Whatever one may say, grapes in the Almaty region are a covering crop, just like garden blackberries. There are, of course, old varieties that can withstand frost without removing the vines, but these are mainly wine varieties, and less care is taken about them. But grapes with their furious growth power are not understood by everyone, so beginners are a little afraid of them. We will try to give a simplified method of preparing grapes for winter - covering and pruning the vineyard for the winter, as they say, “for dummies.”
Grapes: preparation for winter (pruning, covering, moisture recharging and fertilizing)
Preparing grapes for winter is not only about pruning and insulating them. It is also necessary to carry out moisture-recharging irrigation and fill the vineyard with potassium. In summer, from mid-July, grapes are usually not watered. This is necessary so that the vines redirect the force of shoot growth to ripening the crop. But dry soil quickly freezes and the roots are damaged, so the grapes strictly need to be well watered in October. It is better to water the grapes by flooding, since sprinkling increases the spread of mildew.
Autumn fertilization of grapes with potassium means filling the vineyard with wood ash. Potassium, like nothing else, increases the winter hardiness of the vine and, most importantly, the buds, which will produce flowering shoots next year. Water the vineyard with an ash solution the next day after water recharging. A day before feeding, dissolve 1 cup of ash in a bucket. Pour a bucket of this solution under each bush.
In addition, pour ½ bucket of dry ash under each bush. Why is it better to do this in the fall? Yes, because ash has a very strong alkaline reaction and this has a detrimental effect on the growth of fine roots. In autumn, the thin roots of the grapes die and transfer nutrients to the thicker roots. That is, they are no longer afraid of any alkali - this time. Well, secondly, in late autumn, winter and early spring, the ash will be saturated with organic acids and will become available to the grapes.
How to prune grapes for the winter
Perhaps a beginner can determine where this year’s grape shoots are. It is from the buds of these one-year-old shoots, which will wake up next year, that flowering (=fruit-bearing) shoots will begin to develop. But there are too many of them on the grapes, and only two of them need to be left. Now we will not dwell in detail on the formation of grapes, and how many sleeves a bush should have - there will be another article about this.
We need to understand how to prune grapes for the winter so that they bear fruit next year. And we go from simple to complex. On any of the sleeves we select two mature lashes from below as shown in the figure below:
Above the second shoot we cut off the entire lash (step 1). And we shorten the lower shoot (step 2), leaving 2 buds (sometimes 3 buds are left, and in the spring the extra shoot is broken off or shortened). A long shoot must also be shortened before sheltering for the winter, but 10-15 buds must be left on it (step 3). So we have a fruit link that is left for the winter.
On a long vine there will be a harvest in the summer, and replacement shoots will come from a short branch. They will develop more strongly, because there are only two of them (if there are more, you will have to break them out). Next fall we will make a fruit link out of them again - we will leave a short twig at the bottom and a long shoot for fruiting. And we cut off the entire fruit-bearing cane into a knot. And every autumn, this is how grapes are pruned for the winter.
How to cover grapes for the winter
Sheltering the grapes for the winter is carried out immediately after pruning. It doesn’t matter whether you grow grapes on a trellis or an arbor - the principles are general. You can remove, trim and wrap the lashes by pinning them to the ground. Or you can cover them and tie them vertically to a trellis or gazebo. The main thing is that the covering material must be free so that the plant can breathe.
If you cover the removed bushes not with cloth, but with spruce branches or other plant materials, then the grape bushes can be damaged by mice in winter. Then you need to find elderberry leaves and twigs, and first throw them on, and then the other twigs. Elderberry is an excellent rodent repellent.
Like these ones general principles preparing the vineyard for winter. Carry out moisture recharging in late autumn and feed the bushes with potassium. Well, don’t be afraid of grape bushes, they are easy to prepare for winter - pruning and covering a vineyard can be done by beginners, believe me, everyone started somewhere.
1764 09/18/2019 5 min.Most grape varieties have good frost-resistant properties, however, they require shelter during the winter season, as well as pre-treatment. Neglecting a number of necessary procedures can lead to a significant decrease in yield, as well as to the death of plants, especially in the first year of life. The more thoroughly you prepare for wintering, the easier and calmer the plant will endure the cold. The article below gives general recommendations
care not only in the autumn, but also what work should be done in the winter season.
What does it include? Preparations for the winter period begin, depending on the region, from mid-September to the last days of November. Farmers say that healthy and full-fledged bushes retain their ability to budding up to 80%, and frost-resistant varieties
up to 100%. Ideally, the thickness of the vine in this case should be from 6 to 14 mm, and the woodiness should be one third of the total cross-section. Find out about the benefits and harms of grape seeds.
Feeding
- Feeding for bushes is introduced in several stages and in various ways: The first and safest means of plant nutrition is humus.
- To do this, you can collect rotten leaves mixed with turf in the area of the root system, and add potassium components on top. Adding lime.
- Vineyards love calcareous soils, but, unfortunately, this component is quickly washed away, so regular autumn and spring feeding of the bushes is necessary. If it is necessary to plant new seedlings in the fall, then the planting hole is first filled with humus,
then with turf, and after strengthening the trunk, sprinkle with potassium-molybdenum fertilizers. They are usually dissolved in 100 ml per 10 liters of liquid.
enough for the farm to withstand the cold. Read about planting grapes in the Moscow region.
To prevent the cold from penetrating the soil so much, it is necessary to increase watering in the fall.
Young plants that were planted this season are watered in small quantities.
Autumn pruning
- Grapevines are pruned 2, and in some cases 3 times a year. Each season has its own characteristics:
- Usually the crown is being formed, excess shoots are removed, leaving 5-7 buds on the vine. In the case of technical varieties, there should be no more than 1-2 bunches on one shoot. This is done to lighten the weight of the branches, increase productivity in the future, harvesting and subsequent harvesting.
The cutting rules are quite simple:
- take the branch carefully, without breaking it;
- inspect and, if necessary, cut off;
- it is necessary to cut immediately, without breaking or twisting the vine, thereby injuring it.
For pruning, special pruning shears are used that eliminate shoots in one touch.
Sometimes farmers treat the cut with soda solution, charcoal or brilliant green. This is done for better corking.
Treatment
Preparation for the winter season cannot be complete without treatment against insects, fungal infections, gray rot and other diseases to which plants are prone. Such solutions are called fungicides. They can be purchased in concentrated or ready-to-use form, or prepared from available funds 
. Find out about Malbec grapes at. They are best processed in autumn period
due to the fact that insects usually overwinter together with the vines under shelters, which can significantly harm fragile branches in the spring.
- The following subspecies are distinguished from folk substances that are harmless to fruits: Potassium permanganate solution.
- Dissolve 5 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water, and spray the surfaces with this solution, including the root part of the trunk. Soda solution.
100 g of soda are diluted into a bucket of liquid and the entire bush is sprayed. Treatment can be combined with simultaneous feeding, so the perception useful substances
will be more effective.
Shelter
With the exception of the digging method, in the rest, slats are placed under the bent vine so that the plant does not come into contact with the ground, and the branches themselves are pulled in with wire or metal arches.
It is very good if the winter is snowy, then the snowdrift plays the additional role of a thermal curtain. And for additional ventilation, holes are left in the shelter, which are closed when the temperature drops below -20°C.
Scheme for covering young grape seedlings.
Work in winter
- In most cases, winter care comes down to regular inspection of the ridges for damage:
- ventilation control;
- Is there too much moisture or dry soil?
whether there are mice in the covering material.
Trimming Very rarely, but some gardeners practice winter pruning.. In this case, it is possible to trim incapacitated branches that are visible through the film. 
Pruning in the cold period is carried out only at a temperature not lower than -5°C, while also focusing on the vegetative abilities of the variety. If the grapes are not frost-resistant and do not tolerate intervention well, then the removal of branches is left until spring.
then with turf, and after strengthening the trunk, sprinkle with potassium-molybdenum fertilizers. They are usually dissolved in 100 ml per 10 liters of liquid.
In winter, watering is done in extremely rare cases, only during snowless and dry winters. Signs that the plant needs moisture are immediately visible:
- the ground under the bushes is cracking;
- spots appear on the branches, there are a lot of dry, dying branches.
In this case, water not only clean water, but they add fertilizers with minerals. Watering is carried out using the method of scattering irrigation.
However, in mid-autumn it is necessary to water it thoroughly - this way you can prepare the plant for the winter period.
Post-winter work
After winter, when the night frosts have passed, the vineyards are opened and prepared for the next fruiting season. In addition to the fact that the bushes are pruned in spring, as well as in autumn, in order to successfully increase yield, there are certain rules that are followed when opening the vine. About reproduction Maiden's grapes
will tell.
How to open
Experienced farmers advise opening most varieties, including during the period when the snow has not yet melted. When the first positive indicators appear, the covering material is removed, but a kind of greenhouse is made from the film. It is fixed to the trellis, digging in a little at the bottom and tucking polyethylene under the bottom slats. Thus, the vine lies for several days, thawing and straightening its branches. Z
Then, when traces of new shoots are visible, it is carefully removed and secured in its main place.
Only after this the grapes are pruned and watered.
Video
In this video we will see how to quickly and correctly prepare grapes for the winter season.
conclusions
- To successfully winter grapes, follow a few simple rules: Autumn preparation, including not only pruning,
- but also watering, fertilizing, and also treating against possible fungal infections. Shelter in winter, in Siberia and other regions.
- The more carefully and better the work is done, the easier the vineyard will withstand the cold. Do not forget about ventilation and air exchange in the ridges. During the winter period, care comes down to monitoring the condition
- vineyards and making any adjustments to improve the condition. but they give it a few days or weeks to breathe, get stronger and adapt. After this, the film is finally removed.
Proper preparation By winter, grapes will protect them from cold and pests. Although most of varieties obtained as a result of selection, you should not rely 100% on the ability of sweet berries to withstand the influence of external negative factors. Proper preparation of grapes for wintering includes several stages. The first begins in the fall. The specific period is determined by the gardener, taking into account climate zone and characteristics of the variety. The optimal time is mid-September - early November. IN middle lane Preparations begin in October.
The first step is to carefully bend the vine to the ground before the onset of cold weather. The next stage is adding nutrients. The gardener must remember the need to fertilize after fruiting is complete. There is no point in saving, otherwise there will be no active growing season in the spring. Phosphorus and potassium are often used. In cases where they are used in the garden mineral fertilizers, then superphosphate is added to the soil in a volume of up to 30 g for every 1 m2. If the focus is on potash fertilizers, then potassium sulfate is added to the soil in a volume of up to 20 g for every 1 m2.
Regardless of the type of fertilizer, they rely on wet fertilizer. With its help, nutrients will reach their target faster. Each plant spends 10 liters of water in which fertilizers are dissolved. On summer cottages, whose owners prefer organic fertilizers, use wood ash as fertilizer. Up to 200 g is spent on each plant. It is applied in dry form during digging or in dissolved form. In regions with harsh climates, slightly rotted humus or compost is additionally used. Each plant needs to be treated with 15 kg of substances.
Mandatory application of fungicides
Among the tips on how to prepare grape bushes for winter in the middle zone, not least is the recommendation to use one of the fungicides. The first place among popular substances is occupied by iron sulfate. It contains substances that prevent the development of bacterial flora. Even with temperature fluctuations, the berries are not in danger. When processing seedlings, adhere to the following recommendations:
- spraying can be carried out before pruning, but for such a procedure you will need 50% more solution;
- treatment is carried out with a 3% solution (if the berries were not sick) and 5% solution if the grapes were sick;
- for every 10 liters of water take 500 g of the substance;
- young plantings are allowed to be treated with a 1% solution iron sulfate– for every 10 liters of water take 100 g of the substance;
- after processing the vine will darken a little and this is not scary;
- Urea (100 g for every 5 l) added to the solution will help improve the quality of spraying.
Despite the fact that urea contains nitrogen, in small quantities it destroys pest larvae. Spraying is carried out only after all the leaves have fallen. The second condition is that all the buds on the bush have closed.
Carrying out pruning of bushes
Proper preparation for winter begins with removing individual elements. Every action must be verified, so there is no need to rush. Its immediate and subsequent pruning for the winter includes the preparation of cuttings. They will be used to propagate berries. You can start working immediately after all the leaves have fallen. It doesn’t matter whether the bushes grow only for the first year or several years, the recommended procedure is as follows:
- the first pruning is carried out in mid-September;
- the second pruning is carried out 3 weeks after harvesting in October;
- during the first pruning, diseased and dry bushes are removed (no more than 15% of the total number of bushes);
- It is allowed to trim only those shoots that are located on the main trunk 60 cm above the top wire.
Gardeners who want to know how should always keep in mind the variety of berries and the climatic characteristics of the region. Both factors shift the trimming time up or down. In order for the grapes to feel good in winter, the summer resident pays more attention to pruning in October:
- the shoot from the outside of the sleeve must be pruned;
- up to 3 buds are left on it;
- up to 2 shoots are left with inside for the formation of the fruit arrow;
- you need to leave the number of eyes that coincides with the diameter of the vine + about 2 buds.
For low-fruiting grape varieties, an additional 3 buds should be left.
Compliance with watering rules
As soon as pruning is completed, the plants need to be watered. The first rule is that watering is carried out before the soil freezes, otherwise it makes no sense. The optimal time is the end of autumn. The more moisture you add, the less likely it is to get a small harvest. Feedback from gardeners suggests that water-soaked vines enter the growing season more quickly in the spring. Late autumn preparation includes the following recommendations:
- recommended for sandy soil - 60 liters for each bush;
- for loams the figure is 30 liters for each bush;
- Before starting watering, a small depression is made around the main trunk - up to 10 cm.
You need to water so that the water gets into the groove. In this way, you can save moisture and be sure that each bush receives enough of it.
Benefits of catarrh
Before winter, you need to remove small roots, which are located at a depth of up to 25 cm. You should not ignore the recommendation. These roots are located too close to the surface. During the winter period, when watering and fertilizing are rare, they will die off, drawing strength from the grapes. The scheme for removing surface roots looks like this:
- carefully dig up the soil around the trunk to a depth of 25 cm;
- remove the roots with pruning shears;
- treat the sections with a solution (3%) copper sulfate;
- wrap the cut area with film in 3 layers and tie it with twine;
- the hole is covered with earth.
Catarification is necessary for those who grow grapes on a farm or in industrial quantities.
Sheltering grapes for the winter
Phased autumn processing grapes implies a preliminary assessment of the condition of the vine. If winter is already on the doorstep, and the vine is not ripe, then you should temporarily stop watering and fertilizing. These procedures will be quite sufficient to accelerate maturation. Next stage - . It all depends on the amount of snow that falls in the region. The smaller it is, the denser the fabric should be. Work begins with carefully removing the manhole from the supports and tying up the branches. They are then carefully laid on the ground.
In the middle zone, the vineyard is covered with spruce branches. We are talking about spruce or pine branches. Under such a blanket a microclimate has been formed that will not allow the grapes to suffer. Good advice How to care for grapes in the fall and prepare them for winter, it is recommended to cover the plantings with more film. You just need to leave small gaps for air circulation.
How to prepare the first year's grapes for winter will determine their growth and productivity in the future. Therefore, gardeners pay special attention to this issue.
Autumn feeding of grapes in the winter of the first year
In the second half of summer, it is necessary to stop fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen promotes plant growth, which prevents its shoots from ripening.
In order to help the shoots ripen, you need to add (potassium magnesium, potassium sulfate, wood ash). In addition, phosphorus fertilizers will prepare grapes well for winter.
Pruning first year grapes for winter
In the first year of life it is very important correct pruning grapes, since with its help they form the future bush. In subsequent years, corrective pruning is carried out.
The most suitable for grapes is the standardless fan formation of the bush according to the Guyot method. In the first year, to subsequently follow this method, it is necessary to grow a strong shoot. In mid-October it is cut off, leaving two eyes from the soil level. All unripe parts must be removed. A sign of aging wood is its brown color. Fruit shoots appear from the overwintering eyes of a mature vine in the spring.
How to cover first year grapes for the winter
Grapes that will survive the first winter must be covered. Sheltering is carried out at the end of October - beginning of November. During this period, the vine still retains its elasticity and can be easily laid.
First, a trench is dug into which the grape shoots are placed. They are pinned to the ground and sprinkled with earth on top. In addition, they build an additional shelter from some material (film, roofing felt, tarpaulin) or spruce branches. When snow falls, it provides additional cover for escapes.
By preparing the grapes well for winter in the first year, in the future you will get a healthy and strong plant.
Gardeners are often interested in how to prepare grapes for winter so that they can harvest them next season. good harvest. Viticulture in most of Russia is risky, since the bushes often either freeze out or become damp. In the Russian climate, preparing grapes for winter is considered important stage, on which the further life of the plant depends.
Let's take a closer look at where to start preparing grapes for wintering, what timeframes are best to focus on, and how to properly make shelters for bushes.
Why cover the grapes?
Often, owners who have grapes growing on their property do not understand why they need to be prepared for winter, because this plant itself is quite frost-resistant. The grapes are frost resistant. Strong, woody branches can easily survive a temperature drop to -20°C. At the same time, the root system survives when the soil freezes to -8°C. But it is worth considering the fact that in the middle zone the temperature can drop to -30°C or even to -40°C. In addition, each grape variety has its own frost tolerance threshold. There are varieties that need shelter if the temperature drops below -7°C. Therefore, with the onset of autumn frosts, it is advisable to cover the grapes for the winter.
You also need to take into account that the grapevine will tolerate low temperatures well if it is ripe, that is, woody. To do this, young shoots must undergo hardening. Without sufficient nutrition, moisture and lighting of the bushes, the ripening process can become more difficult. It is also necessary to remove the crop from the branches in a timely manner so that it does not burden the young branches.
For grapes, not only fertilizing is very important, but also regular thinning. Don’t be afraid to remove excess shoots and shoots. This is the key to good ripening of the vine. It is advisable to thin out the bush in the summer, but if you have not done this, then in the fall you need not only to trim the grapes, but also to remove excess shoots and break off the stepsons.
There is no need to rush into providing shelter for young grapes. The first frost will only kill green leaves and shoots. For grapevines, a slight decrease in temperature promotes the ripening process.
It is difficult to talk about the exact timing of preparing the grape shelter. If you hurry, the buds may dry out; if you are late, the bushes will freeze. It is recommended to cover the grapes in the second half of October, when the first frosts have passed. In any case, you better focus on weather conditions and the condition of the plant.
Preparing grapes for winter (video)
Pruning and catarrh
Preparing grapes for winter begins with removing all leaves. Then you need to prune the fruiting bushes. During pruning, you need to remove any unwanted vines that have produced a crop. It is advisable that a replacement knot and fruit arrow remain on each sleeve.
If you notice sore or damaged sleeves, trim them immediately. You only need to leave young shoots that grow from the base of the bush. The color of an annual mature vine should be bright yellow (with a straw tint). There should be no scars on it.
Most often, grapes suffer from oidium. This disease affects only the living tissues of the plant, after which the berries become unsuitable for winemaking. The presence of oidium on the vine can be determined by its unsightly dark spots. Try to remove all diseased shoots, leaving only healthy branches. This will help localize the foci of the disease, and next year it will not spread to neighboring shoots. If you leave diseased shoots for the winter, the likelihood that they will survive frost is too low.
The first frost will destroy the immature vines. They also need to be trimmed. The unripe vine has a greenish color. Try bending such a branch. If you don’t hear a crunch, then such a vine will not be able to survive the winter; it also needs to be pruned.
After pruning, you need to make a catarrh. This is the removal of surface dew roots that are located on the underground part of the trunk. By removing them, you help the root system to better withstand frost. If you do not cut them out, then when sub-zero temperature they will die in any case, as a result of which the lower part of the root system weakens and may also freeze out.
Cold winters with little snow are especially dangerous for grape roots, so the process of catarrhization should not be ignored. You need to dig up the ground at the base of the bush to a depth of no more than 15 cm. It is best to fill the holes that will remain after catarrhing with dry sand rather than soil.
Feeding and watering
Before you start covering the grapes, they need to be watered. In autumn, moisture-recharging irrigation is very important, as it helps the root system survive severe frosts. Usually, moistening is carried out in trenches between the beds or using drainage holes, but only after the construction of the shelter. Dry soil is more likely to freeze and cause the roots of the bush to die. If the autumn was rainy and the soil remained loose, then there is no need to additionally moisten the soil.
The first feeding in autumn should be done in early September. This will help speed up the ripening of the vine and prepare the grapes for winter. Usually, superphosphate (20 g) and potassium salt (10 g) are used for the first bait. Sometimes gardeners add to the first feeding boric acid(2.5 g), zinc sulfate (2 g) and manganese sulfate (2 g). The indicated dosage is calculated for 1 square. m. If grapes grow on sandy soil, then potassium iodine (1 g) should be added to the fertilizer.
In late autumn, the grapes need to be fertilized again. Enrichment of the soil is carried out by adding potassium (25 g) and phosphorus (25 g) to it. It is important to consider that all fertilizing must be accompanied by abundant watering.
Rules for preparing grapes for wintering (video)
Preparing the shelter
There are several ways to help protect grape bushes from winter frosts. Most best option- Creation air cushion using wooden shields. To do this, you need to place leaves or spruce branches under the vine. The top of the vine needs to be covered wooden shield with sides. There should be a few centimeters of free space around the plants. It is advisable to cover the top of the structure with any waterproof material. It can be slate, polyethylene, tarpaulin, roofing felt, etc.
During the construction of the shelter, the vine must be dry. It is advisable that several days in a row with a temperature of -5°C, but not lower than -10°C, pass before sheltering. Coniferous spruce branches and leaves should also be dry. If you don't have spruce branches, they can be replaced with straw. Dry stems of flower and vegetable plants are perfect. But in this case, it is recommended to put mouse bait in the shelter.
Sometimes gardeners cover grapes with film. This method of shelter is considered controversial. During the thaw period, grape bushes can quickly heat up, and as soon as the temperature drops, the shoots quickly freeze. The film does not help protect the bush from sudden temperature fluctuations.
If winters in your region are snowy, then you can practice covering the bushes with snow. This is a reliable insulation, because every centimeter of snow cover gives a degree of heat. During heavy snowfalls, you should not build large shelters for grapes.
How to prevent grapes from rotting
No moisture should get into the shelter, otherwise the bush may become sick and weaken. Often the grapes may not freeze, but rather dry out. This happens because the air humidity under the shelter is too high. Excessive watering in rainy autumn can also provoke damping off. Damping off can also happen if the grapes are hidden in a shelter early.
The onset of a thaw in winter also negatively affects the wintering of grapes. Above-zero temperatures can provoke the growth of young shoots, which will die at the first frost. A thaw can still cause an ice crust to appear on the soil.
To prevent this from happening, you need to take care of ventilation in advance. To do this, it is advisable to leave holes for ventilation at the ends of the shelter. It's best to have them open. If you make a continuous shelter over the entire garden bed, then ventilation holes should be every 2 m.
