Recommendations from experienced winegrowers: is it possible to plant different varieties of grapes side by side and what are the benefits and harms of this?
Grapes are the favorite crop of many Russian summer residents. With seeds or sultanas, white or pink - everyone chooses the variety that will best take root on the site. It is planted in open ground or a greenhouse, watered with water at room temperature and fed with complex fertilizers. The yield of a crop depends not only on compliance with the rules of care, but also on the pollination process. Whether grapes are cross-pollinated or not and which varieties are suitable for growing together, we will consider in the article.
Is it possible to plant different grape varieties side by side?
The flowers of grapes are bisexual or female. The former pollinate themselves; their yield does not depend on the presence of other varieties nearby. Bushes with female flowers cannot pollinate themselves. That is why it is recommended to plant bisexual plants nearby to get good yields. If grapes with female flowers grow alone, there is a high probability that the fruits will be small and insipid.
Attention! It would not be amiss to plant 2-3 more self-fertile varieties next to the bisexual varieties. To do this, grapes with the same ripening period and growth vigor are selected.
There are no disadvantages in the proximity of different grape plants; The main thing is to follow simple recommendations. For example, you cannot grow a low-growing shrub next to a tall one, since the latter blocks access to sunlight.
How are grapes pollinated?
Plants with bisexual flowers are self-pollinated with their own pollen, which is fertile. And grapes with the female type of flowers are deprived of full pollen and require helpers in the form of wind, insects, and people.
Can grapes of different varieties be pollinated?
Yes, neighboring shrubs cross-pollinate with each other. This guarantees juicy and tasty berries, large clusters. This method is used by both amateur gardeners and experienced winegrowers who grow crops on plantations or in vineyards.
Hand pollination
Some gardeners resort to manual pollination of grapes - they walk along the vineyard 2-3 times a day and shake the plant. The procedure is carried out during a light breeze - it spreads pollen throughout the garden. Some gardeners put beehives in their vineyards, which attracts bees and bumblebees. These are the best pollinators for all garden plants.
Summer residents also resort to pollination using powder puffs. This is true if the bunch forms slowly or does not develop at all and crumbles. The procedure begins in the morning, the optimal time is from 8 to 12 hours. The air should be dry, temperature - from +20°C and above. It is recommended to carry out the procedure 2-3 times per season.
How to pollinate yourself:
- Summer residents are preparing small puffs.
- With their help, they collect pollen from pollinating varieties.
- Gently touch the inflorescences of pollinated varieties with puffs from different sides.
Sometimes pollen is collected and stored in paper bags in a dry, dark place. They are placed on the pollinator's inflorescence and lightly shaken. Then they are placed on the pollinated inflorescence and shaken again. The weather should be dry and sunny.
Varieties compatibility
To get a good harvest, summer residents carefully select varieties of berries, which they plant next to each other. For example, Alcor gets along well with the White Sauvignon variety - both are medium-late, together they enter the phases of flowering, berry set, and fruiting. The ripening period is one of the main signs that it is recommended to pay attention to. If early and late ripening grapes are planted nearby, they will develop differently, which will negatively affect the yield. While one variety is finishing flowering, another is just beginning.
It is important to take into account the type of soil and climatic conditions in which the grapes consistently bear fruit. For example, Skungub 2 is frost-resistant and takes root in cold regions of the country. The Yubilei Skuinya grape, which has similar characteristics, is planted next to it. It is not recommended to place southern and northern varieties in the same area - they are accustomed to different growing conditions, and such plants will not be successful in proximity.
Attention! Disputes do not subside among summer residents: some believe that technical varieties are planted only next to industrial varieties, and table varieties - with table varieties. Other gardeners claim that these types of grapes get along well with each other. There is no consensus on this matter.
Other useful neighbors for grapes
Planted near grapes cucumbers, onion, greens, sorrel, strawberries. These plants stimulate the growth of shrubs, the vines ripen quickly and unanimously.
It is not recommended to grow nearby potato, corn, cloves, eggplant, pepper. At the same time, the grapes often get sick and freeze in winter.
Tips and recommendations from experienced winegrowers
To grow a rich harvest, experienced winegrowers recommend:
- choose unpretentious Russian varieties Codrianca, Amursky, Arkady, Taezhny;
- comply with neighborhood rules;
- plant 3-4 different varieties on the site, including plants with female and bisexual flowers;
- select grapes in accordance with climatic growing conditions;
- combine natural pollination with artificial (manual) pollination.
Conclusion
Grapes can have female or bisexual flowers. In order for pollination to be successful, several different varieties are grown in one area. If you plant only female plants, the yield will be low, the fruits will be small and insipid.
Before planting grapes, follow the recommendations in the neighborhood, select varieties of the same ripening period, study their photos and descriptions. For better fruit set, summer residents resort to hand pollination.