How to grow grapes in the suburbs and when to open the vine after winter?

Not so long ago, a large number of grapes could be seen only in the southern regions. Today he is everywhere. Craftsmen grow it even in the north. Of course, not all parts of Russia produce grapes equally well, but as practice has shown, for example, in the Moscow region, you can get a great harvest. Contributes to this variety of early and mid-early varieties.

Grapes are a culture that loves warm and sunny days. Of course, now it can be found on the site of almost every summer resident. Breeders have tried, and now it is possible to grow grapes in the center, and in the south, and in the north of Russia. In Moscow, the cultivation of different varieties of grapes are engaged despite the fact that climatic conditions are not the best for this crop.

Compared with the north of Russia in this area is much better, but it is still very far from southern latitudes. The peculiarity of the climate near Moscow is that the heat is hot until mid-July, and then constant rains begin. It turns out that when the grapes ripen, due to rainy weather, the berries crack and begin to rot. That is why only the early varieties are suitable for the Moscow region, which have time to ripen before the summer rainy season begins.

This climate cannot be called good for growing grapes, but you can find features that are not in the south. They need to use to grow delicious fruit. For example, in the suburban region of the pests are much less active, and there are fewer diseases that can affect grape bushes. In addition, for this climate, a large number of varieties with different yields and unpretentious care have already been bred.

It should be borne in mind that in the Moscow region the period of spring is rather long, and winters cannot be called mild by any means. Practice has shown that in such conditions only varieties with increased resistance to frost can take root. In addition, such grapes quietly tolerate light frosts, which can be in the spring, and has a high resistance to many diseases.

If you want to grow high-quality grapes in the suburbs, it is better to choose varieties that develop quite quickly. Currently, there are various sweet and large species that have time to mature well, even in a short period. You should not focus on the very early varieties, since they are not suitable for this region, they need a lot of heat in a period of active growth.

The first thing you should look at when choosing grapes for Moscow residents is its resistance to frost. Depending on this variety are:

• weakly resistantthat carry a maximum temperature of -17 degrees;
• medium resistantthat can withstand temperatures of -22 degrees;
• increased stabilityable to survive the frost even at -27 degrees;
• highly resistant or winter hardythat can withstand temperatures of -35 degrees or more.

By the number of harvested berries from the bush, varieties are also divided into different classes:

• low yield (low-yield), if they give less than 5 kg;
• average yield (average), if the bush is obtained from 6 to 8 kg;
• normal yield (yield) - this is when the bush is removed from 8.5 to 10 kg;
• high yield (high-yielding), if more than 10 kg can be removed from the bush.

According to what the grapes are intended for, it is divided into the following types:

• dining roomIt is best to use it fresh in food;
• universal suitable for eating fresh and for making various drinks from it;
• technical suitable exclusively for the production of wines, juices and other beverages.

Technical grapes are often called simply wine.

The quality of the harvest is determined by the appearance of the whole, the thickness of the skin, the consistency of the pulp, the taste, the aroma. Depending on these parameters, grapes can be classified as:

• masterpiece;
• a great;
• good;
• satisfactory;
• bad.

In determining this classification points are used. Varieties, masterpieces of a maximum can score ten points, and bad varieties - 7 points.

Diseases and attacks of pests carry different varieties of grapes in different ways, so their resistance is divided into:

• not in need of protection (0 points);
• immune, which do without the protection of chemical substances (1 point);
• resistant, which almost do not need chemical protection, as the damage to the sheet is less than 10% (2 points);
• relatively stable, in which 25% of the leaf is damaged and they need treatment 1-2 times a year (3 points);
• susceptible varieties need to be processed 2-4 times a year (4 points);
• highly susceptible varieties must be processed at least 5 times per season (5 points).

To taste grapes are divided into:

• ordinarywhich combines sweetness and acid, with no extra features;
• nutmegin which there is clearly a nutmeg shade;
• nightshade has a grassy flavor;
• isabel has a taste reminiscent of black currant, pineapple or strawberry.

When choosing grapes for cultivation, it is worth first of all to decide how it will be grown. For example, frost-resistant varieties must be chosen if they are grown without a greenhouse. In this case, they must be self-pollinated.

Choosing grapes should be borne in mind that it is not divisible by covering or non-covering. For example, in the Moscow region, a certain variety needs shelter for the winter, while in the Krasnodar Territory it is completely unnecessary. Only practice shows whether or not it is necessary to cover one or another grape variety during the cold season.

In the Moscow region, the best shelter species are represented by varieties that were obtained as a result of breeding with the American variety "Librusek". These varieties, as a rule, tolerate frosts well, rush early, show resistance to diseases, and are easy to maintain.

It would not be superfluous to take into account exactly what grapes are grown for. For example, Lydia (Isabella) is perfect for wine. This variety tolerates frost, while it can also be used simply in food. Berries are distinguished by their pleasant strawberry flavor.

For those who like sweet grapes, it is better to opt for early ripening varieties, for example, the “Transfiguration”. With one bush of this variety, you can get more than 15 kg of crop. In this case, it takes only 100-120 days to mature. Of the early ripening varieties for food, it is worth noting the Aleshenkin grape, which matures in less than 117 days and has a very pleasant taste.

For sale is perfect grade "Victoria". The type of this grape involuntarily attracts itself. Its advantages: nutmeg taste, dark pink color of berries, high sweetness and good tolerance of transportation over long distances.

"Kudrik" or "Kuderka" not only withstands the winters near Moscow, but also amazes with its gigantic yields and high disease resistance. Up to 100 kg of berries can be harvested from one adult bush. However, we must bear in mind that this variety is late. Wine is made from such grapes even without added sugar.

If you want to try grapes very early in the summer, you can opt for the varieties “Jupiter”, “Buffalo” or “Sovering Tiara”. All varieties are perfect for food and juices due to its sweetness.

Once the variety is selected, you should be familiar with the process of planting grapes and caring for them. A very important point is also the correct spring pruning of bushes.This is especially important for novice gardeners. Each region of Russia has its own peculiarities of these processes, and the Moscow region is no exception.

For grapes it is necessary to choose areas that are well illuminated by the sun and which are not too much blown by the winds. Ideal for the suburbs - the site on the south side of the building. In this case, the distance from the building to the landing point must be at least a meter and a half.

You should not choose small and very closed areas. The soil on them warms up after winter for a long time, and the snow is usually long. Well suited for grapes places with sandy or loamy soil, which is heated by the sun faster.

It is best to grow grapes in elevated areas, as rain and melt water may gather in lowlands. From this, the root system may begin to rot, and the bushes will eventually die.

Planting grapes in spring is very important. During this period, you can plant annual saplings or lignified cuttings. The roots of the seedlings are very delicate and should be planted with great care.

The landing begins as soon as the earth’s temperature exceeds 10 degrees. However, we must look to the ground was not too moist. It should be borne in mind that the later the seedlings are planted, the slower their growth will be.

Once the place is selected, you should proceed to the preparation of the planting pit. It should have a depth of 30 to 45 centimeters, and its length and width should be 1.5x1.5 meters. After the pit has been dug, 20 cm of stones or gravel (drainage) should be poured into it, then 4.5 buckets of compost, 3.5 buckets of sand, and a charcoal shovel. All this is well mixed and left to be soaked with moisture and minerals.

Lignified stalk is planted in the following way:

• in the center of the landing pit is deepening up to 30 cm deep;
• a bucket or two of water is poured into it and a hill of earth is poured;
• put the cutting on the mound and spread the roots;
• the upper bud on the shoot is positioned so that it covers 6.5-7 cm in the ground;
• the roots are covered with earth, and around the cutting deepens the soil;
• seedling watered;
• Cover with a plastic bottle.

Saplings planted in a similar way. At least one meter indent between saplings.

Landing can also be carried out in trenches or high ridges. Trenches are about 80 centimeters deep and up to a meter wide. They are usually located from south to west. High ridges are most often made where clay or loamy soils. This is due to the fact that such mounds will be better heated by the sun.

First of all, care for grapes after planting is reduced to moistening the soil every 10-14 days. On one bush should go about 30 liters of water. This irrigation system is used until the grapes are rooted. After that, the amount of watering is reduced, since there is enough moisture in the Moscow region.

For watering and feeding the vines you can resort to a little trick. When planting near the roots of the seedling, 4 plastic bottles or pipes with holes can be dug. They should look above the ground to a height of 5 centimeters.

In summer, shoots should be cut at a height of 1.5-1.7 meters from the ground.It is necessary that before the arrival of frosts the plants become as strong as possible. If you properly cut the bush, then the fruits of it can be obtained within two years after planting.

In the first years, while the grapes grow and gain strength, it must be covered. For this most often use sawdust or agrofibre. It is important to close the soil around the place where the bush is planted.

When feeding grapes, it is better not to use fertilizers with a high nitrogen content, otherwise the vine will grow quickly. However, their ripening will slow down and by the autumn the grapes will not have time to ripen. As a result, the whole bush may freeze or its yield will drop dramatically. It is best to choose fertilizers according to the recommendations for a particular variety.

It is not necessary and completely exclude nitrogen for grapes, as it is necessary for proper growth and development. During ripening, fertilizers with a high content of potassium and phosphorus can be used as nutrition. The first is necessary to improve the immunity of the grapes and ensure the growth of bushes. The second has an effect on how fruit buds are formed. Potash and phosphate fertilizers are also applied once every three years in the form of potassium sulphate and superphosphate at the rate of 50 grams per square meter.

Manure can be used as a fertilizer for any soil. It supplies the vine with essential microelements and nutrition. This fertilizer should be applied only once every three years. On one square meter is brought about a bucket of manure.

As a mineral dressing, ash is suitable. 80-100 grams of this fertilizer will be needed per square meter.

In the future, watering the grapes should be carried out depending on the variety. For example, for early varieties, three irrigations per season are sufficient; for medium and medium late varieties, four irrigations are best. In dry summer, watering should be carried out more often than 1 time in 14 days. Water the bushes should be so that the soil beneath them was wet to a depth of 45 - 55 cm

Another important point in the care is spraying, which protects the plant from diseases and various pests. The most dangerous disease for grapes is mildew. It is expressed in that the leaves appear on the leaves of a light yellow color, then they go to the fruit and eventually the plant rots.

First of all, you should not allow the plant to get sick. To this end, it is important to collect all the fallen leaves in the fall and to collect grapes. Also important is the pruning of bushes in the autumn and spring months. In order to prevent disease, you can spray bushes Bordeaux liquid. This should be done when the shoots have grown over a length of more than 20 centimeters, after the flowering period, and then once every three weeks until maturity.

Oidium disease is also common in the Moscow region. Its manifestation is the appearance on the inflorescences and berries of dark-gray formations. Fruits may also crack or dry. In wet weather, the affected berries begin to rot. The fight against this disease is reduced to spraying fungicides.

Loosening the soil under the grape bushes is also an important step in care. This must be done constantly, removing weeds. During the summer, it is necessary to loosen the soil at least ten times.

The formation of a grape bush is carried out by timely pruning. It is usually carried out in the fall and spring. This process for beginners seems to be something very difficult. Experienced gardeners recommend starting pruning only from the second year. In the first year, you only need to tie up the vine, if it will too lie on the ground.

For a region such as the Moscow region, the Guyo scheme will be the best way to trim. It consists in the following:

• in the first year, pruning of the shoots is done in the autumn period; two buds should be left from the soil;
• in the second year of one to two new shoots, one to two to three buds are cut off in the fall;
• next year, new vines will grow from the buds of a short shoot.

In the spring pruning of the bush is actually reduced to its cleaning. During this period, sick, weak, frozen shoots are removed from the grapes. It is also recommended to remove shoots that are damaged. Then, as the vine grows, it is necessary to monitor from the very beginning, otherwise its development will be wrong, and the yields will be low.

Most modern grape varieties are able to tolerate strong frosts, but their roots can be damaged even at -6 degrees. That is why the grapes protect from the cold through shelter.

To do this, the bushes pruned, remove the vines from the mount, bend down to the soil. The last action can be easily carried out using prefabricated metal brackets. It is important that the shoots do not come into contact with the ground, otherwise they may be covered with mold. To avoid this, you should put wooden slats or sticks under the vine.

The trunk at the base is best covered with a special film. Also for this fit a thick layer of sawdust.

In the suburbs of grapes can be covered for the winter period in various ways.

• Dripping vine to earth. The method is simple, but it is not very effective. If precipitation falls into the ground, the bush will freeze with the arrival of frost and may die.
• Shelter coniferous branches, which are also called laparic, is a pretty good way. Such a shelter allows you to get to the bush moisture and air. However, with a small thaw and subsequent frost, soil freezing and root damage may occur.
• Ruberoid or film materials You can also cover the vineyards for the winter. This method allows to protect the soil from the penetration of precipitation. Such shelters are made on metal arcs. At the same time it is necessary to put wooden slats under the vine, and on top of them - dry needles or straw. In that case, if the frosts are weak, you will sometimes have to open this shelter for airing.
• Slate cover is another way to save grapes in winter. This method consists in the fact that the vine bends down to the soil, and sawdust, pine needles or hay are placed on top of it. Slate sheets do not allow the sediment to penetrate inside, but at the same time freely pass air.
• A box made of wood, upholstered with roofing felt, will be an excellent shelter. This design allows you to quickly protect the bushes. It is best of all to do this kind of shelter along one row in order to make it easier to lay a vine in them.
• Agrofibre perfectly protect grapes from heavy snow. This method consists in the fact that the vine bends down to the ground and is covered with agrofiber, which is fixed at the edges with the help of bricks or embankments of earth.

After winter, it is equally important to properly open the grapes. In the Moscow region, this process begins at the end of March with snow cleaning from a protective shelter. Also be sure to organize the stock for melt water.

The first time to open the bushes for a short time should be in good, warm weather. It is desirable that it was sunny. The shelter is completely removed, and the fact that under it is allowed to dry. After that, the whole structure is restored.

The next time you need to remove the shelter after the heat becomes stable. Leaves, coniferous branches, sawdust should be removed, and the vines should remain bound for another 10-14 days. Reinsure frost can, covering the vine with a film. By the end of spring, the danger to the grapes is over and it will be possible to untie the vines and prune.

Before planting grapes, you should choose a good material for planting.In the Moscow region is best to acquire young bushes of grapes closer to the middle of spring. A good seedling at the age of two years has a strong and dense light-colored root system.

Before planting the acquired grapes, you should soak it in the preparation to protect from aphids. To do this, suitable "Kinmiks" or "BI-58". Cuttings should be soaked in a solution of 2 milliliters of the drug and 10 liters of water. In the solution, the seedlings are kept for half an hour, after which they should be washed with water.

After this treatment, two-year-old seedlings are planted in buckets or cut five-liter plastic cylinders. Growing takes place in a shelter under a film, for example, in a temporary greenhouse, on a loggia or on a south window.

You can purchase seedlings from gardeners-collectors who have a good reputation, or in a specialized nursery. In any case, before buying planting material, even in a reputable place, you should see how a particular variety grows and bears fruit. It would not be superfluous to receive detailed recommendations for the care of a particular variety from the seller.

In autumn, annual seedlings are most often planted. Choose healthy plants for which there are no signs of disease or damage. For landing in the autumn, October is well suited before the onset of severe frosts.

To obtain the maximum effect from fertilizers, where there is potassium and phosphorus, they should be provided with access to the main part of the root system. This helps to specifically dig in the pipe, through which nutrients get where necessary.

The practice of most gardeners has shown that poor soils under vineyards are improved by annual nitrogen in them. This should be done in early spring and after flowering. Per square meter will need 3-4 grams of fertilizer.

An excellent harvest can be made only by growing vineyards on soil that is well fertilized. In the autumn, digging up the soil, it is worth making organic matter in it, and in the spring for fertilizing it is better to use liquid mineral fertilizers. In that case, if fertilizing with organic matter and mineral elements is done at the same time, then each of them must be added 2 times less.

Watering of grapes should be made exclusively under the root. Spraying the bushes, as well as long rains, can lead to a fungal outbreak. That is why for such a region as the Moscow region, it is recommended to grow bushes under a transparent plastic canopy.

At the cottage, it is important to properly form young bushes. Varieties that are resistant to frost, it is best to form a fan or cordon way. For frost-resistant varieties, it is better to use a stem or bowline.

Cultivation is recommended to carry out immediately with several varieties. First, you should opt for three varieties. Moreover, it is better to decide in advance on what the grapes will be grown for.

Before planting grapes in the Moscow region, you can treat it with bacterial preparations. This will increase the resistance of the bushes to dry weather and frost. Moreover, such grapes ripen earlier for 14-18 days and is resistant to rot.

If the groundwater lies close to the surface, the bushes practically do not water. The ideal soil for grapes is sandy. In the spring it warms up easily, and in the fall it cools quickly. As a result, the fruits ripen better and the plants manage to tune in for the winter period.

Varieties that are resistant to frost, for example, "Kishmish", must be covered in the winter and in the spring months when it wakes up. This should be done until all the frosts are gone.

Even frost-resistant varieties need shelter for the first three years after planting. It can be made in the form of wooden flooring or polyethylene.

See the technology of planting grapes in the Moscow region in the next video.