Everything you need to know about planting grapes: when, where and how
Vineyards on the plots can be found quite often. Some gardeners planted them to get shade under the arch on hot sunny days, while others have plans to harvest a good harvest of juicy berries. Regardless of the goal pursued, when starting the planting of a vineyard, it is worthwhile to study in more detail how to plant grapes correctly so that it successfully takes root and actively develops in the future. Often, young seedlings die in the open field due to an incorrectly chosen place or freeze out in the very first winter as a result of insufficient depth of the cutting during planting.
So the correct planting grapes includes:
- choosing a suitable place;
- selection and preparation of seedlings;
- making adjustments to the particular planting depending on the season when it is carried out.
Where is the best place to plant?
The northern side of the plot is absolutely not suitable for grapes, because this culture is very fond of warmth and light. It will be cold for the bushes in the lowlands, in addition, water stagnates there, which leads to decay of the roots. But the south, south-west and east are good choices for planting a vineyard.
If possible, it is better to plant grapes along the walls of buildings that will protect it from drafts.
As for the soil, the culture grows well almost everywhere, but it gives preference to nutritious black soil. Sandy soil will require additional efforts on the part of the gardener in terms of watering and shelter, because it dries faster in hot summer, and seedlings will freeze more in cold winter.
On this topic:preparing grapes for winter - video.
Preparation of seedlings
Going for seedlings, preference should be given to zoned varietiesthat are more adapted to the local climate. In addition, a quality seedling must have:
- a healthy brown stem no more than 50 cm high;
- several green shoots;
- a developed root system with a length of at least 15 cm, wrapped in a protective pillow made of wet clay.
You should not buy seedlings whose leaves are pale - these are unhardened greenhouse specimens and there is a high risk that they will not take root, especially when planting before winter.
Preparing grapes for planting is as follows:
- soaking for 24 hours in water with the addition of a growth stimulator;
- pruning up to 3-4 buds if necessary;
- shortening the lower roots by a couple of centimeters to stimulate their growth.
For the prevention of diseases, seedlings can be treated with a fungicide.
Landing features
You can plant grapes both in spring, starting in April, and before winter, in mid-October. The only thing worth considering: when planting in autumn, it is necessary to deepen the seedlings a little more so that they do not freeze out, and to organize a shelter. Despite this, most gardeners prefer autumn planting.
Grapes planted in the fall will wake up earlier in the spring and will be more seasoned, moreover, they do not require such abundant watering than seedlings planted in spring soil.
The planting pit for grapes must be deep enough, at least 80 cm.At the bottom, it is imperative to pour drainage (crushed stone or pebbles) and sprinkle it with humus with the addition of potash fertilizer and superphosphate (300 g each), as well as wood ash in the amount of 2-3 liter cans. It remains to close the nutrient layer with soil and fill an elevation in the center of the hole. Place a seedling on it, spread the roots and cover it with earth to the point of growth, slightly stamping it around the bush. The final touch will be watering and lightly loosening the soil. After the first frost, the grapes must be covered for the winter by wrapping the vine with foil and laying spruce branches on top.