To plant grapes on a plot, the easiest way is to buy ready-made seedlings; nowadays there is no shortage of them. But where do the seedlings on the market come from, how are they grown, and from what? After all, having minimal experience gardening, it is very easy to grow a grape seedling yourself, at home.
Basic methods of grape propagation
Grapes, like almost all shrubs, can be propagated both by seeds and by vegetative methods. Seed propagation is not used at home, since it is much more difficult than propagation by cuttings or layering. In addition, it is difficult to predict in advance what kind of variety will grow from seeds, so seed propagation is used mainly in breeding work.
In most cases, practicing winegrowers use growing grape seedlings from cuttings. Somewhat less often, propagation of various kinds is carried out by layering, that is, by digging in the vine, and by grafting onto already planted adult grape bushes of a different, frost- and disease-resistant variety. At vegetative propagation the new plant receives all the properties of the bush from which the cutting, a long piece of vine, or even a single bud for grafting was taken.
Propagation of grapes by cuttings: a method accessible to a beginner
The most commonly used method of propagating grapes is taking woody cuttings and rooting them. It is so easy to do that it can be recommended to a beginning winegrower. True, simple does not mean “itself”; you need to work hard, and a lot. First you need to get or buy cuttings of the variety you like somewhere and begin this interesting process.
Cuttings are usually harvested during autumn pruning grapes or a little earlier - when the leaves have ceased to be purely green, that is, the growing season is nearing completion, and the shoots, as far as they could, have matured and become woody. It is impossible to leave the preparation of cuttings until the spring: it is unknown what will happen to the weather in winter, how well the bushes will survive the frosts.
When sending cuttings for storage, do not forget to sign
The highest quality cuttings are obtained from the middle part of the vine: the top is usually not fully mature, and there are few strong buds in the lower part. A fully ripened vine cracks when slightly bent, but does not break. Cuttings are cut “with a reserve”, that is, with 5–6 eyes, despite the fact that for immediate cultivation in the spring they will be required to be half as long. It is better if their diameter is at least 5 mm, and the shoot from which they are cut has grown over the summer to at least one and a half meters in length.
In most cases, cuttings will only be needed at the end of winter, and until then they must be properly preserved. You can keep them in the refrigerator if you have space, but it’s more convenient to store them in the cellar. The most best temperature- about +1 o C. Before sending to the cellar, the cuttings are soaked for 1–2 hours in a 1% solution iron sulfate and day in clean water. Store in plastic bags, leaving only the top outside. In winter, check the integrity and, if necessary, wash or just wipe off any detected mold. If it dries out, soak it.
Planting cuttings directly in open ground
In the warmest regions, woody cuttings can be planted directly into the garden bed. Sometimes they are planted even immediately after autumn harvesting, only slightly insulated with dry leaves or spruce branches. If you plant cuttings in good soil, they take root easily and begin to grow with the onset of spring warmth. To do this, cuttings with 3–4 buds are buried almost completely in the ground in the fall, leaving only one bud above the ground. But until spring, this bud is covered with earth. Often, to preserve heat and moisture, the resulting mound is covered with plastic film, and in the spring a hole is made in it for the growth of young shoots. When it becomes warm and the cutting begins to throw out leaves and begins to grow, the film is removed and the mound is raked.
Most often, cuttings are planted in the garden bed in the spring. In the central regions, the probability of success of such propagation is low, but in the south in March, when the earth warms up to 10–12 o C, cuttings are planted in the same way as in the fall, however, after serious preparation. First, the cuttings removed from the cellar are disinfected, then both ends are cut off and soaked for several days in clean water.
Then an oblique cut is made in the lower part just below the bud, and the top is cut straight, 2-3 cm above the upper bud. Place them in a jar, pour water to a height of 4–5 cm and keep in a warm place until the roots peck. The water is periodically changed and added to keep the level constant. If the water temperature in the jar is from 25 to 30 o C, and in the area of the tops of the cuttings is 5–7 degrees lower, after three weeks white tubercles will appear on the cuttings at the surface of the water.
The roots are not allowed to grow, and if the weather permits, the cuttings with the rudiments of the roots are planted deep in the garden bed. In this option, there is no point in making the cuttings short: you can plant them with 6 buds, the roots will be stronger. When planting at an angle in the spring, two buds are left above the ground. Water well and keep the soil moist. If frost is still possible, cover with non-woven materials.
It is better to plant cuttings with small roots in the garden bed.
At first, the cuttings will grow roots, but the leaves will bloom almost immediately. And by the onset of very warm weather, the shoots (one or two, no need to leave more, even if they appear) will quickly begin to grow. By autumn, a good seedling will grow from the cuttings. If the cutting was planted immediately in place, in well-fertilized soil and a pre-dug planting hole, you can leave the plant here. But usually it is transplanted to permanent place, having prepared the pit in advance according to all the rules.
Growing a seedling from a cutting at home
As a rule, especially in climatic conditions middle zone, grapes from cuttings begin to be grown at home. They do this in different substrates, and very often wet sawdust is used instead of garden soil. Generally speaking, there are a lot of options for growing seedlings from cuttings; everyone chooses the one that, in his opinion, is simplest. Work begins in February. The cuttings are unpacked, disinfected, washed and checked to see if they have overwintered well.
Lightly scrape off the bark on the cutting. If it is alive and can give life to a new plant, there will be tissue under the bark Green colour. A different color does not guarantee success: the cutting has not overwintered.
Chibouks are cut from good cuttings: this is what cuttings with three buds are traditionally called. Let’s not introduce unnecessary terms; let them remain cuttings, especially since in the case of good buds, two will be enough for propagation. If you leave more than three buds, you will have to put out whole buckets at home, this is not necessary.
Make the upper and lower cuts, as already mentioned: the lower oblique, the upper straight, and place the cuttings for 2–3 days in a bath of water (preferably snow). Cuttings that are well saturated with water, in principle, can be immediately planted in prepared containers with substrate. They will probably grow there. But to be on the safe side, they often do things differently:
The most convenient containers are plastic one and a half liter bottles with a cut off, narrowed top. Only in the bottom you need to make several holes to remove excess water and place drainage from small pebbles or coarse sand. The best soil a mixture of river sand and good garden soil (1:1) is considered, but some fans make do sawdust, only they must first be doused with boiling water. The continuation of the work looks like this:
It is worth saying that the first part of the work described (germination in water until cuttings form) is not mandatory; many amateurs plant cuttings in a container with a substrate and without roots, growing them already there. This option, on the one hand, is simpler, on the other hand, more complicated: it is necessary to more strictly monitor the humidity, light and temperature conditions. In addition, there are grape varieties that do not produce roots well, and for them this number will not work.
Video: germinating cuttings in sawdust
Propagation of grapes by green cuttings
Growing seedlings from green cuttings is possible for most shrub plants; it is also used for grapes. On the one hand, this is a simpler procedure: it is performed in the summer, and there is no need to start plants at home with jars, and there is no need to store cuttings in the cellar in the winter either. On the other hand, it is possible to grow a seedling from a green cutting only if you have a good greenhouse in which long time you will have to maintain high and constant air humidity. Therefore, such propagation is more suitable for industrial nurseries, where there is special equipment for creating confined space artificial fog. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
Thus, the essence of this technique is that the planted cuttings are constantly in conditions of high humidity (about 80%, and in the heat - up to 100%) and air temperature from 20 to 30 o C. Then after a month and a half they have good roots and shoots up to 30 cm long grow, after which the cuttings are hardened and then transplanted into a schoolhouse. Obviously, on ordinary summer cottages propagation of grapes by green cuttings is extremely difficult, but enthusiasts try, and some succeed.
Video: germinating green cuttings at home
Propagation of grapes by digging in vines
Many shrubs are propagated by layering, that is, by digging branches (shoots) in one way or another. This option is also possible in the case of grapes, and if successful, you can get several new grape plants in one summer. In this way, they usually try to propagate difficult-to-root varieties. Since future seedlings essentially feed from the roots of the mother bush, they develop well and form a powerful root system of their own.
Digging in a woody shoot
This is usually done in early spring, before the start of the growing season. Choose conveniently located powerful shoots from last year. In the right place, they dig a fairly deep ditch, up to half a meter, extending from the bush to the place where they are going to bury the vine. Naturally, it should not be deep directly next to the bush, so as not to damage the roots. Well-fertilized soil with humus and superphosphate is poured into the ditch, at the very bottom, and a shoot is laid. You need to bend it carefully so as not to break it, and you can attach it to the bottom of the ditch with a piece of bent thick wire or simply press it down with a heavy stone.
It’s not difficult to spread out the vine, but you have to do it carefully so as not to break it
Where there will be a new bush, the vine is carefully bent, taken out and tied to a stake. All eyes located from the mother bush up to the point of this bend are removed. Many specialists tie it tightly with wire at the very beginning of the shoot, near the mother bush, to make it easier to separate a new plant later in the year. The ditch is gradually filled with soil and watered well. As a rule, within a year good roots grow in the buried area, and the following spring the new plant is separated from the mother plant.
Digging in green shoots
In the summer, in June or July, you can dig in powerfully grown green shoots this year. They do this in a similar way, bringing to the surface the tip of the shoot with two or three leaves. If the shoot is very long, it can be buried with a “sinusoid”, bringing it to the surface several times. All parts remaining underground must be secured to the bottom of the ditch with pins.
If you do not allow the soil to dry out in the summer, for well-rooted varieties you can even get several new bushes this way by next spring.
Performing “Chinese” layering
Chinese are called layering, which is performed by completely laying a lignified shoot into the ground. This is done in the case of the most poorly rooted varieties. For installation in early spring, choose a long shoot located at the very base of the bush. Dig it all the way into a ditch no more than 20 cm deep. Also into fertilized soil, also pinning it to the bottom of the ditch. But the ditch is not completely filled up: the layer of soil above the vine is first made no more than 5 cm. And only as new shoots emerge from the buds and grow, soil is gradually added to the ditch. Keep the trap moist at all times.
Usually new shoots grow from each buried bud; In the fall, carefully dig up the vine and cut it into several new plants. However, for this to happen, you have to sacrifice part of the harvest and reduce the load on the mother bush. In the summer it is necessary to break out not only the extra bunches, but also all the stepsons and some of the young shoots.
Video: laying green vines in the ground
Grape propagation by grafting
Like most fruit trees, grapes can be grafted. Carrying out grafting is no more difficult than, for example, in the case of an apple tree, but not all varieties are compatible, and success in each specific case is not guaranteed. Therefore, it is advisable to study the literature before the operation, look for which adult bushes can be grafted with one or another variety. If you haven’t found such information, all you can do is experiment.
Grafting grapes is as common as grafting fruit trees.
In the case of grapes, all known grafting methods are used (splitting, copulation, budding, etc.), but the number of options is even greater. They are grafted with both last year's cuttings and those cut from the current year's shoots. Both in the standard or last year's escape, and in the current year's escape. Therefore, the appropriate terminology is used: “black to black”, “black to green”, etc. There is even a desktop, winter vaccination.
So, for example, “black to black” grafting is performed in the spring, when active growing season has not yet begun. The scion is made from cuttings cut in the fall and stored in the cold. For such grafting, the buds on the cuttings should be slightly swollen. It is performed using copulation methods. Cuttings that are suitable in thickness to the shoot of the rootstock are selected, soaked, oblique cuts are made on the cuttings and rootstock, they are connected and the grafting site is firmly tied. When new shoots for cuttings grow to 25–30 cm, they are pinched.
In the case of “black to green” grafting, last year’s cuttings with emerging buds are grafted onto young, powerful green shoots of the current year. This type of grafting is usually performed using the “split” method. It is possible throughout the growing season, as long as it is possible to preserve lignified cuttings harvested in the fall in the cellar.
It is also possible to graft into the trunk of an old bush when they dig it up in early spring. upper layer soil; The cuttings are grafted underground, usually using the “split” method. It is done at a depth of about 15 cm. The cutting is completely buried with earth.
Video: grafting grapes into a standard
Budding, that is, bud grafting, is carried out on a green vine in June or July. As on fruit trees, it is possible to implant a bud into a shoot behind the bark by making various incisions: T-shaped, longitudinal, in a gap, etc. The grafting site is wrapped very well with film, and after a month the bud takes root well.
A detailed description of grape grafting methods is beyond the scope of this article, but it is quite accessible. After reading and a little practice, any gardener with minimal skills in caring for trees and shrubs can plant grapes.
Grapes are a vine, but, in fact, they are very similar to many fruit bushes, and its propagation techniques are generally the same as, for example, currants. The goal - obtaining a new seedling - can be achieved by known methods: germination of cuttings, layering, grafting. Performing all these operations is, to one degree or another, accessible even to a beginner, and if at first it’s scary, you just have to try.
The success of growing grapes is determined by the correct rooting of cuttings. There are many methods of crop propagation, and each of them has advantages and disadvantages. But the work of propagating grape bushes always begins with the preparation of scions. Let's look at how to root grape cuttings in different ways.
Rules for harvesting grape cuttings
Chubuki are prepared in November after the harvest. To propagate the vineyard, select woody areas located in the middle of the shoot and cut off 25–40 cm from them. Each scion should have 2, 3 or 4 fully formed buds.
One of the options for storing cuttings
The cuttings are transferred with damp newspaper and placed in polyethylene. The film is pierced or small gaps are left for ventilation. For storage, future bushes are sent to a refrigerator fruit box; freezing is not allowed. Also, clothespins can be stored in the basement at a temperature of 0 – +6°C. Scions prepared before the onset of cold weather guarantee the suitability of the buds for further propagation of grapes.
At the end of winter, the condition of the wood is checked. To do this, make cross sections and see if the vine is green on the inside and if moisture is released when you press the scion at the cut. If this is indeed the case, the cutting overwintered successfully. If a cross section of a bud was made and its inside turned out to be brown, the vine is discarded.
Suitable branches are cut into 2-3-eye clothespins. The upper cut is made above the eye by 2 cm, the lower one - obliquely and indented by 0.5 - 1 cm. After a day or two, the chibouks are soaked in running or melted settled water with the addition of Humisol, Heteroauxin, Fumar, Epin, aloe juice or honey solution (1 tbsp per 10 liters of liquid). After soaking, 2–3 longitudinal furrows are made on the bark and the cuttings are marked by variety.
Methods for rooting grape cuttings
At home, such a task as rooting grape cuttings is solved in different ways. We will describe methods that are simple to implement and effective for the harvest.
Water germination
Even a beginner in the viticulture industry can master rooting grape cuttings in water. The technique does not require any complex devices, you just need to stock up planting material. A glass or jar will also come in handy. The volume of the dishes depends on the number of pipes.
If it is not possible to collect liquid from a well or get it from snow, use tap water. In the latter case, it is kept for 2 days. sunlight to break down harmful chlorine compounds.
Further work on rooting grape cuttings at home is done as follows:
The process of development of the root system in well-rooted grape varieties lasts about 4 weeks. When propagating crops that are difficult to root, you have to wait 1.5–2 months for roots.
Anhydrous rooting of grape cuttings
You can germinate grape cuttings at home without soaking them in water. The prepared pipes are simply inserted into loose soil poured into separate containers. To facilitate the procedure, the bottom of the scion is cut obliquely. The soil is not allowed to dry out.
Rooting on peat tablets
After soaking the grape cuttings for 2 days, for further rooting, cuts are made and inserted with the lower end into the soaked peat tablets. The tops are treated with paraffin. The scions are wrapped in damp cloth and placed in plastic bag and tied tightly to create a “greenhouse effect”. Otherwise the fabric will dry out.
You can store a bag of cuttings in peat in any conditions, for example, on a closet in your room. Germination time is 3 – 4 weeks. To plant plants, carefully cut off the nets on the tablets. The highlight of the method is the production of non-stretched seedlings without leaves. Chubuki have only roots.
Aeration
This unusual word is used by winegrowers to describe the process of germinating cuttings in an aquarium. The method is based on the fact that the cuttings are attached to a piece of foam plastic, but the lower 2 - 3 cm of clothespins must stand in water. Air is pumped into the aquarium using an aerator. The air flow cannot be made strong, because the bridge may tip over and the roots may break.
The aeration method has taken root in viticulture due to its excellent stimulation of root growth. It allows for adjustment temperature regime liquids (heating up to +25°C is allowed). The top of the cutting remains cool during germination. This is useful for the rapid development of roots and the absence of leaf ovaries.
Moldavian way
Germination of grape cuttings using the Moldavian method is carried out using vines 60 cm or more in length. It is twisted into a ring and secured with hemp rope. The ring is placed on the bottom of the hole so that two buds look above the ground. A mound of earth is poured on top and watered periodically, preventing the buds from drying out.
By the end of summer, a powerful specimen appears on the site, which next year can please the first harvest of grapes. Unlike cuttings, the vine contains a substantial supply of nutrients. They ensure the development of roots and nourishment of protruding buds.
Secrets of successful rooting of grape cuttings
- At the stage of preparing cuttings, beginning winegrowers may make some mistakes, for example, choosing a weak vine. Experienced farmers know that the branch should be mature and thick, about 8 mm in diameter. To propagate grapes, it is important to cut out only the middle part of the vine, since the center is where microelements useful for forcing are concentrated.
- The second common mistake in rooting grape cuttings is violating storage conditions. It is undesirable to allow the workpieces to dry out or become waterlogged. The chibouks must be constantly monitored, moistened and ventilated in a timely manner, and the temperature must be maintained just above +20°C. Cooler conditions can cause root rot.
- How to save scions? If you notice wilting of the tops and drying of the leaves around the edges, the gardener should stop watering and wait until the soil dries completely. Then the seedling needs to be dug up and rot removed. The bottom of the plant is treated with crushed charcoal and planted in new, moderately moist soil. A prerequisite for successful germination of grapes is warmth.
The best time to harvest grape cuttings is late fall. In principle, you can cut the cuttings in the spring before the sap begins to flow, but the chances of success will be much less. The fact is that in the fall large reserves of nutrients have accumulated in the vine; they are quite sufficient for rooting.
Important: Ready-made grape cuttings cannot be kept in the air for more than a day! They immediately begin to wake up and evaporate the water.
- In the fall, after the leaves fall, choose a pencil-thin vine.
- Cut it into pieces 30-40 cm long, 3-4 buds in each. We recommend that you immediately mark for yourself where the top is and where the bottom is.
- Bury outdoors in a non-flooded place in a trench with sand to a depth of at least 25 cm so that the cuttings are not damaged by frost. Cover the top with a thick layer of straw or fallen leaves.
In the beginning of April remove the cuttings from the shelter and trim with sharp pruning shears. Bottom cut should be horizontally under the kidney itself. A top cut done obliquely - 2 cm above the kidney.
In this case, the lower edge of the cut should be directed in the opposite direction from the kidney so that water does not flow onto the kidney.
It is best to cut the cuttings so that each of them began and ended with a tendril. It is in the node with the tendril that there are membrane partitions that do not allow moisture loss.
Shoots as thick as a pencil are suitable for rooting.
How to root a grape cutting
Dip the cuttings into a bucket of cold water and honey (a tablespoon per bucket of water) and leave in a cool place for two days at a temperature of 15-18 degrees. The cuttings are completely under water.
We take the cuttings out of the bucket and put them in a growth stimulator (humate, biostream, silk, epin, rootevin, etc.) for 3 hours. Pour 3 cm of water into a liter jar and place the cuttings in it with the bottom bud down.
We place the jar on a light windowsill on a stand so that cold air I didn’t cool the water in the jar. On about day 10, shoots will appear, and after another week, roots will appear.
As soon as the roots grow a couple of centimeters, we plant the grape cuttings one at a time in liter Tetrapak juice or milk bags. We cut off the top of the bag and make holes at the bottom for drainage. Instead of juice boxes, ordinary plastic bags are also suitable.
We leave one green shoot on each grape cutting. Place 5 cm of soil mixture at the bottom of the bag.
Carefully place the grape cutting on the ground and cover it with soil so that there are 2 buds underground. Do not compact the soil. The cutting should stick out 10 cm above the ground.
Rooted cuttings retain the varietal characteristics of the mother bush
humus + soil + sand in a ratio of 1:1:1.
Important! All ingredients for the soil mixture should be slightly damp, that is, the compressed lump does not crumble and does not stain the palm. In wet soil, the roots will suffocate.
Cuttings must not be over-watered! Water little and rarely.
The grape shoots will grow quite quickly and can be pinched off above the second or third leaf. Leave two stepsons, then by the end of summer you will get two branches, from which it is convenient to form a two-armed or fan-shaped bush. And if you plan to have a single-armed bush or the seedling will grow near the gazebo, then it is better to leave one shoot.
Seedling mulch mown grass or straw and regularly water and carry out preventive spraying with systemic fungicide Strobi.
If the planting pit has been filled according to all the rules, then the rooted grape seedling is not fertilized for the first 2 years.
You need to stock up on cuttings, of course, in the fall.
In the second half of March, or a little later, we remove them from storage. Rooting can begin at this time if you can get the new plants outside in mid-May. Grapes are light-loving plants, and it is not advisable to keep seedlings on the window for a long time.
Refresh the bottom cut. We place the cuttings completely in warm water for a day to replenish the moisture supply in the tissues.
Now let's prepare a clean one glass jar- I prefer a liter and a half, but a liter will do. We pour water - filtered drinking or boiled - initially the layer height should be small 3-4 cm. Place the cuttings in jars. In the first hours, a transparent gelatinous substance will begin to emerge from the lower sections. It is important to remove the cuttings from the jar from time to time and rinse the lower sections under running water, gently cleaning them with your fingertips. If this is not done, the cuttings may rot instantly. The water must be changed daily. After some time, you will see that the cuts have swollen a little, thickened and brightened - this means that the cutting has grown a layer of wound tissue - it will now protect the wood from rotting and will later form roots. From this time on, we increase the water level to 7-8 cm, to the height of the second peephole from the bottom. Roots will form both on the heel of the cutting and on the internode that ends up in the water. Place a few activated carbon tablets in a jar. Now you don’t need to change the water often. Within 10 days the buds will wake up and begin to grow. The plants will begin to actively consume moisture, do not forget to constantly add water to the jar.
In another 20 days, the roots will begin to actively grow. As soon as their length reaches about 3 cm, the cuttings must be urgently planted in the soil, otherwise the roots will die due to a lack of oxygen in the water. I use the most common 1.5 liter plastic bottles. I make a drainage hole in the bottom, cut off the top - it turns out to be an inexpensive, suitable-sized container. You can add a little fine expanded clay or coarse sand to the bottom, but if that’s not possible, don’t worry, the cuttings won’t live here long - a month to a month and a half. Next we put a layer of nutritious soil; you can use any neutral or universal one from the store. Why purchased? - At this time, the roots do not have protective shells, they are fragile and juicy - therefore, soil based on peat or sapropel, with the addition of moisture-retaining elements and fertilizers, is very suitable for them. Place the cutting in the center of the container and sprinkle it, compacting it a little, with substrate until the required level. Watering warm water. It should be noted that if the air temperature in the room where our cuttings are kept is below 25C, then the time for root germination will be delayed by 1 - 2 weeks. Also, different varieties take root in different ways - some quickly, others more difficult. Thicker cuttings will cope with the task faster than thin ones.
Now, before the onset of stable warmth, we plant the seedlings in a bright window. If they start to stretch out too much, you can pinch the tops of the heads once or twice.
In the autumn of the first year of growing season, young plants will look like two-year-olds, and, under favorable circumstances, will produce their first harvest next year...
Propagating grapes by cuttings at home is probably the most popular method of propagating grapes. Its popularity is explained by its apparent simplicity.
In other words, many summer residents use it, following the rule: “I’ll plant it, and you’ll see something will come of it.” And why not try it, if the material for cuttings is at hand, and when pruning grapes, it still needs to be put somewhere. But it's not that simple.
Proper preparation of cuttings is half, if not more, of success in your endeavor.
Conventionally, the preparation of cuttings can be divided into 3 important processes:
- cutting cuttings;
- storage of planting material;
- preparation for rooting.
Cuttings
It is best to cut cuttings in the fall, after all the leaves have fallen from the vine, but before frost sets in. Optimal timing The second half of November and the beginning of December are considered - during this period the vine is already ready for winter dormancy, therefore the nutrients in the cut cuttings are better stored and they tolerate low temperatures better.
It is better to use fruit branches for preparing chibouks - in this case, the chances of a final successful result will be much higher. For cuttings you need to take straight (or at least relatively straight) sections of the vine. The cuttings should be long enough: recommendations boil down to a stem length of 50-70 cm, but experienced winegrowers recommend cutting stems 120-140 cm long.
It is better to harvest Chubuka from the middle of the fruit-bearing vine. Each stem should contain at least 3-4 live buds and 6-8 internodes. You should not bother yourself with preparing cuttings that are too thick or too thick - both of them take root poorly. Chibouks from 0.75 to 1 cm thick are considered optimal.
In addition to the timing of harvesting, the length and thickness of the cuttings, it is also of great importance right choice uterine bush. Bushes affected by diseases or pests, with damaged or deformed vines are not suitable for harvesting grape cuttings.
Storing cuttings
Before storing the cut cuttings, they should be disinfected in a 5% solution for half an hour copper sulfate or potassium permanganate. Then the cuttings are tied into small bundles - 8-10 pieces each. If the cuttings are cut from different varieties, then the name of the variety is attached to each such bunch. Then each bundle is wrapped in a damp cloth, then in plastic wrap and sent for winter storage.
For a small number of cuttings, the ideal storage place is the refrigerator (but not freezer). If you plan to plant a large vineyard, then it is better to store the harvested cuttings in the cellar, burying them in wet sand, but you need to constantly monitor the moisture content of the sand, periodically moistening it. Some gardeners prefer to store cuttings by burying them in the ground for the winter.
When storing in the refrigerator and cellar, you need to periodically check their condition and, if necessary, adjust the humidity or lower the storage temperature. Otherwise, the buds on the cuttings may dry out or develop ahead of time, and in both cases, all the work on preparing and storing the chibouks will go down the drain.
Spring preparation for rooting
Depending on the weather, at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring, harvested cuttings are awakened from hibernation. First, the removed cuttings are checked “for freshness”: both edges of the cutting are cut off by 1-3 cm with pruning shears.
If the wood at the place of the fresh cut turns out to be light green, and a drop of water appears on it, then the cutting is well preserved and can be planted for rooting.
If the cut site remains light brown and no signs of moisture are visible, then the cutting is most likely dead. You can try to make a second cut, moving 5-8 cm away from the edge, but the result is rarely encouraging. If, even without a new cut, water appears at the end of the cutting, and black inclusions are noticeable on the surface of the fresh cut, then the cutting is rotten.
Cuttings that have successfully survived storage are first soaked in warm water for 2 days, periodically, 1-2 times a day, changing it. It is best to use melt water for soaking; you can take water from a well. Tap water It is not suitable for soaking, since chlorine-containing products are used to clean it.
Into the water for greater efficiency You can add a little honey or aloe juice at the rate of a tablespoon per bucket of water. After soaking, the roots are placed for another 12-18 hours in special stimulants that promote rapid root formation, for example, kornevin.
To make the effect of root-stimulating drugs more effective, at the lower end of the cutting (the one that will be directly located in the stimulator), 3-4 shallow cuts of 1.5-2 cm in length are made with a sharp knife.
Germinating grape cuttings for beginners
This process can be done in several ways. The easiest to perform are germination in cups and bottles. You can also use plastic bags, buckets, wooden boxes, but the germination technology is generally similar.
Germination in cups
Using an awl or the tip of a knife, make three small holes in the bottom of a large plastic glass. 2-2.5 cm of a mixture of leaf humus and turf soil is poured onto the holed bottom.
The mixture is prepared in a 1:1 ratio. Then take a smaller plastic glass, cut off the bottom and place it in the center of the large glass. The space between the walls of the glasses is filled with earth, it is compacted and watered, after which the space inside the smaller glass is filled with washed river sand. The entire structure is watered again, and then the smaller glass is removed.
In the middle of the sand wooden stick make a 4-5 cm hole and insert the lower end of the grape cutting into it, and water again. A plastic bottle with a cut bottom is placed on top of the planted cuttings. The sand must be kept moist until 4-5 leaves appear on the cuttings. After this, the bottle can be removed from the handle.
Sprouting at home in a plastic bottle
In the day of two liters plastic bottle make several holes and cut off the neck completely. A small drainage layer is poured onto the bottom, and 5-6 cm of soil mixture is placed on top. The bottom edge of the cutting is stuck into this mixture.
This needs to be done expertly: the top eye on the handle should be at the same level as the cut of the bottle. The remaining space in the bottle is filled with steamed sawdust and a plastic cup is placed on top of the bottle. When the top shoot develops so much that it becomes difficult to fit into plastic cup, he is removed.
In both cases, a tray is used for watering: pour water into it and place a container with the planted chibouk on it for 15-20 minutes. The secret to successful germination is to provide the part of the cutting that needs to be rooted with warmer and comfortable conditions, than the part where the buds will develop.
Propagating grapes from cuttings is really not difficult if you know exactly what to do and how. But at the same time, it requires attention and care at every stage.
To do this, it is better to germinate a design plant with planted cuttings on a windowsill, but it is imperative that the upper peephole “looks” in the direction opposite to the window. Typically the germination procedure takes about 3 weeks.
Planting cuttings in open ground
The final step in growing grapes from cuttings is to plant the rooted cuttings in open ground. Planting is carried out in the second half of May, when the threat of severe night frosts has passed.
First, a planting hole is dug for each cutting. At its bottom, a wooden stake or iron crowbar is used to make a hole in the ground with a diameter of 10-12 cm. The root system of the cutting is installed in this hole, covered with earth, compacted and watered abundantly, spending about 20 liters of water to water one hole.
When the water is completely absorbed, soil is poured into the planting hole just below the level of the developed upper eye. At the same time, it must be taken into account that this peephole should be located in the planting hole 5-7 cm below the soil level. At the same time at the bottom landing pit drive in a wooden or metal stake, which will serve as a support for the developing grape bush.
Propagation by green cuttings
Propagation of grapes by green cuttings is best done in mid-June. For propagation, 2- or 3-eye cuttings are cut. They are prepared from stepsons or young shoots. At the bottom, the cutting is cut 4-5 cm below the node, at the top - 1.5-2 cm above the eye.
The cut cuttings are placed in a container with water (rain or well, but not tap water). While the cuttings are soaking, several holes are made in the bottom of a 5 liter plastic bottle, and its top is completely cut off.
For planting, prepare a mixture of leaf compost and turf soil, mixed in equal proportions. To make the mixture more loose and “airy”, it is best to take soil for the mixture from molehills if possible.
The prepared jar is filled with soil mixture. The mixture is poured generously and thoroughly compacted, for which the bottle is gently shaken several times and its bottom is tapped on a hard surface.
Important point: the top of the can must first be strengthened wooden frame, deepening several slats into the bottle and fixing them. Then the green cutting is prepared for planting. The lower leaf of a two-eyed cutting is removed, and the upper one is left. For the three-eyed one, the lower leaf is also removed, and half of the middle and upper leaves are also cut off to reduce the area of moisture evaporation.
Plant 3-4 cuttings in one bottle, deepening them into the soil by 5-6 cm. After this, in advance installed frame put on a plastic bag and secure it tightly to the top of the bottle. The constructed structure with planted cuttings is placed on the windowsill of the south window and remains there until rooting.
If everything is done correctly, then in the first 10-12 days no additional actions are required. Then you need regular - once a week - watering and ventilation. Rooting lasts 5-6 weeks, after which the rooted green cuttings are planted in open ground using the same technology as the woody ones, and by October they manage to grow up to 40 cm in length.
Propagating grapes by cuttings is really not difficult if you know exactly what and how to do during each rooting process. But at the same time, you need to understand that any mistake at any stage can cause failure. Therefore, you need to approach each stage responsibly and never hope “at chance.”
