Many gardeners are faced with the fact that there is less and less space on their plot, but they want to plant a lot. different cultures. I see only two ways out of this situation: either by an effort of will to limit the unbridled desire, or to find some new ways to increase the “opportunities” of the beds. For example, grow other crops along with grapes.
First conclusions
About three years ago we disbanded the garden bed with remontant garden strawberries, which was located next to the vineyard. Some mustaches survived because they managed to crawl under the grape bushes. There the strawberries took root and grew. She felt great, although the berry harvest was scanty. The grapes clearly liked the proximity to strawberries. Self-seeding dill grew well nearby. Apparently, the grapes were not irritated by such proximity. The garlic planted nearby was strong and tall, although its heads were smaller than we expected. It may be a coincidence, but there were no wasps at all on the side of the vineyard where the garlic was located. Eggplants fared the worst. The seedlings planted between the grape bushes weakened and practically did not increase in size. I had to remove it. Several grape bushes under which it was planted had problems. These unsystematized observations of the joint cultivation of grapes and other crops became the beginning of a serious study of this issue.
The mutual influence of plants interests many gardeners and gardeners. We all know that plants can help their neighbors, make them feel worse, or maintain neutral relationships. Fierce wars are sometimes waged not only on the surface of the beds, but also underground. Where the roots are. We are not talking about a massive seizure of territories, when the main culture has neither space nor normal nutrition. Even single plants growing nearby can have an effect.
Books by N. Kurdyumov and Lenz Moser helped me figure out whether it is worth planting grapes together with other crops or keeping them isolated from them. The work “Viticulture in a New Way” by the famous Austrian winegrower Lenz Moser confirmed my observations and the reliability of the opinions of familiar Ukrainian and Moldavian gardeners. In addition, the vast experience of this practitioner made it possible to substantiate bold conclusions. He warned that it is important to take into account the location of the site, the original structure of the soil, the age and nature of the formation of the grapes, the time of year, climate and many other circumstances. Such a huge amount of factual material has been analyzed that the experience of Lenz Moser deserves trust.
Friends of the grapes
There are many plants that improve the condition of grapes. Lenz Moser wrote:
The idea that a grape bush grows best on bare ground is just an old superstition. ... Grains get along well with the roots of the grapevine. Low-growing types of clover, vetch, peas, quinoa, speedwell, and so on also do not cause harm. Woodlice, sedum, and some mosses even promote the growth of the vine.
Here is a list of plants that have a positive effect on grapes. They are listed in alphabetical order:
Asters, arabis (alpine rhizome), aubriecia, fava beans, spring vetch, viola (Pansy), gypsophila (kachim), peas, field buckwheat, doricnium, fumaria, melon, strawberries, cereals (many), common groundsel, onion onions, alfalfa, mallow (wild and neglected mallow), chard, woodlice (chickweed), forget-me-nots, cucumbers, sedum (white and hare cabbage), purslane, primrose (primrose), radish, soft wheat, mignonette, rye, beets (table and sugar), scorciera (black root), soybeans, prickly tartar (thistle), dill, drummond phlox, cauliflower, greater celandine, garden spinach, sorrel, sainfoin, multileaf ulcer.
Enemies of grapes
There are other plants that are less desirable for grapes. Lenz Moser noted:
Wild field radish, shepherd's purse, field mustard, bluebells, field sow thistle, great nettle, carrots, celery, scilla, wormwood, St. John's wort and others harm the vine.
The list of these plants is also quite long. I present them in alphabetical order:
Amaranth (amaranth), eggplant, whiteweed (hairy, black, etc.), thistle (sow thistle), blue cornflower, field bindweed, small-flowered galinsoga, gaillardia, cloves, knotweed, elecampane, elecampane, calendula (marigold), potato, clematis (clematis), nettle (all types), leeks, toadflax, white pigweed, canadian spurge, cypress spurge, hemp, corn, meadow bluegrass, dandelion, parsley, capsicum (sweet and bitter), black nightshade, tansy, plantain (large, lanceolate), sunflower, wormwood (common, field, bitter), millet, creeping wheatgrass, ryegrass, lettuce, rapeseed, tomatoes, yarrow, horseradish, aromatic china, chives, curly sorrel, glaucous bristle grass, green (setaria), field parsley.
Weeds
Weeds are found both among enemy plants and among grape plant friends. Lenz Moser noted:
The bushes that grew in weed-free soil were almost half stunted in growth, and the soil itself was bare, rocky and hard, while nearby it was soft and loose. In row-spacings without green fertilizer, the soil could only be worked in a wet state, and large blocks were turned out and dried out the next day. The harvest of these bushes was not as bad as might have been expected, taking into account the growth of the aboveground part of the bushes. Later, I stopped the experiment and sowed abundant green fertilizer, since I realized that without this the bushes would die in about 10 years.
Weed growth in spring and the first half of summer is selected a lot nutrients and moisture in grapes. Into this time goes by intensive growth of aboveground and underground parts of bushes. It is necessary to cultivate the row spacing in planting annual and biennial bushes. “But from the third year, the row spacing can already be sown with grasses. For this purpose, you can use mixtures of low-growing types of clover, park turf mixture or other low-growing grasses, for example, chickweed, daisy, etc. ... You can leave naturally growing weeds in the vineyard, if they are not malicious. If sow thistle, wheatgrass or bluebells predominate among them, it is better to sow cultivated plants to prevent the widespread spread of harmful weeds, since their foci are very difficult to eliminate.
This clarification is interesting:
There is no need to cultivate the soil in close proximity to the trunk and roots. In many cases, this is even dangerous, as it can damage the plants.
Weeds also have to be removed when the bushes are low and densely planted.
Here we must completely destroy weeds, primarily because of mildew. If weeds grow to the clusters and even outgrow them, the clusters die from the fungus, despite all means of protection. It wasn't like that in the old days. Before mildew appeared in the vineyards, our neighbors “cultivated” mainly wild millet, as well as some other weeds, and successfully used them as forage grasses. There is no doubt that it was thanks to this vegetation that the vineyards remained healthy for centuries.
In 1941 - 1943, Lenz Moser was not able to care for the vineyard (about 0.5 hectares), which was located on a mountainous plot. The land was overgrown with tall weeds: thistle, nettle, quinoa, etc. However, the vineyards occupied by herbs grew, and they were preserved during the war years with virtually no damage.
Green fertilizers
For grapes, it is important that the soil is structured. The roots of green manure plants “penetrate deep into the soil, thereby creating a connection between the deep soil horizons and the external environment. When these roots die, the cavities they leave behind are quickly filled by the grape roots, which find nutrients here in an easily digestible form. After embedding, the green mass and roots decompose, turning into the best and cheapest humus.” And since the roots of such plants penetrate very deeply (up to two meters), when they decompose, nutrients end up at great depths.
As a green fertilizer, you can sow vetch, peas, oats, barley, buckwheat, kale, rye, wheat, alfalfa, reps and some other fast-growing crops that produce a lot of green mass from the end of July. They are plowed in in the fall. In spring, grasses can use up the moisture from winter precipitation that grapes need.
Lenz Moser attached great importance to living in the soil of the vineyards. earthworms.
A vineyard with a lot of earthworms in the soil is in good condition, but if they are completely absent, the development of the grape bushes worsens. If densely growing plants sown with green manure are rolled down and left to lie down for several weeks, they form an excellent cover on the soil surface.
Under it, earthworms breed in huge numbers. In soils poor in humus they are almost absent.
To ensure that the grasses in the spring and first half of summer do not take away a lot of moisture and nutrients from the grape bushes, they should be mowed regularly, leaving the green mass on the soil. Over time, a covering layer will build up - the basis of humus, which inhibits the growth of grasses.
In the ninth year after sowing the herbs in the vineyard, a humus layer 6-8 cm thick formed covering the soil, and the soil is soft like a Persian carpet, due to which it completely absorbs moisture even from the heaviest precipitation, soil erosion or water runoff even on steep slopes completely excluded.
Lenz Moser noted that this technique is only possible with mature and strong grape bushes. Their harvest increases greatly. In young and weak bushes, some suppression of growth may be observed at first. For example, barley inhibits the growth of seedlings, but later only brings benefits.
Some of the conclusions made by Lenz Moser seem very bold. The author understood this perfectly. People who visited his vineyards “said they would never have believed anything like this unless they had seen it with their own eyes.”
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Lenz Moser's experience: what to plant with grapes
Significant research on the compatibility of plants with grapes was carried out by the famous Austrian winegrower Lenz Moser, who tested more than 170 cultivated and wild plants and outlined his findings in the book “Viticulture in a New Way.” The vine growing in his clean soil did not always feel better than with its neighbors. wintered and developed better when its row-spacings were tinned with certain plants, or they grew nearby. Different weeds also affected the grapes differently. On the control row spacing, Moser constantly kept the soil clean; on the rest, from March to July, but from August the weeds grew freely there; they were plowed under in late autumn. The result was visible from afar - the bushes that grew on soil without weeds were almost twice as slow in growth. Moser advised winegrowers who cannot sow green fertilizer from the list of useful ones to leave naturally growing weeds in the vineyard, if they are not malicious. If among them there are more sow thistle, wheatgrass or, it is better to use sowing of cultivated plants. Even single weeds of this type, growing close to the grape trunk, had an adverse effect, and no less strongly than their entire groups.
Modern observations: what depresses grapes
Many winegrowers agree with Moser’s observations that young seedlings and even adult grapes are inhibited when adjacent within a radius of up to 3 m. There is also no disagreement that they negatively affect young seedlings (you can notice a clear delay in development), but there is no noticeable negative effect for mature grapes. Proximity closer than 3 meters to perennial colored peas and clary sage is clearly harmful for grapes.
Modern observations: what helps grapes
They have a good effect on the vine, and the seedlings next to them get sick less. Where sorrel grows, both adult grapes and young seedlings give stronger growth even with insufficient watering. Let's add to the compatible (neutral) bulbous ones - , . , and contribute to the intensive growth and development of grapes, as they contain a biologically active substance - saponin.
Grapes and roses
It is known that in Europe, for a long time, a rose bush was planted at the beginning of a grape row (or in front of a trellis). It seemed that the roots of such a beautiful neighborhood lie in tradition medieval Europe. The horses grazed where they wanted, but when they pricked themselves on a thorny bush, they turned back and did not trample the vineyards. Yes, and that's why too. But also in memory of a later sad event, when phylloxera, brought to Europe from the New World in the 19th century, destroyed almost all the vineyards of France and neighboring countries. Roses and grapes in the garden are ideal neighbors. Both their agricultural technology and shelter (for covering varieties) are the same. A rose bush at the beginning of a row indicates whether the vine is healthy. Their pests and diseases are the same, and the rose gets sick first, as an indicator warning of the danger threatening the grapes, and the winegrower can have time to carry out preventive treatments. There are far fewer diseases and pests in the grape-growing north than in the south, but they still exist.
The yield of grapes is influenced by a number of agrotechnical subtleties, including the proximity of grapes to other crops. Incorrectly selected “neighbors” will oppress the grapes, which will negatively affect the quantity and quality of the harvest. Therefore, it is important to figure out what can be planted next to the grapes.
Conditions for growing grapes
Temperature
At each stage of cultivation, the crop needs the appropriate temperature. So, awakening the kidneys early spring occurs when the average daily temperature reaches +10 °C. When entering the flowering phase, the fertilization process occurs best at a temperature of +25-30°C. If this indicator drops to +15°C, pollination will not occur. In order for the crop to fully ripen and accumulate a sufficient amount of sugar, the plant requires a temperature of around +30°C. If it is +15 °C or even lower, it will not be possible to obtain a high-quality harvest. The fruits will be unsweetened and will contain strong sourness.
The root and underground parts of the grape bush have different reactions to too low and too high temperatures during the dormant period or during the growing season. Thus, during the growing season, the plant grows much worse at temperatures above +37°C and below +10°C. When the temperature drops to zero or below, as a rule, the bush dies.
Pay attention! During this same period, rapid temperature changes from cold to warm pose a significant danger.
At the same time, low temperatures in winter usually do not harm plantings. However, everything here depends on the variety, reliability of the shelter and winter conditions. The most hazardous conditions in winter - frost with strong winds in the absence of the necessary shelter and stable snow cover. Under such conditions, the buds of European grape varieties die at a temperature of −15-17 °C.
Grapes - Harvest beds
Light
Grapes need good lighting. When there is a deficiency of sunlight, plants exhibit the following symptoms:
- lightening of foliage, slowing down its growth and premature defoliation;
- loss of commercial and taste properties of the crop;
- lengthening of internodes on stems;
- decreased productivity.
In view of this, the plant makes special demands on the place of cultivation. Thus, it cannot be planted in narrowed spans between buildings, as well as along walls directed to the north. Southern slopes and walls facing south are more preferable for a vineyard.
A too sudden change in light conditions can also pose a danger. As a result, it is necessary to open the bushes in a timely manner in the spring.
Note! If you do this too late, the buds that have managed to bloom in the soil will die from the sudden influx of sunlight and heat.
Soil
Grapes can be grown on different types soils, however, the crop exhibits the greatest productivity on those soils that warm up better, transmit moisture and oxygen more intensively, and are easier to cultivate. These include soils with a high content of crushed stone, coarse sand, and pebbles. It is worth considering that, despite all their advantages, such soils are usually characterized low content nutrients, so it is recommended to add appropriate fertilizing to them.
Fertilization with manure
Cultivation of grapes on clay soils is also allowed, but such soil mixtures are usually characterized by weak structure, poor throughput water and air, processing problems. The situation can be corrected with the help of organic fertilizers, primarily manure. Alkaline and swampy soils are not suitable for growing crops.
Important: the bed for grapes must be protected from the wind, so the winegrower should plant woody trees along the edges of the garden fruit plants, but those that will not obscure the culture.
Humidity
For grapes, both excess moisture and its deficiency are equally harmful and dangerous. In the first case, there is poor development of the root system and incomplete fertilization of inflorescences. The shoots continue to grow during the growing season and therefore freeze out in winter. The berries rot and become unusable. In waterlogged soil, warm weather and dense plantings, fungal diseases spread.
Lack of moisture also causes the development of diseases and pests. In such conditions, the stems do not ripen sufficiently, and the bushes often freeze out in winter.
For the bush to fully grow and develop, the plant requires about 500-700 ml of precipitation per year. Rain is especially important for the plant during the following periods:
- before flowering begins;
- after flowering is complete, when all parts of the plant experience increased growth;
- late autumn.
The soil is well moistened by autumn precipitation, which is why it is recommended to carry out snow retention in winter, and in spring - to detain melt water in the ground. The vine can grow normally even with a lack of rainfall, but only if groundwater lie at a depth of less than 5 meters from the soil surface.
Compatibility of grapes with other crops
Grapes are one of the most light-loving fruit crops. It should not be grown between tall tree crops, as they will certainly shade the grapes.
Additional information: It is better to cultivate low-growing, shade-tolerant vegetation next to grapes.
When growing grapes with other neighbors, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the plant’s root system. If the proximity is incorrect, the roots of different crops will overlap, which will impede the supply of moisture and nutrients. In this regard, legumes, for example, would be good neighbors for grapes, while corn is not suitable for joint cultivation.
Grapes belong to the category of moisture-loving crops that form a high-quality harvest only with regular irrigation. For it, it is necessary to select appropriate neighbors, including on this basis.
What can you plant near grapes?
There are a number of agricultural crops in close proximity to which grapes will feel comfortable. The main neighbors of grapes are presented in the table:
| Plant | Brief description |
|---|---|
| Sour sorrel | Counts the best option for proximity to grapes. Next to it, the crop begins to grow faster and produce larger and higher-quality harvests. |
| Radish | This vegetable is also considered in viticulture as a suitable crop for joint cultivation. |
| Strawberries | This berry is usually cultivated between rows of grapes. The shade from the trellises protects the plants from the rays of the sun and makes the soil more moist, which is ideal for the full cultivation of grapes. The root systems of crops lie at different levels, which is why there is no competition between them. It is important not to plant strawberries very close to grapes and maintain a distance of 50-100 cm from the berries to the trellises. |
| Onion | Both crops feel comfortable when cultivated together. Onions are usually planted in grape rows. With normal fertilizing, moderate irrigation and timely loosening of the soil, both plants will form a high-quality harvest. |
| cucumbers | This crop can be grown near grapes in open ground in the event that the plants were obtained from seedlings at home or in a greenhouse. |
| Beet | Among vegetable crops considered one of the most compatible with grapes. |
| Roses | These plants are susceptible to one of the most dangerous diseases of grapes - mildew, and it is even more harmful to flowers than to berry crops. In general, low-growing flowers can be planted under grapes. |
| Currants and raspberries | It is allowed to plant these plants nearby with grapes. However, currants require frequent, regular watering, which can cause indirect harm to drought-resistant grapes. |
| Mint | The compatibility of grapes and mint is high. The plant will not feel oppressed in the shade of the berry crop. |
Please note: Regardless of the neighbor’s choice, it is necessary to plant it at a distance of at least half a meter from the grapes. If they are planted closely, the plant may be trampled during the next agrotechnical event.
When considering the compatibility of grapes with other plants, you need to take into account that there are a number of crops that cannot be planted near the vines. They remove from the soil a number of nutrients necessary for berry crops, and in return they release harmful toxins. These include:
- eggplant;
- corn;
- tomatoes;
- potato;
- zucchini;
- leek;
- chives;
- capsicum or red pepper.
Among the flowers, undesirable neighbors for grapes are:
- Gaillardia;
- calendula;
- blue cornflower;
- carnation;
- clematis.
Knowing what can be planted next to grapes, you can choose optimal conditions for cultivating crops. In this case, high yields can be achieved.
Compatibility of grapes with various plants and cultures.
Many people ask the question about the compatibility of grapes with other plants. In Moser's book, plants are ranked according to their usefulness for the vineyard. But in different sources These points are given differently.
I would like to answer this question by describing my personal observations based on growing grapes for many years. Special attention I want to turn on plants antagonists, that is, harmful to grapes. I do not recommend planting them close to grapes, as they greatly inhibit them, first of all, retarding the growth of the plant.
Plants considered beneficial for grapes
Sorrel, carrots, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, radishes, beets, melon, radish, strawberries, cucumber, dill, beans, onions.
Plants to which grapes are neutral
Cherry, pear, plum, apple tree, garlic, pumpkin, lettuce, purslane, melon.
Plants considered mildly harmful to grapes
Parsley, eggplant, potatoes, capsicum, celery, gooseberries.
Plants harmful to grapes
There are much more of them than useful ones - these are our “weeds” - dandelion, wormwood, wheatgrass, plantain, bindweed, nightshade, yarrow, wormwood, nettle and flowers - marigold, clematis, cornflower, as well as lawn grass, horseradish, corn, tomato, sunflower, cut onion, lettuce. Walnuts are particularly harmful plants.
As for the bushes - currants, roses.
Theoretically, this is acceptable, but such phenomena as “aromatic properties” and their influence on the grape plant have not been studied, that is, how the pungent smell of these crops will affect the grapes.
The root system of shrubs is on the surface and at high temperatures air in the summer they have to be watered frequently, and this will affect the development of the grapes, since the surface roots of the bush will actively develop. I assure you that this is not entirely desirable, since the grapes can intensively develop surface roots to the detriment of the development of the main ones. This will lead to cracking of the berries during their ripening during summer precipitation. Dewy roots will more actively absorb their moisture upper layers soils than the main ones.
Another disadvantage of such close proximity will be the overwintering of plants. It is necessary to take into account that root system grapes can withstand an average temperature drop of down to -5. When the soil in horizon A freezes in winter, the dew roots will freeze, which will lead to a weakening of the plant as a whole and, in particular, the main roots.
I will answer the question about planting grapes close to fruit trees.
If we plant grapes closer than the crown parameter, they will most likely suffer from shading (this factor depends on the location of the tree crown in relation to the path of the sun) and tree roots will most likely appear in the grape root zone, which will absorb nutrients necessary for the grapes themselves. Due to this, the root system of the grapes will be impaired. From this it follows that the productivity of the grape bush will decrease.
Then the question arises - does it make sense to plant grapes close to trees?
Nina Nikolaevna, I sympathize with you! This is truly a nightmare! I also have thrips, but not nearly as many! I can’t get it out to the end (I’ve been struggling for a year). It’s just possible to restrain them; it’s also possible to drive them away from the roses! But in the future it will be necessary to carry out preventive treatments. And here’s why: if this problem had not affected me, I would never have known that these bastards are everywhere. Almost all flowers suffer from them, and shrubs too. I find them on daylilies, daisies, even on the wild (beautiful...) “Mullein” in my garden. I removed phloxes from my garden for the same reason. Both gladioli and sunflowers suffer from them (the neighbors plant them along the fence...). And now I conclude (and have already accepted) that isolating your garden from them is UNREALISTIC! After all, there are also neighbors’ gardens, and there are a lot of wild flowers all around, which also contain thrips. The only way out is to control the number of thrips on your roses and other flowers in the garden. During the season (May-September) it is necessary to do 3-4 sets of treatments according to the following scheme: First, insert “Fly-eater” granules into the soil (good in April-May), but this is never too late); then, 1st day:” Confidor” (according to instructions, and even in a slightly higher concentration) - according to the sheet. After 1-2 days: “Konfidor” (or, for example, “Aktelik”) - on a leaf and spill the soil with “konfidor”. After another 1-2 days: “Konfidor” (or another medium). Once a month, do the cleaning according to this scheme (except for “Mukhod”, since it must be used more than 2 times per season it’s impossible, so it would be good to “time it” the second time to coincide with the last treatment, at the end of the season). windless weather). In your current case: do not regret and remove all the buds and flowers and then only do the processing. Nina Nikolaevna, I carried out this scheme clearly only 1 time, and then only 2 times on the soil - the result is the same as last year! I didn’t completely remove the thrips (when the roses bloomed, I can’t decide to spray anymore; our neighbor keeps bees; he really loves this activity, he’s 85 years old. And his bees are “friends” with us; they don’t bother us, but they “work in the roses intensively! But our neighbor gives us honey every year. Several years ago, almost all of his bees died in the winter, so our neighbor took it very seriously, he even got sick... But, Nina Nikolaevna, believe me, these treatments were enough to feel the result: flowers, which last year even lost their shape - this summer they “regained” their faces, and are blooming very profusely. In my situation, I only have to contain their numbers, and maybe a miracle will come - just don’t despair! If you have no restrictions on the frequency of treatments, then everything can be solved, believe me, just give yourself time, patience and, of course, a lot of work... Good luck to you!
Caring for grapes damaged by frost and pruning them after frost
This year (2012) began with very severe frosts throughout Russia, and they did not escape Kuban, a wine-growing region.
With such frosts above 25 degrees, the grapes suffer very much, especially the grapes without covering, including those that form arbors, for example, the well-known Isabella - even she does not tolerate such frosts well, although she is famous for her resistance. What can we say about “noble” grape varieties - before our eyes they turn into dust, and we have to wait with anxiety, or rather with hidden hope, for spring.
As is known, the degree and nature of damage to bushes by low temperatures depend on the frost resistance of the variety, the conditions of the previous growing season (weather, crop load of the bushes and the level of cultivation technology), the intensity and duration of the impact of frost on grapes, the condition of the plantings, their age and the location of the site.
The purpose of this article is to help you possibly the shortest possible time restore damaged plantings, ensuring you receive the maximum possible harvest this year and good fruiting in subsequent years.
Hereinafter, terms that are used by professional winegrowers will be used - you can familiarize yourself with them, as well as what parts of the grapes are called, here: “Dictionary of a beginning winegrower.” When reading the article, it is recommended to keep it open so as not to get confused in the terms “top”, “shoulder”, “loop” and the like...
First, you need to determine how much the grape bushes suffered from frost.
Some gardeners and summer residents involved in viticulture make a common mistake: having cut a grape shoot or its eyes during frost and seeing that they are green, they think that they are healthy and have not suffered from the cold. The same mistake is made by those winegrowers who, having cut off a shoot, immediately bring it into a warm room, where a brown color appears on the cuts, and in this case they think that the grapes are frozen.
To determine the condition of the buds of wintering eyes and annual shoots, samples of the latter should be taken. In this case, the sample is taken no earlier than 2-3 days after a sharp drop in temperature. The shoots must be normally developed, that is, have a length of the ripened part of at least 100 cm and a thickness at the base of at least 6 mm. Weak and poorly ripened shoots, as well as fattening shoots (thick shoots usually developed from dormant buds on perennial wood) are analyzed separately. In fattening shoots, the cells are large, loose, with a large core, their water content is increased, the supply of plastic substances is reduced, and the lignification of the cell walls is weak. Resistant to low temperatures in such shoots, naturally, it is lower than in normal ones.
It is also necessary to separately analyze the condition of the stepson shoots, since it is known that the fruitfulness of the eyes of well-developed stepson shoots is not inferior to the main ones, and in many varieties it is even higher. A number of scientists have also found that the frost resistance of the eyes of normally developed stepsons is higher than that of the main shoots, due to the fact that they are formed under more short day and low temperatures at night.
The average sample from each individual area and for each category of shoots should be from 10-15 to 20-25 shoots, cut to a length of 10-15 buds. In garden plots and summer cottages, where the number of bushes is limited, you can take 3-4 vines for analysis. If the bushes are already pruned, then cut off the entire length of the fruit shoots.
Also read on the topic: Grapes in a greenhouse - greenhouse varieties and care
Bushes for sampling are selected along the diagonal of the site or using a grid method - through a certain number of rows and bushes in a row so as to cover the entire site. One or two shoots are cut from each bush, and they are cut from different sides of the bush, at different heights and preferably with two-year-old wood. Cut vines are tied into bunches with a label indicating the variety, plot number, slope exposure, sampling date, etc. Samples cannot be taken from weak bushes or those with mechanical damage.
Under no circumstances should cut grape shoots for samples and samples be brought into the heat - if they thaw quickly, they will receive damage similar to frostbite. If it is frosty, it is recommended to move them to a room with a temperature of minus 1 minus 2 degrees for a day. After this, move them to a room where temperature regime about also around zero but with a positive temperature - 1-2 degrees above zero will do. In such a situation, the ice will slowly begin to thaw and the plant cells will painlessly absorb it like melt water.
Then the shoots must be transferred to a warm room where the air temperature is 10-15°C, and placed in water to a depth of 8-10 centimeters. Then it is recommended to renew sections of 1.5-2 cm and leave for 2 days. And only after this can you begin to determine the condition of the eyes and tissues of the grape shoots and the extent to which it was damaged by frost.
How do you know if a grapevine has been damaged by frost?
The condition of the tissues of the buds and shoots of grapes is determined by their natural browning. Damaged by frost or other unfavorable factors, grape tissues in the warmth after a few days acquire a color from dark brown to black, which is clearly visible visually on the cut of the eye or shoot (the cut of the eye is made along sharp knife, blade or razor). In this case, it is necessary to capture approximately a third of the eye.
The most favorable temperature in the room where the analysis is carried out is 10-20 degrees. If the temperature in the room is above 20 degrees, then it is advisable to change the water in the vessels daily and renew the ends of the shoots. The shoots under study should not be left near heating radiators.
The condition of the eyes is determined by the presence of healthy and dead buds. On a longitudinal section of the eye, three buds are usually visible, one of which, the most developed and differentiated, is located in the center (the main one), and two replacement, less developed ones, are on the sides.
If all three buds are not damaged and on the cut they have a bright green color characteristic of living tissues, then such an eye is considered healthy. The eye is considered damaged if one or two buds are dead, regardless of whether it is the main one or a replacement one, and the third one is healthy. If all three buds die, the eye is considered dead. All three groups of eyes are calculated as a percentage, taking their total number for each sample as one hundred percent.
Based on these analyses, the percentage of frozen buds and the nature (the buds along the length of the vine were damaged) of frost damage are determined.
For the most precise definition condition of grape bushes affected by frost, take into account the length of pruning of the vine and the load on it.
When analyzing ocelli, attention is also paid to the condition of the underlying layer of the ocelli. It is located under the kidneys and is a thin layer of cells rich in chlorophyll. This layer has meristematic activity and can form bud primordia, which can develop into shoots during the growing season. If the analysis reveals that the underlying layer has a brown color, then it is considered dead.
To determine the condition of the shoot and the degree of damage that frost has caused to it, cuts are made on it - both transverse and longitudinal. By the color of the wood and bast, you can determine the condition of the shoot - if they partially darkened, acquired a brown tint not over the entire cut, then the grapes were not very damaged. If the damage is more severe (let's call it that - around 50%), then on the one-year-old grape shoot you will see a dark ring (frozen bast) and darker than on healthy plant layer interior wood. Well, if the entire cut crossbar is dark brown, then the grapes have suffered very badly.
If the extent to which annual grapes suffered from frost is weak or moderate, then you can calm down - the grape plant will survive, the cambium will quickly replace the dead plant tissues with new ones and the bush will grow in the spring, all that remains is to remove the dried shoots that suffered the most from the frost.
If you see that the entire length of the one-year shoot has turned brown, and the eyes are seriously damaged, then the shoot will most likely die. In this case, you will have to check the remaining parts of the grape bush - the trunk, shoulders, etc. (that is, perennial parts of the plant).
Non-frostbitten parts are usually almost white or pale green in color. If they are frozen too, the color will be dark brown.
Often, the condition of annual vines and perennial parts of grapes is assessed in points. For this they do longitudinal sections bast and wood.
If the damage in the form of black spots is single, then they are assessed at 1 point, but if the distance between them is 5-7 centimeters then 2 points, at 3-4 cm - 3 points, 1-2 cm - 4 points and complete cell necrosis ( black fabrics) - 5 points. This scheme is very inaccurate and is used only so that an inexperienced winegrower can visually assess the degree of damage to a plant damaged by frost.
How to find out if grape roots have been damaged by frost.
In order to find out whether the roots of the grapes have been damaged by severe frosts, you will have to excavate them after the ground around the vine has thawed. Dig a shallow hole at a distance of half a meter from the main, central shoot of the grapes (its depth depends on the severity of the frost, and how much you think the ground has frozen in winter) and analyze the condition along the entire hypothetical depth of freezing of the soil - as in the case of shoots, living and healthy roots will be white, frozen ones will be brown, almost black.
Pruning and breaking of grapes damaged by frost and frost.
Based on the results of the survey of vineyards, methods of pruning and cutting off bushes are developed. It is advisable to draw up a plan for performing these works for each variety and area separately. All of them are applicable both for small vineyards, in the country and for large farms.
Based on the degree and nature of the damage, the vineyards are divided into groups, each of which is assigned a specific pruning technique.
The degree of freezing and damage caused to grapes as a result of frosts, spring frosts
Group 1 of plants - the plant was damaged so that no more than 60-70% of the buds died and the rest of the vine was not damaged.
In this case, prune as usual, at the usual time, but leaving more shoots with eyes. Consider the length of the vine based on the nature of the damage to the eyes on the shoot. If it is heterogeneous (for example, the eyes are damaged both above and below, as happens with strong wind in frosty weather) then leave longer vines in the lower part for the berries. If the eyes in the upper part of the shoots are frozen, then they need to be cut short, but in this case the shooter on the grape bush should be left larger than usual. Also in this case, you can leave more than usually well-developed stepchildren cut off by 3 eyes.
In the spring, remove unnecessary shoots. After severe frosts, even in the first group, leave only those that you plan to rejuvenate the trunks, shoulders and sleeves of the vine. Trim “tops”, double shoots, shoots on arrows and knots, as well as underdeveloped parts.
Considering the duration of the past frosts, it can be assumed that there will not be very many vineyards classified in group 1. These can mainly be isabella varieties, as well as interspecific hybrids: Crystal, Gibbernal, Gift of Magaracha.
2nd group of grapes affected by frost—more than 80-83% frostbite of the eyes with slight damage to annual vines, and possibly perennial wood. Such vineyards are pruned in two terms. First, the bushes are freed from all shoots, that is, thin, unripe ones, and cleared of tendrils. Leave all normally formed shoots and shoots. However, some vines will need to be pruned short by 2-4 buds in order to grow powerful shoots on the shoulders or sleeves to form a knot and fruit shoot (fruit link) next year.
After the green shoots reach a length of 8-10 cm, when the inflorescences are already clearly visible, the bushes are finally pruned with a piece of unnecessary green shoots. At the same time, sometimes it makes sense to leave the cut out sleeves and shoulders of grapes or parts thereof on the trellis until autumn, since their removal can lead to breaking off a significant number of green shoots and reducing the load on the bush with them. The second pruning must be done no later than ten days before the grapes begin to bloom.
If necessary, when cutting out shoots that have developed on the head of the bush, leave 1-2 to replace the sleeves or trunks. Top shoots are left on the sleeves and shoulders to form new fruiting links, as well as to shorten elongated sleeves. It is necessary to take into account that after partial damage to wood by frost during the subsequent growing season, the bushes may become chlorotic, which is associated with difficulties in the movement of nutrients through the vascular system damaged by frost.
The second group of plantings may include varieties that are interspecific hybrids such as Vostorg, Talisman, Northern Saperavi, Riton, Bianka, Dekabrsky and others.
3rd group - eyes and annual vines are almost completely damaged, and the old vine of the bush has minor damage. However, the roots were not damaged.
At the beginning of the spring season, weak and poorly ripened shoots on such bushes are completely removed, and normally developed vines are shortened to 3 lower buds or trimmed to the corner buds.
In this group, I advise you to especially take care when pruning the grape vine lying on the ground - if covered with snow, it may not suffer at all, and then even in the worst case, you can still count on at least some share of the harvest from last year.
The restoration of the bush occurs due to the shoots that have developed on the head of the bush, and the top and corner shoots on the sleeves, trunks and shoulders. In such vineyards it is necessary to restore the formation in order to create favorable conditions for a high harvest next year. If there is a need to replace damaged sleeves and trunks, then 1-2 shoots are left on the head of the bush.
On the sleeves and shoulders they create the basis for future fruit links. To do this, the top shoots that have developed in the right place are pinched, leaving two or three lower nodes. From the developed two stepson shoots, fruit links are formed in the fall, cutting one for a replacement knot (2-3 eyes), and the other for a fruit shoot.
If the grapes are underloaded with green shoots, you can use pinching of the main shoots (at 10-12 nodes) so that the stepsons develop better.
When carrying out such pinching, it is necessary to remove the growing point with two or three nodes.
When the stepsons grow back next year, they can be used again to form a grape bush.
By the way, on some grape varieties (only early ones), for example, white Chasly, Aligote, etc., even in this case, you can get a small harvest of grapes on these artificial stepsons - in other varieties it simply does not have time to ripen.
On fan formations, the shoots left to form the sleeves are pinched at a height of 70-130 cm (depending on the required length of future sleeves). Of the developed stepsons, two or three upper ones are left, the rest are removed completely or leaving 2.3 lower nodes.
4th group - complete death of all above-ground parts of the bush with preservation of the root system. If the entire above-ground part of the bush has died, and the grafting site was covered with earth or covered with snow in the fall, then top shoots, as a rule, develop in the lower part of the trunk. If the grafting site and the lower part of the trunks or sleeves were open during frosts and died, then shoots grow from dormant buds on the underground trunk.
If these are self-rooted standard plantings, then early in the spring, after removing the dead trunks, the bush is dug up to a depth of 25-30 cm and the underground trunk is cut down to healthy tissue above the former node. To activate dormant buds, injections are made with pruning shears, a knife or a nail in several places on the node on the underground trunk, which significantly accelerates the awakening of dormant buds and the growth of shoots from them.
It is better to leave the cut underground trunk open to facilitate the development of shoots on it. From the emerging shoots or tops (grafted bushes), when broken off, 4 to 6-7 shoots are left. In this case, 2 shoots are used to form trunks and accelerate the development of the formation, and the rest are used to load the bush with eyes in order to obtain a harvest next year and prevent fattening of the remaining shoots.
The next year, the reserve shoots are cut long and tied obliquely to the first wire of the trellis in different directions from the bush. They are harvested and then completely removed during pruning.
You can develop a standard form quickly, leaving only one or two shoots and using well-known green operations (pinching and pinching). However, in this case, the shoots most often become fattened, their tissues turn out to be loose, highly watered, and have poor frost resistance. Therefore, additional shoots contribute to moderate growth of all those left and good ripening.
When restoring a fan-shaped four-armed formation, only five of the shoots that developed on the underground trunk are left, the rest are broken out. When the shoots reach a length of 70-120 cm (sleeve length), they are pinched. In this case, you need to pinch so that two shoots growing in different directions along the row are longer, and two are shorter. Of the emerging stepsons, the top 2-3 are left, and all the bottom ones are pinched over the 2-3rd leaf.
By autumn, from the abandoned stepsons, powerful vines grow, from which they form fruit links, cutting the lower ones into replacement knots (2-3-eye ones), and the upper ones into fruit shoots (pruning length depending on the varietal characteristics). One shoot is cut short (by 2-3 eyes), forming a restoration knot at the base of the bush. This method allows you to completely restore a bush cut “on the black head” in one year.
In grafted vineyards, the sleeves or trunks are cut off above the grafting site and the formations are restored in the same way as in self-rooted vineyards, using top shoots.
Sometimes, even with significant damage to the trunks or sleeves, top shoots may develop on them in the upper part. Some growers may be tempted to use them to restore shape. In our opinion, this should not be done and the entire above-ground part must still be removed, and sleeves or trunks must be created again from coppice or top shoots. After all, the vascular system of perennial parts of the bush, damaged to a large extent by frost, cannot provide the normal upward and downward flow of moisture and nutrients, and the plants will only exist and wither. You will never get normal yield from them. Therefore, taking advantage of the critical situation, it is better to rejuvenate such bushes by re-creating the above-ground part.
On grafted bushes, in which the place of adhesion and the lower part of the trunks or sleeves have not been hilled up for the winter, death of the scion part may be observed. In this case, shoots of rootstock will begin to develop below the commissure site. Such bushes can be restored either by grafting into a split into an underground trunk, or by various methods of green grafting, best of all by simple copulation or budding into a butt.
However, restoration of bushes with a dead aerial part in this way is only possible in household and collective vineyards with a small number of plants. In industrial vineyards, it is unrealistic to use this method; they will most likely have to be uprooted.
Group 5 - damage to roots with a diameter of up to 2.5 mm with preservation of the main root system. When pruning bushes, the load is significantly reduced by leaving fewer fruit vines and cutting them short.
Frostbite of roots that have not reached 0.3 cm in diameter, which are usually located in the upper part of the soil, is not scary. But when larger roots, the so-called conductive ones, which are located in deeper layers of the earth, freeze, the load on the grape bushes on the crop will have to be significantly reduced. Here, “there’s no time for fat, if only I were alive” - such a grape bush will take about 1-2, or even three years to recover.
During the season, you will have to take care of such a bush more than usual - apply fertilizers, loosen it even when you have not done this before. For grapes like these, when pruning, trim the vine more (shorter) than usual.
Well, the worst outcome is when the underground, root trunk and entire root system of the grapes are frozen - such grapes can no longer be saved - don’t waste time, uproot them and plant a new one, taking into account past mistakes. The article “How and when to plant grapes correctly” can help you with this.
We really hope that these tips will help you restore your favorite grapes, and you will delight your grandchildren with sunny berries.
Preparing grapes for wintering includes several important steps.
1. Watering
This is a mandatory procedure that ensures the accumulation of moisture reserves by the beginning of the next season. The vineyard is watered in October (before pruning). If autumn is dry, the soil needs to be moistened until the ground gets wet to a depth of 50-100 cm.
2. Trimming
There is no specific date for pruning. Winegrowers focus on the condition of the vine: it must be ripe, that is, lignified (dark brown in color). When bent, such a vine creates a kind of crack, but does not break. The purpose of pruning is to free the plant from unnecessary foliage, as a result, all nutrition and energy will be used to create, ripen and accumulate sugar in the bunch. All pruning is based on the Guyot system, according to which in the first year after planting (I welcome only summer planting) grow one shoot, cut it into three eyes in the fall. Next year, two shoots are grown, which are pruned in the fall: one shoot for the fruit shoot, the second for three eyes (this will be a replacement knot). In March, a dry garter is carried out: the fruit shoot is raised to a height of 20 cm. This is the simplest shaping. All others consist of a combination of perennial wood (these are shoulders or sleeves) and fruit links.
3. Shelter
In my opinion and as practice shows, sawdust - best material for covering grapes. And the thicker their layer, the better. With sudden changes in weather, lack of snow cover, which has recently been typical for our winters. the sawdust will maintain the desired temperature. True, many winegrowers are worried that sawdust is an excellent refuge for mice. In fact, by the time of the first frost (when they cover the vine) rodents usually have already found a home and will not disturb the grapes. The cut shoulders, as well as the fruit links formed on them, are carefully untied from the trellis and laid on the ground. The stiff, and these are mostly old, sleeves are carefully folded (at the same time they will create a characteristic crack; the main thing is not to overdo it, so as not to break it!) and pinned to the soil with staples. The top is covered with sawdust (shavings), then with fallen leaves, straw, stems of dry plants, etc.
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