra", "Topaz", "Cumulus", "Strobi", "Kartotsid", "Tiovit-Jet" , "Falcon" or "Impact";
similar preparations can be used to protect the vineyard from damage by phomopsis and anthracnose;
the grape leafworm will help scare off infusions based on tobacco and chamomile or the drug "Rovikurt";
for the prevention of cercosporosis, the drugs "Fundazol" or "Polychom" are used.

It is very important to make timely minting and pinching to kill the mites on the vine. Before wrapping for the winter, pruned vines are recommended to be treated with a 3-5% solution based on copper or iron sulfate.

How to cover grapes for the winter (video)

Late planting in the suburbs, in the Ukraine, in Bashkiria

Landing technology:

the site should be open, well protected from cold winds and drafts;
planting grapes should not be located near tall fruit plantations of garden trees;
a high-quality seedling has a well-developed annual green shoot 40-50 cm high with a stem thickness of 7-8 mm;
a well-developed grape seedling should have three or more roots of light brown color, 10-15 cm long with a thickness of more than 2-3 mm;
shoots should have well-ripened buds, and immediately before planting, they must be shortened by four eyes;
it is recommended to immerse the root system after refreshing pruning in a solution based on heteroauxin before planting;
a planting pit with dimensions of 50x50x60 should be prepared in advance, providing high-quality drainage based on rubble or brick battle;
it is recommended to install a pipe in the center of the planting pit for liquid feeding and watering the plant;
the pit should be filled with fertile soil with the addition of nitroammofoska, wood ash and humus.

After planting, it is necessary to carry out abundant irrigation measures. Autumn planting involves the obligatory high hilling of the plant with soil, as well as mulching with needles, sawdust or shavings.

Variety selection

In the autumn period, it makes sense to plant only the most unpretentious, the most frost-resistant varieties that are able to take root well before the onset of winter frosts. Currently, there are several such varieties, and all of them quite reasonably deserve the attention of amateur gardeners.

Variety	Category	Peculiarities	Frost resistance
"Riesling"	Technical (wine) grade	Unpretentiousness to growing conditions	down to -26 ° C.
"Augustine"	Hybrid form	Increased resistance to various diseases	down to -26 ° C.
"Alpha"	Complex hybrid shape	Resistant to gray mold and grape moth attack	down to -29 ° С
"Isabel"	Hybrid table-technical grade	Characterized by a strong and vigorous vine	up to -32 ° С
"Marinovsky"	Hybrid view	Low sugar content of ripe berries	down to -29 ° С
"Amursky"	A variety of European-Amur origin.	Needs seasonal yield rationing	down to -29 ° С

Storage of grape cuttings until spring

Cuttings (shanks) of grapes are kept fairly well until spring at home. As a rule, long-term storage of cuttings in the form of a blank of planting material for spring planting is carried out in the cellar or in the refrigerator according to the following recommendations:

cuttings tied in bundles should be placed in a plastic bag, sprinkled with moistened sawdust. It is impossible to tie the bag tightly, as this can disrupt air exchange and breathing of the planting material. The package with cuttings should be placed for long-term storage in a cellar at a temperature in the range of 2-4 ° C;
long-term storage of planting material can be carried out in special trenches 50 cm deep with arbitrary length and width. In this case, cut cuttings must be tied into bundles, laid on the bottom of the sandy bottom of the trench, sprinkled with a layer of wet sand and soil.

You can also keep the planting material fresh in a regular household refrigerator. The cut cuttings should be wrapped in a damp and clean cloth, then placed in plastic bags and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.

How to keep grapes fresh for longer

When harvesting, gardeners ask themselves how to preserve the berries and leaves of the cultivated crop longer with minimal losses. Of course, the most mature late-ripening varieties are stored for the longest time, but certain rules should be adhered to during their storage.

Berry storage

Long-term storage of grape berries involves a certain preparation of the storage and the implementation of the correct harvest:

there must be constant ventilation in the storage room for grapes;
in winter, the temperature indicators in the storage should not fall below the 2 ° C mark, and the optimal indicators can vary between 0-5 ° C;
the store must be completely free of pests and molds, so the visit should be pre-treated.

Ripe bunches can be laid out on shelves, stored in wooden tubs or wicker baskets, or hung from the ceiling.

Leaf storage

Grape leaves for making dolma can be stored in several ways:

freezing leaves;
pickling canning;
dry canning;
salting and dry salting.

Most often, washed and dried leaves are stacked in stacks of up to thirty pieces and wrapped in cling film. Such a workpiece is perfectly stored in a household freezer.

How to prune grapes before leaving to winter (video)

Nowadays, grapes are in demand in the same way as they were thousands of years ago. The berries and leaves of this culture are eaten fresh, and serve as an excellent basis for harvesting. It is not too difficult to grow this valuable and popular plant in home gardening conditions, it is enough to follow the technology and adhere to all the recommendations listed above.

Reviews and comments

Svetlana 10/25/2015

You need to be careful with straw when covering grapes, especially if it contains spikelets with grain: mice can breed in it and arrange nests. Then they will nibble the whole vine. So it was with me when I just started to deal with grapes. And before the shelter, I sprinkle the vine with red pepper: this does not like mice.

Elena 08/30/2018

In the fall, we cover the grapes in two ways, or we dig trenches along the grapes, put the vines there and sprinkle them with earth, or just bend the vines to the ground, fix them with brackets, cover them with oilcloth on top and fix it with brackets too. As far as I know grapes are not so afraid of the cold as icing.

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Hello to all lovers of homemade products, as well as those who love to do gardening!

In this article, I want to continue the topic of growing grapes on personal plots in central Russia.

And today I will talk about how to prepare a grape bush for wintering, which is undoubtedly a very important step in caring for grapes, since not only its harvest next year, but also the very fact of its survival and subsequent existence, depends on a good wintering.

In principle, the preparation of a grape bush for winter, you can slowly begin immediately after harvesting in mid - late September. At this time, individual weak or dried vines can be cut.

However, the main strong vines need to be left to ripen for about a month more. During this time, they lignify better, accumulate more nutrients, become hardened, and become more resistant to cold.

By about mid-October, the vines turn brown, which indicates that they are well ripe. At this time, you can start pruning, as well as harvesting cuttings from cut vines (if necessary).

So, this is what our grape bush looks like by mid-October.

As you can see, there are still many leaves hanging on it, but they are already dry and dead.

These leaves must be removed.

From the bush itself, the leaves are removed by simple tearing off. Moreover, it is very easy to do this, since they can hardly hold on.

Fallen leaves must also be carefully removed from under the grape bush.

You can then slightly loosen the topsoil under the bush with a hoe or rake.

In this way it is possible to remove the remaining weeds and also break up the earth crust (if present).

This is how our bush looks like with removed leaves and weeds.

Now you can start cutting out unnecessary vines.

To begin with, we cut the ties with a knife, with which the vertical vines, intended for removal, were tied to the trellis.

Then we cut off the vertical vines themselves with a pruner.

These vines can be used to harvest cuttings. For information on how to prepare cuttings, see my article: "". If the cuttings are not needed, then the cut vines can, for example, be burned at the stake.

Then we cut off the horizontal vines, directly from which the vertical ones we cut grew.

The hemp left over from the horizontal vines we cut off is carefully covered with garden varnish, or another remedy for wounds.

We also remove the wooden pegs to which the horizontal vines were tied.

And this is what our grape bush looks like now.

As you can see, I left on it seven of the most successful growing vertical vines at the very base of the bush. From these vines next year, in the spring, I will choose the most suitable and tie them horizontally to the pegs. It is from them that new vertical vines will grow, on which the harvest of the next year will actually be formed.

In principle, depending on the age and strength of the bush, it is recommended to leave two to six of these vines on it, which next year will serve as horizontal arms.

Of the seven vines I have left, I will also use, most likely, 4 to 6 vines, and the extra vines can be removed as early as next spring.

Now we can leave our grape bush in this form for another two or three weeks before the onset of persistent cold and frost at night.

During this time, as a rule, in the second half of October, it is necessary to carry out pre-winter water-charging watering of our bush.

Moisture-charging irrigation makes the grape bush more tenacious and frost-resistant and generally better adapted for wintering.

Moreover, it is desirable to produce such watering, even if the autumn is rather damp and rainy. In this case, it is enough to pour 50-60 liters of water under the bush. If autumn is dry, then the amount of water should be increased to 70-80 liters.

So, we make water charging watering of our grape bush.

You need to water the bush gradually and evenly, that is, after we pour out one watering, you need to wait two to three minutes for the water to be well absorbed, and then water again until we pour out all the required amount of water.

Now we leave our grape bush alone for a while.

When more significant cold weather sets in, and the temperature at night will drop to -2, -3 degrees, it will be necessary to fill the base of the bush with two or three buckets of earth or humus.

In this form, our bush will remain until the very moment of its shelter for the winter.

As a rule, the final cover of the grape bush is done closer to mid-November. But here, of course, it all depends on the specific weather conditions. If from a long-term weather forecast it becomes known about the onset of severe cold weather, as well as frosts down to -5, -6 degrees and below, then the bush must be covered.

Before sheltering the grape bush (preferably in advance), you need to prepare spruce branches and hooks for pinning the vines to the ground.

These hooks can be made from wood planks or wire, but the simplest option, which I have been using for a long time, is to cut these hooks with pruning shears from various branches left after the autumn pruning of the garden.

So, for the final shelter of the grape bush for the winter, we perform the following operations:

We take several branches of spruce branches and lay them out at the base of the bush. We will lay twisted vines on them.

Then we untie all the vines from the trellises, remove the trellises themselves and disassemble their racks.

This is what our bush looks like already without trellises.

Now gently bend the vines to the ground and twist them slightly. This must be done very carefully, since the vines are very fragile and can easily break.

We put all the vines on the placed spruce branches and pin them to the ground with wooden hooks.

And this is what our bush looks like with vines pinned to the ground.

Now we cover it with spruce branches. To do this, spread the branches of the spruce branches in a fan around the circumference with the fluffy ends of the branches outward, and with the broken ends to the middle of the bush.

Thus, we apply three, four layers of spruce branches. Each new layer is applied a little closer to the middle of the bush.

As a result, we get such a rather dense and reliable shelter.

Now our grape bush can calmly winter until spring.

At the same time, I would like to remind you that since it is not the spruce branches itself that protects the grape bush from winter freezing, but the layer of snow that is on it, it is very desirable to additionally throw snow with a shovel several times during the winter on the covered bush, thus creating a thicker snow pillow.

In conclusion, I would like to say a few more words about the advantages of spruce branches as a covering material.

In my experience, spruce branches are the best covering material for grapes and other horticultural crops. Its main advantages are that it allows air to pass through very well and at the same time perfectly retains snow.

I must say that some gardeners are trying to cover the grapes with hay or fallen leaves. However, I do not recommend doing this in any way. Since these materials are good for air permeability, only in dry form. If they get wet, for example, during a thaw, and then also freeze in this form, then they completely cease to let air through. As a result, all vines sheltered for the winter can simply rip off and rot under such a shelter.

Therefore, for the shelter of the grape bush, it is best to use spruce branches. Of course, I must say right away that not all gardeners in our time have the opportunity to get spruce branches. But it is highly desirable to do so. At least just a few twigs of spruce branches to cover the grape bush in just two layers. From above it will be possible to additionally impose more cut branches from fruit trees and shrubs so that they better keep the snow.

If you have absolutely no way to get spruce branches, then try to cover the grape bush with a non-woven covering material folded in two or three layers. At least it will allow air to pass through even when wet. On top, again, you can put cut branches, or several wooden boards, on which periodically during the winter you will need to throw snow for better thermal insulation.

Well, that's all for me!

Good luck to everyone in growing grapes!

How to do everything right, not harm the plant and protect it from low temperatures in winter - read on!

Grapes for the winter - we monitor the health of the vine in advance

Every gardener, even an amateur, knows that a weak and sick vine will never survive the winter and is doomed to die. In order for the plant not to hurt and to have excellent vitality, before the onset of frost, it is necessary to take care of the most comfortable conditions for its growth and ensure proper fertilization of the root system. It is fertilizers that most affect the strength of the vine and its readiness for wintering, since grapes accumulate starch, organic matter and sugar, which do not allow them to freeze even in the coldest frosts. If the plant has not accumulated the necessary substances, then the risk of freezing is very high.

It is necessary to pay attention to grape diseases. If powdery mildew forms on it, a fungus, mold or a vine has been attacked by a pest, it is necessary immediately, after collecting all the bunches (so as not to eat chemicals), to treat it with continuous action fungicides. Any preparations, since the main thing is to destroy all biological activity on the plant and allow it to calmly accumulate nutrients.

Vine care also includes copper sulfate treatment in the fall. For this, a solution of 5% is suitable, which must be abundantly sprayed on the plant, and even better - to dip it into the solution, if it is possible to do so. This helps to get rid of many pests and sterilize the vine, so that while under the snow (or under an artificial "roof") nothing will disturb.

From the first days of spring, it is necessary to ensure that the bushes are not too thick, otherwise they will have low vitality, and each process will not be able to absorb the required amount of minerals and salts.

Pruning grapes

Shelter of grapes for the winter is impossible without high-quality pruning for several reasons. First, it should be noted that a large amount of material and labor will be required to bury the 7-8 meter branches. It is better to shorten them to 2-3 meters, so that it is convenient to tilt them to the ground and cover them with special agrofibre or cover them with earth. Pruning is necessary not only for convenience, but also for the health of the plant itself. The stem accumulates useful substances, the outflow of which occurs from annual shoots to the productive part of the bush and roots. Thus, shoots should not be pruned immediately after fruiting, as some gardeners do.

The optimal pruning time is the first frost. It is then that the juice stops moving and the "hibernation" period begins. You can safely remove annual shoots - they will still freeze and dry up in the spring. Absolutely everything is cut off to the hardened part, you can leave at your own peril and risk 20-30 centimeters more, but not the fact that this area will overwinter. Only perennial wood is thick enough to survive icing. The winter hardiness of the bush will increase significantly if the site is protected from the wind, since it is he who affects the icing of the stem. Icing restricts oxygen access and prevents the plant from breathing, as a result of which areas die off (even perennial wood).

Choosing a vine that will overwinter is easy enough. This can be done visually. Its thickness should be at least 10-15 mm, if less - it is better not to risk it.

Then we look at the core of the vine. If it occupies from 90 to 60% of the area, then there is no chance of surviving prolonged cold weather. It is necessary that the core occupies no more than 40-50% of the volume, then we can say that all vital "organs" will be reliably hidden from the cold. The remaining thin stems can be safely cut out.

How to keep grapes for the winter - the harm and benefits of feeding

Many will be sincerely surprised that fertilizers can do a lot of harm, especially for early varieties. It is known that nitrogen fertilizers have a too good effect on the development of vegetative mass, especially at ambient temperatures above +15 0 C. Thus, the weight gain can be up to 1% per day or more, and the surface of the vine does not have time to harden and remains for several months “ young". As a result, the shoots can freeze at low temperatures, and their growth stops only 1-2 months after the end of feeding with nitrogen-containing substances.

To prevent this from happening, and the stem had time to harden and form a strong bark that would protect it from low temperatures, it is necessary to finish feeding with liquid and granular fertilizers 3-4 months before the onset of cold weather. That is, as soon as the vineyard has ceased to bear fruit (or better a month before that), it is necessary to suspend the application of ammonium nitrate and phosphorus fertilizers.

But do not confuse phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers with organic fertilizers, which will only benefit the root system and stems. They both nourish the necessary substances and warm the roots as a result of chemical processes that occur during the slow decomposition of organic substances. At the end of October, it is necessary to apply up to 5-10 kg of humus under each bush, and do this so that all lateral roots do not come into direct contact with it, but have a ball of soil 5-6 centimeters from the humus. Otherwise, they can simply burn out in the spring at high temperatures. In any case, if you covered the area with organic fertilizers, in the spring you need to pour everything abundantly so that the substances are absorbed evenly into the soil and do not harm.

Construction of winter shelters and their features

When constructing winter shelters, the main thing is to understand one simple thing - the frost is not as bad as ice, which makes it impossible to breathe. Even in the most severe frosts, the raspberry tree can remain unharmed if it was in a secluded place and “breathed”. Therefore, it makes no sense to dig large trenches, it is enough just to sprinkle it on top with earth or cover the vine.

When and how to insulate grapes for the winter, no one will tell you for sure, since there is no single correct solution for this problem. Everyone uses the method that is most popular in their latitudes. In many cases, they begin to cover at an average daily temperature of - 5 ° C degrees - this is the ideal period, according to 60% of surveyed gardeners. What should be considered and what should be paid attention to?

The length of stay under winter shelter should be kept to a minimum. The more it is underground, fabric and other types of insulation layers, the weaker the bunches will be in the spring. Covering grapes in nature is not provided, and it needs constant access of air, in the ground it is affected by bacteria, begins to rot and simply "suffocate" over time. The sooner you dig it up and the later you bury it, the faster the young shoots will develop and the bunches will form.
It is not enough to accumulate starch for the wintering period, it is necessary that it crystallizes into sugar... Only sugar syrup, which is formed during exposure to subzero temperatures on starch, can save the plant. It works like antifreeze in a car - it does not allow the entire "mechanism" to freeze even at -20 0С. What should be done? Just let it stand in the cold for a few days. After that, you can cover and bury.
Do not cover with foil. Under no circumstances should polyethylene materials be used for wintering shelters.... The cells stop breathing and die. It is also worth considering that under the film there will be a greenhouse effect: under the sun, the buds will germinate and immediately die at night at negative temperatures. It is better to leave without any shelter at all than under the film - so at least there will be chances to survive.
You cannot cover the vine early. If it gets into warm ground, it can germinate, after which severe frosts will destroy the buds.

There are a large number of options for sheltering for the winter, from the most laborious and long-lasting, to five minutes. Let's consider several ways to build wintering "houses":

A way for the lazy. We bend the branches to the floor, cover with a polypropylene bag or agrofibre on top and press down with bricks. Actually, nothing else is needed. You can also sketch the earth along the edge.
A way for earthmoving enthusiasts. We dig a hole 30-40 centimeters deep and the length of the entire stem, after which we put the vine in it and bury it. Sketch another 20-25 centimeters of earth on top so that no frost will find your treasure. If you still have strength and desire, you can still throw the earth on the roots on top, so that they will be warm and cozy on cold winter nights.
A way for lovers of modern architecture. If you were unable to make a beautiful landscape design during the warm season - you have the opportunity to do it now! The tied and erect stem is wrapped in agrofibre, burlap or other breathable material. Thus, you get a beautiful "Ekibana" of impressive size! Not pretty enough? You can paint such a "structure" in white or black - original. Guests will surely appreciate your taste, and the style will be reminiscent of European (they decorate every element in small yards, including plants prepared for winter)!
A way for gardeners who grow a lot of green leaves. If the bush is very large and has thin stems in the fall, the easiest way is to twist them into a spiral, and then tie them. Drive 4 sticks around the bush, wrap them around with agrofibre or even mineral wool (some prefer to use fiberglass). Imagine yourself as a silkworm and make a beautiful cocoon around the bush! With a wall thickness of "cocoon" of 1-2 mm, no frost is terrible for the plant!

There are many more ways to preserve grapes in winter, but these are the most popular and proven by many gardeners. Summer residents and gardeners also use special insulation materials for shelter, but then the structure turns out to be relatively expensive (moreover, it is disposable and will have to be thrown out the next year). Therefore, there is no need to consider this method. If you do everything correctly according to this guide, then next year you can confidently count on a good and tasty berry harvest!

In the rather harsh Russian climate, preparing grapes for winter becomes very difficult.

To harvest a good harvest, the "breeder" of grapes must identify in advance for himself a list of necessary procedures, perform them correctly, while choosing the most suitable time for them. An error in timing threatens with damping out or freezing of grape bushes, and hence their death.

Preparing grapes for the winter cold is an important and serious process. How easily grape bushes will survive the winter depends on caring for them throughout the season. Weak, sickly grapes with poorly ripened wood will not survive the winter. Therefore, starting in early spring, he needs constant care and attention.

Choose carefully the varieties that are suitable for your region;
The bushes must be completely healthy;
Thinning the vineyard regularly, removing damaged and excess branches;
Remember that the more a bush yields, the longer its wood will ripen, so adjust the number of bunches;
Periodically feed the grapes with ash and potassium - this accelerates the ripening of the wood;
From the middle of summer, exclude fertilization with nitrogen, otherwise the energy of the plant is directed to the formation of green mass that is unnecessary now;
Don't neglect the autumn coinage.

How to properly prepare a vineyard

Vine health

A strong and healthy vineyard will endure the winter frosts much more painlessly. This is due to the fact that the vine will not be weakened by various pathogenic organisms on it or in the soil at the place of shelter.

Therefore, before wintering, the vineyard must be thoroughly examined and all shoots affected by harmful insects and diseases must be removed.

After the vine, carefully treat with special fungicides, they not only easily cope with pathogenic microflora, but also prevent their reappearance for a certain time. Good results are obtained by spraying it with a 3-5% solution of iron or copper sulfate.

Try to carry out processing immediately after pruning so that the healing liquid gets on each section of the vine.

Immediately before wintering, spray the vineyard with the same solution.

Strong vineyard

Strong, well-prepared shrubs can handle a drop in temperature more easily, so you should take care of its vitality. It is no secret that in order to maintain any life process, the vine spends a certain amount of nutritional reserves accumulated before wintering.

The lion's share of them is wasted during the winter period, when the plant is in shelter. Moreover, in the spring during the development period, it also needs energy, since the growth of new shoots occurs thanks to precisely these reserves.

This means that for a safe wintering and a safe spring awakening, the vineyard must be very strong. Therefore, throughout the season, he needs regular feeding, both organic and mineral.

Ripe vine

By winter, only a well-ripened vine should be present on each vine. It can be distinguished by its characteristic brown color, sufficient thickness and bark, it should remain warm enough even with the onset of the first cold weather.

Healthy vines ripen well and survive the winter cold, the thickness of which is 6-13 mm, with a core occupying less than 1/3 of the diameter of the stem. They contain a sufficient amount of nutrients.

Fresh wood that has not yet gained strength must be completely removed. In winter, she will die anyway, but until that moment she will consume nutrients and take them from the bush. As a result, in the spring, the bush may suffer from nutritional deficiencies.

Moreover, weak shoots can provoke the appearance of all kinds of diseases under cover. As a result, the entire plant may suffer.

The aging process is influenced by many factors. This is the load on the wood, and the intensity of its nutrition, and the correctness of sanitization.

The ripening of the vine can be significantly accelerated by the use of potash dressings. Wood ash and chlorine-free potassium sulphate are excellent; both regular watering and foliar spraying will be effective.

For one adult bush, you need 30 grams of potassium, dissolved in a bucket of water, or 1 liter of ash, infused for several days in a bucket of ordinary water.

At the same time, from the second half of summer, completely abolish nitrogen fertilizers, provoking the active growth of the plant and negatively affecting the ripening of the bunches and saturating it with vital energy.

Chasing

Good help can be given to the bushes in such a way as autumn chasing. It involves cutting off most of the top of the shoot, only 15 lower leaves remain on the bush, everything else is simply cut off. This procedure stops growth and directs nutrients to the bunches of berries, from where they are then spent on the ripening process of the vine.

Particular attention should be paid to the timing of the minting. Pruning is done at the moment when the growth of the shoots comes to naught, if you remove them earlier, even for several days, the opposite process can begin - the growth of stepsons is activated. Determining the optimal time for minting is quite simple.

As you know, fresh branches grow curved, then their growth slows down and they straighten. Take a closer look at the bush, if half of its shoots are bent and half are straightened, then it is allowed to start pruning.

Chasing is not a necessary technique, especially if your vines have time to ripen without using it. In some regions, it is impossible to accurately determine when the vineyard stops growing, and this is fraught with errors.

Autumn pruning vines

In fact, the issue of pruning is rather controversial - it depends on the region of cultivation and weather conditions, variety, ripening and harvesting dates. But in general, there are general recommendations:

Autumn pruning should not be carried out immediately after harvest - this can seriously weaken the bushes, which means leaving it for the winter without an impressive supply of nutrients. This can be explained by the fact that the grapes spend too much energy to ripen the berries, and if you cut off the entire productive part immediately after harvesting, then he will not have the opportunity to stock up on food. If you give the vineyard time to recuperate and only then remove excess shoots, then he will go for the winter prepared and strong.
It is best to do the pruning immediately after the foliage has fallen or when the first frost comes. This is when shrubs transfer nutrients to mature wood and roots.

Shelter of grape bushes

The very last, but not the least significant step in preparing the grapes for winter is the construction of the correct shelter.

First of all, you need to figure out when to cover the vineyard. It is absolutely necessary to do this not earlier than the frost sets in (5-6 degrees below zero). It is advisable to keep the grape bushes under the shelter as little as possible, too long stay in the shelter will not benefit the plant.

The success of wintering grapes depends more often on the quality of its hardening than on the shelter.

In fact, standard processes take place inside the plant - due to a decrease in temperature, the vine is hardened, the liquid inside it is concentrated in the intercellular space, the starch turns into sugar, respectively, the internal liquid becomes a syrup.

It is this syrup that does not allow the juices inside the cells to freeze, and, accordingly, damage the root system and vine. The conclusion suggests itself - hardening is the most important stage in preparing grapes for winter.

Too early shelter of the vineyard threatens to increase the temperature in its "winter home", which means damping of the eyes and the development of fungal diseases.

The optimal time to start building a shelter is considered to be the moment when the topsoil is slightly frozen. The vine is tied up and pinned to the ground in advance, preferably two or three after pruning. Conveniently, if the covering material is somewhere nearby, if necessary, quickly cover the vineyard.

Place dry organic material such as spruce branches, straw or foliage under the vines. Install wood shields above the vines so that there is a little free space around them.

Cover the shields from above with polyethylene, roofing felt, tarpaulin or any waterproof material. The shelter should be breathable, lightweight and warm. Insulate everything on top with a rag or a thin layer of earth.

It is advisable to leave open the edge of the shelter on the south side before the onset of stable cold weather. This will allow the grapes to be ventilated and not dry out. In the spring, as soon as the air temperature rises above zero, the covering material is removed, and the vines are tied to the trellis.

Grapes should be sent for wintering hardened, cleaned, disinfected, trimmed, well “fed” and securely covered. Only in this case, your grapes will not only successfully overwinter, but will also delight you with an excellent harvest.