Step-by-step instructions: how to properly cover grapes for the winter

Grapes are a heat-loving crop. Sharp cold snaps lead to the death of bushes and damage to young growth. In any climate, including areas of risky farming, unexpected frosts will not be a problem for the grapevine if you prepare it for wintering. We will tell you in the article how to cover grapes for the winter and what sub-zero temperatures this crop can withstand.

When the grapes are covered

Cover the grapes if the air temperature drops below +15°C. Cold is most dangerous for annual shoots and young plants.

Important! A fully ripened vine is the main condition for covering the grapes.

Depending on the region, they cover at different times: in Siberia and the Urals - in early - mid-October, in central Russia - at the end of October, in the southern regions of the country - in mid-November.

Which grapes are not covered

Not all grape varieties require shelter. There are non-covering varieties that can withstand temperatures down to −35°C. Do not cover grapes in regions with warm winters, where the temperature does not drop below +5°C.

Uncovered ones are, as a rule, not table varieties, but technical varieties. Even if the variety is frost-resistant, with a sudden thaw and new frosts, the bushes become covered with an ice crust; the buds in this state cannot withstand more than two days and die. Uncovered frost-resistant varieties for the northern regions - Lydia and Isabella.

Preparing for shelter

Preparation for sheltering grapes for the winter is characterized by the following important stages.

Trimming

Conducted after leaf fall, at the end of September - beginning of October, at above-zero temperatures.

In the process of trimming comply with the following rules:

• cut off all old, diseased and immature shoots;
• leave 6-8 replacement shoots from young branches, they should have 4 buds;
• two-year-old branches are pruned and up to 10-15 eyes are left as a reserve until spring pruning;
• do not prune the bushes of the current year;
• pruning is done with a disinfected, sharp pruning shears and treating the cut with garden varnish.

Watering

2-3 days before covering the vine, the plant is watered to make the grape roots more resistant to frost.. The moisture requirement is calculated based on the age of the plant, at the rate of 2 buckets for each year of life.

Top dressing

Conducted under the vine, within a radius of 1 m from it, usually 3 weeks before the onset of cold weather.. Phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used to ripen young branches and prepare roots for wintering.

Best lineup: 15 g of potassium salt and 30 g of superphosphate per 10 liters of water. Humus and wood ash, rotted compost are also used. Just 2 cups of ash or up to 5 kg of humus is enough for 1 m² of vineyard.

Treatment against pests and diseases

The procedure is carried out immediately after pruning the bushes. Foliage and grass are removed from under the vine to protect it from rotting. The bush is treated with fungicidal preparations, such as a 3% solution of iron sulfate (spray the bush and the ground around the trunk), a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture, a solution of baking soda or lime.

In case of severe damage by pests, special preparations are used: Nitrafen, Topaz, Ridomil.

Interesting things on the site:

Features of insulation of grapes in the Moscow region

Features of insulation of grapes in Siberia

Secrets of processing in the fall before shelter

Disinfection of covering material

Covering material is white, dry and disinfected.. Special industrial fabrics are widely used: geotextiles, lutrasil, spunbond.

Rodent-repellent herbs are placed between the layers of material and under the trunk: tansy, wormwood, calendula, elderberry, wild rosemary. The branches and tops of the plant are laid out on the ground and treated with a pesticide or fungicide and dried.

Covering methods

Different varieties of grapes and climatic conditions have their own shelter methods. For Ukraine and the southern regions, hilling and semi-covering are suitable; in the Volga region and central Russia, sprinkling with earth is used; in Siberia and the Far East, simple bending is used.

The shelter method is chosen based on the climatic conditions of your region. How to cover grapes - read on.

Near-standard instillation

Used for winter-hardy varieties on young bushes. The vines of the first year are not pruned, but tied into a bunch, bent to the soil and covered with earth 25 cm.

Half cover

Suitable for temperate climates with low to medium frost resistance. The lower part of the bush is covered with earth, and the lashes adjacent to the ground are covered with straw, film or burlap. Good protection for the root system, but unexpected frost will easily destroy unprotected buds.

Full Cover

This method is suitable for regions with frequent temperature changes and frosts of −20°C.

The shoots of the vine are tied together and placed on the ground. Covered with insulated material, wrapped with film on top, stretching it so that there is no contact with the buds. Then they press the structure with an iron arc and sprinkle it with earth - reliable protection from frost is provided.

From time to time the structure is opened slightly to avoid the greenhouse effect and the proliferation of fungal microorganisms.

Thermal insulation materials with full coverage:

1. Snow, especially if the region has snowy winters. Snow is poured over the shelter or onto the stems of the plant.
2. Earth, with which the vine is covered to a depth of 20 cm. Cover until the top layer of soil freezes.
3. Foliage. The vine is bent and secured with iron hooks. Place leaves in large trash bags, tie and cover the plant. The method is used for a small number of bushes. In the spring, the bags are removed, arches are placed and covered with non-woven material until the end of frost.
4. Straw or reed. Use similarly to foliage. Straw is used as a mulching material for better heat retention.
5. Other materials - sawdust, spruce branches, simple bags. The sawdust is covered with film or linoleum on top to prevent getting wet and freezing. Dry sawdust often harbors mice, especially when the vines are not completely covered. When covering with coniferous branches, sugar or flour bags are placed on top and sprinkled with 20 cm of soil.

Dry shelter

The most reliable method against freezing in any region with a stable temperature regime, without damping off the buds. A support is installed on which the covering material is folded in half, with a plastic film on top with vents along the edges.

For dry cover use:

• slate - laid on the ground, dry leaves are added on top, this is suitable for areas with slight frosts;
• plastic film - an inexpensive means of shelter, but after warming, a greenhouse effect often occurs with the awakening of the buds, and after the onset of frost they die;
• arcs, covered with agrofibre or other material and on top with a light film with boards secured at the edges;
• roofing felt suitable for shelter in regions with little snow in winters - the bushes are laid on the ground, covered with burlap or other insulation, and roofing material is spread on top;
• cardboard boxes - such material quickly gets wet and deteriorates, so the cardboard is additionally covered with film or other moisture-resistant material;
• plywood, linoleum, polypropylene bags.

Features of sheltering young grapes

One-year-old grapes are not fed or pruned, but the tender young plant is covered more carefullywithout waiting for negative temperatures. From the end of August, watering is stopped and the tops of the shoots are cut off to roughen the wood.

If by mid-autumn the bark does not turn brown, the grapes are dug up and transplanted into a container in a room with a temperature of +10...+15°C.

There are 4 methods of covering for young grapes:

1. Hilling cuttings soil to a height of 30-40 cm, young buds remain closed.
2. Half cover. In this case, the lower part of the trunk is covered with straw, pine spruce branches or sawdust.
3. Full Cover. Cover the seedlings with 1.5 or 5 liter plastic bottles with an open neck and cover the top with a 5-10 cm layer of earth.
4. Covering with tires. The young vine is placed in a ring and placed inside a tire, sprinkled with earth around it. Another tire is placed on top, covered with insulation and secured with bricks.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Basic mistakes:

• non-compliance with preparatory work before wintering - pruning, watering, fertilizing, treatment against pests and diseases;
• non-compliance with the terms of shelter - in the event of a sharp cold snap, they urgently throw snow or soil into the root zone, wrap it with waterproof insulation, cover it with slate, roofing felt or boards;
• incorrectly chosen method of shelter for the region - take into account how much snow falls in winter, whether there are severe frosts, whether thaws are frequent, how long it takes for the snow to melt in the spring, whether there is stagnation of water;
• lack of ventilation - areas for ventilation are left along the edges of the shelters or ventilated independently from time to time;
• Excess soil on young shoots on top of a film or other material leads to the death of the bush - this is not allowed.

Conclusion

Methods of covering grapes depend on the climatic conditions in the regions. For winter, grapes at air temperatures below +15°C are insulated with one of the 4 main types of shelters. If you follow simple rules, the grapes will successfully overwinter and will delight you with a rich harvest next season.