Guide to caring for grapes in the spring after opening

Today, grapes are grown throughout Russia - in the Urals and Siberia, in the Moscow region and the Volga region, Krasnodar Territory and Kuban. The success of the future harvest largely depends on caring for the plant in the spring - it is during this period that such important procedures as removing the cover, pruning and shaping the bush, the first watering and fertilizing occur.

We will tell you in detail how experienced winegrowers carry out spring work and how to care for the plant so that there is a good harvest.

Features of spring grape care

To ensure that the vineyard does not get sick and consistently produces tasty and juicy berries, care procedures begin at the end of March. These include:

• removing cover;
• treatment with copper sulfate solution;
• pruning;
• formation;
• garter;
• protection from diseases and pests;
• watering;
• application of fertilizers.

How and when to open grapes

The grapes are opened when the air temperature warms up to +5°C and the snow melts. The grapes do not tolerate frost well, so opening them before April is not recommended. In the southern regions this is done on April 1-10, in the northern regions - at the end of the month, in the middle zone - in the middle. In each region, the climate characteristics are taken into account.

Gardeners remove the protection gradually - a week before full opening, they ventilate the vine for 2-3 hours every day.To keep the stems healthy, you should not delay opening until May, otherwise the vines will become weak, and due to the long absence of sunlight, metabolic processes will be disrupted and the plant will slow down in development. It is important to remember that under cover in the warm season, grapes rot and humidity rises. There is a danger of rotting.

Immediately after the procedure, the grapes are treated with fungicides to get rid of dangerous fungi and microbes and prevent diseases. For treatment, use a solution of copper sulfate (1%). Dilute 100 g of the drug in 10 liters of water, pour the solution into a spray bottle. Spray the vines before buds form, otherwise a chemical burn is possible. For processing, choose a dry and warm day.

Possible problems after winter

In early spring, the grapes are weakened, so problems may arise immediately after removing the cover. A common case is drying of leaves. This happens due to a lack of nitrogen, especially if organic and mineral fertilizers were not applied to the plant in the fall. In this case, complex fertilizers are used in dry or liquid form. For example, “Helatin” contains a complex of microelements and is used against drying out of leaves and the appearance of white or brown spots.

Another common problem is phosphorus starvation. With a lack of phosphorus, the root system slows down in development, the absorption of microelements is difficult, and underdeveloped inflorescences are formed. If measures are not taken, the grapes will die in 2-3 years. Phosphorus starvation is easy to recognize - blurry purple spots appear on leaves, vines and cuttings. To eliminate the problem, the plant is fed with superphosphate, bone meal, and ammophos.

Attention! Winegrowers advise regularly inspecting the plant for stains, damage, and signs of disease. If you detect a problem in time, it will take less effort and time to fix it.

Spring pruning

Spring pruning is necessary for old and young plants. Its goal is the formation of healthy and fruit-bearing vines. If the grapes are not pruned, the stems will grow in a chaotic manner, which will lead to a decrease in yield. Thanks to pruning, the plant grows to the sides and upwards, while all its parts receive nutrition. Trim the grapes before the buds swell. Old and diseased shoots are removed, and young shoots are left with 2-3 eyes. For healthy growth, it is enough to leave 2-4 old shoots, the rest of the space will be taken by new fruiting vines.

Remove the shoots with sharp garden pruners so that the cut is perfectly even. The diameter of the young vine must be at least 0.6 mm. The cutting direction is strictly at right angles. The procedure is carried out in warm and dry weather so that the sections dry and harden.

If the grapes “cry” after pruning, it means the gardener did not pay attention to the timing and removed the branches at a time when the movement of juices had already begun and the buds had swelled. In this case, the plant weakens, individual shoots dry out, the yield decreases and the taste of the berries deteriorates. Therefore, there is no need to delay pruning.

Bush formation

The formation of a bush improves the metabolic processes inside the plant, due to which the fruits grow large and juicy, and the plant gets sick less often. Grapes are formed in the first 3-4 years of life.

There are three types of escapes:

• summer (young);
• biennial (fruits form on them);
• perennial (responsible for the supply of nutrients and ensures the ripening of the crop).

The procedure begins with the formation of “sleeves” - this is the main branch that continuously produces fruit-bearing shoots. Summer residents choose the longest vines and cut off others completely. The remaining vines should have 8-9 buds.

Next year they use fan molding - leaving 5-6 branches on both sides of the root. The fan method allows you to make the plant stronger and more fruitful. Subsequently, two fruiting vines are formed on each sleeve. Externally, this arrangement of branches resembles a fan.

Garter

The grapes are tied after formation. The shoots are straightened and laid out on a trellis, where they are ventilated for 3-4 days. The trellis is a special mesh wall to support the plant or a simple structure of two columns and a wire stretched between them.

It is important to pay attention to the fact that the shoots should not be secured to vertical supports. For garter use soft wire. After 2-3 weeks, as the buds begin to grow, the young shoots are tied to a higher level.

Treatment against diseases and pests

Grape prevention begins at the end of April or beginning of May. In addition to the first treatment with a solution of copper sulfate, spraying with the drug “Quadris” is used. It protects against mildew and powdery mildew - common crop diseases that arise due to improper care, waterlogging, and lack of vitamins and microelements.

If you don’t have Quadris at hand, use a solution of Bordeaux mixture. Treat leaves and vines in the morning or evening when there is no sun. The interval between spraying is 2-3 weeks.

In addition to diseases, grapes are also attacked by pests - spider mites, grape aphids, leaf rollers, and mole crickets.Treatments with Actellik help protect against them. To prepare the solution, two ampoules of the product and 2 liters of water are required. Consumption rates are 2-3 liters per bush. The treatment is carried out wearing personal protective equipment (goggles, suit, gloves, respirator).

Attention! If the plant is sick, use strong drugs, for example “Tiovit Jet”. It suppresses the development of pathogens and is ideal for both open ground and greenhouses. At the same time, the drug does not suppress the further development of plants.

Watering

In the spring, moisture-recharging irrigation is carried out, the purpose of which is to saturate the soil with moisture and retain it inside for as long as possible.. Warm water is used for irrigation; it stimulates the growth and development of the vine. Cold water is not used, as it delays bud break.

Water the grapes in a trench or hole dug at a distance of 20-30 cm from the bush. There are 2-3 holes per plant, arranged in a circle. 1-2 buckets of water are poured into each. Afterwards, the holes are covered with earth and mulched. Once or twice in the spring, fertilizers are applied along with such watering. In the first year of life, the grapes are watered once a week in the evening. One plant requires about 20 liters of water.

Subsequently, the plant is watered using the underground method. The pipe is placed underground at a depth of 1 m, pre-drilled along the entire length of the hole. This way, water is used more economically and goes directly to the roots of the grapes. Also, underground watering increases resistance to frost and strengthens the immune system.

Feeding

Grapes are fed from the second year of life. From organic matter, manure, bird droppings, compost, and vermicompost are used. They saturate the soil with nitrogen and stimulate fruit set.Among mineral fertilizers, choose multicomponent fertilizers based on phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen.

Summer residents use double superphosphate, urea, ammonium nitrate, and bone meal. So that all the nutrients get to the roots, a groove 40 cm deep is dug around the plant. feeding twice in the spring - the first after pruning, the second after 3-4 weeks.

The following mixtures are used for feeding:

• 40 g of superphosphate, 20 g of ammonium nitrate, 10 g of potassium salt;
• 10 l of water, 5 g of boric acid;
• 10 liters of water, 70 g of nitrophoska;
• 5 l of water, 40 g of superphosphate, 80 g of urea.

Features of spring care in different regions

In regions with hot summers, attention is paid to irrigation. The grapes should not be allowed to dry out, but at the same time, overmoistening is also unacceptable.. When watering, they are guided by weather conditions. If the summer is dry and hot, then water the grapes at least once a week. If it rains periodically, the amount of watering is reduced. It is important to remember that waterlogging leads to the formation of diseases and the appearance of insect pests.

In regions with short and cool summers, emphasis is placed on complex fertilizing. Grapes are a heat-loving plant and will often get sick if there is a lack of sunlight and heat. A balanced diet will help fill the deficiency. It is also recommended to periodically carry out foliar feeding - this is disease prevention.

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Advice from experienced winegrowers

To ensure that the grapes grow tasty and juicy, experienced winegrowers share useful tips and tricks growing:

• For irrigation, water that has been settled or heated in the sun is used;
• do not irrigate the trunk and leaves;
• to strengthen the immune system, complex mixtures are used - “Kemira” and “Florovit”;
• before flowering, the soil is fertilized with a solution of boric acid;
• do not use chlorine-containing fertilizers for fertilizing;
• apply fertilizers to the holes rather than scatter them on the ground;
• calculate the amount of microelements so as not to overfeed the grapes.

Conclusion

Caring for grapes in the spring will not be a hassle if novice gardeners know and follow simple rules. The shelter is removed only after the air has warmed up and the snow has melted. Next, pruning and shaping are carried out - old and dry shoots are removed to create conditions for the growth of new fruit-bearing vines. With the arrival of spring, be sure to spray the plants with a solution of copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture.

For irrigation, use settled water, making sure that it does not fall on the leaves and trunk. And to stimulate fruiting, grapes are fed with manure, compost, urea, and superphosphate.