For effective growth and fruiting of grapes, like any grape plant, many different nutrients are needed. Every year, with the fruits and vines that are removed from the plant during the next pruning, a large amount of useful nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur and other equally important elements leave the soil. If this loss is not replenished, the plants develop quite poorly on such depleted soil, they stop bearing fruit, and begin to suffer greatly from various rather unfavorable factors, for example, from frost.
Important! During the entire growing season, the grapes' need for nutrients changes slightly, so you need to know when, how much and what to give.
Most of all, grapes need feeding in summer time. At this time, you will have to give all possible additives and supplements. It will not be necessary to give only nitrogen, so the growth of leaves and shoots is significantly reduced. All other types of nutrients and supplements can be found in the information below.
This substance is required for the effective development of bushes, but most of all for the rapid growth of branches that bear fruit, that is, those where seeds, berries, soil and inflorescences are located. The need for phosphorus increases especially sharply at the very beginning of flowering. It is for this reason that fertilizing with phosphorus fertilizers should be carried out at the very beginning of the flowering phase, and it will need to be repeated in the summer.
Potassium fertilizer
The acute need for potassium usually increases closer to autumn. This substance plays a fairly serious role in the process of plant maturation and their preparation for wintering. Such fertilizing is usually carried out closer to autumn, that is, at the end of summer.
Potash fertilizer is sold in specialized stores as potassium chloride. It contains approximately 50% potassium oxide, and also contains a large amount of chlorine. After the plant absorbs potassium, it remains in the soil, which is quite harmful for plants. It is for this reason that this substance is best replaced with ash. It not only contains a sufficient amount of potassium, but also a certain amount of phosphorus.
Important! The best option ash from special sunflower husks will be used. It contains approximately 24-40% potassium, as well as 4% phosphorus and other nutrients.
Such ash can be purchased at specialized oil mills. The substance is stored in a dry place, since all the nutritional components are contained in relatively easily soluble compounds. Water can wash all this out of her.
Calcium and grapes
Calcium usually accumulates in the trunks, as well as in all their branches. The urgent need for this substance is based on the fact that from time to time it is necessary for the plant to neutralize oxalic acid, as well as thickening of the main cell walls. As a rule, all compositions that contain calcium also contain iron and magnesium. In most regions, there is enough calcium in the soil for grape growth and fruiting. There is also an abundance of other substances that are initially found in the soil.
Important! Excess amounts of some components are very harmful to the plant, so before fertilizing it is important to carefully examine the soil for its components.
Feeding with microelements
Microelements are required to feed grape bushes. Among the most important are:
- Silicon;
- Sodium;
- Manganese;
- Zinc;
- Cobalt;
- Iodine and so on.
Micronutrients, as the name suggests, are required in relatively small quantities. There are usually quite enough of such substances in the soil; if the soil structure lacks something, for example, zinc, boron and manganese, they should be added as a special foliar feeding.
Mineral and organic fertilizers
Many gardeners mistakenly believe that using organic fertilizers It’s not necessary that you can get by with mineral ones. This is not entirely true - mineral fertilizers act much more efficiently simultaneously with minerals. Organic helps to fully utilize nutrients from mineral fertilizers, and also reduces their consumption by the soil.
Important! It is manure that is able to create maximum favorable conditions for the development of beneficial microorganisms that help the root system effectively absorb nutrients.
For grape growth, organic and mineral fertilizers should be used. Among organic matter, we can note ordinary manure, which contains a variety of nutrients. As for mineral fertilizers in summer, there are quite a lot of them.
Ammonium sulfate
This is a special nitrogen fertilizer, which is a grayish crystalline powder. It contains approximately 20% nitrogen. The fertilizer dissolves very quickly in water, and as soon as the plant uses all the beneficial substances, a different composition remains in the soil, no less useful substances.
Ammonium nitrate
This is another form of quality nitrogen fertilizer. The substance is a white coarse crystalline salt containing approximately 35% nitrogen. There are no compounds in this composition that could remain in the soil after the roots absorb nitrogen. The main advantage of the component is the fact that saltpeter can be used in all types and categories of soils.
Superphosphate
This is a special fertilizer containing phosphorus, which contains approximately 20% of phosphoric acid useful for grapes. The substance is obtained from phosphorite, which is first thoroughly crushed and treated with sulfuric acid. Under its influence, free phosphoric acid is released, which is very easily dissolved in water, and therefore becomes available in the summer for absorption by the root system.
Important! The fresher the superphosphate is, the much better it works. During long-term storage, phosphorus gradually acquires an insoluble form, which cannot also be successfully absorbed by the roots.
The modern chemical industry produces special granular superphosphate, which provides much top scores Unlike powder type. The reason is that the smaller the grains, the faster the free phosphoric acid will bind to the soil and, accordingly, become inaccessible to the grapes. When using granules, near each of them, a specific zone, which is rich in soluble phosphoric acid. Its grape roots are very easily and simply absorbed.
Granulated superphosphate with manure should be added to the soil without mixing with anything. All this is able to protect phosphoric acid from being absorbed by the soil. In this case, favorable conditions will also be created around the granules, which are intended for the development of microorganisms necessary for the absorption of phosphorus by the roots.
You need to know that during the fertilizing process, when fertilizer in the form of a solution is applied to the soil, phosphoric acid is not protected by anything, for this reason it binds to the soil much faster. The effect of fertilizing in this case will not last long, so the solution should be applied as deeply as possible, to the very roots, more often and in relatively small doses.
Summing up
The fertilizer mentioned above must be applied deep enough into the soil, because the roots are located 35 cm from the surface. The digging method or the use of fertilizers in their liquid form is ideal here.
Feeding solutions are prepared based on water. For example, you can take 100 grams of superphosphate and about 50 grams of saltpeter. This amount is quite enough to treat an area of one square meter. It is better to prepare such compositions in the evening, dissolve them with water in the morning to the required volume and water the plants. It is advisable to carry out the main watering on the same day, since with water the fertilizer will penetrate into the soil much better.
In order to provide grapes with numerous nutritional components, it is very important to adhere to a special system for applying fertilizer, as well as fertilizing. It is through fertilizers that the necessary supply of nutrients is created in the soil, and with the help of fertilizing carried out in the summer, the overall soil nutrition bushes with substances that the plant needs most.
The presented system of fertilizers and fertilizing is aimed at significantly increasing the yield of bushes, increasing the vigor of growth, and increasing resistance to frost. This can be achieved only then a lot of phosphorus and other useful components will appear in the soil.
Despite some difficulties, growing this southern and rather capricious crop in the conditions of central Russia is quite possible. It is necessary to provide the grapes with attentive care, including systematic feeding, and this must be done with skill.
Many people do not know whether it is possible to feed grapes, because fertilizing can lead to the accumulation of harmful nitrates. There is only one answer: the correct dosage is important. The danger also lies in the fact that regularly feeding grapes exclusively mineral fertilizers, can harm the culture itself. Of course, gardeners do this unintentionally, but out of inexperience. Thus, an excess of nitrogen in the soil can cause phosphorus and potassium starvation in grapes, even if these elements were added.
Some people believe that organic matter alone or the application of complex mineral fertilizers is enough, but for normal growth and ripening of the vine, and successful fruiting, various feedings will be required.
How to calculate the required amount of fertilizer for grapes
Initially, you need to learn how to calculate how much fertilizer the grapes need for proper nutrition.
How to determine how much potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen and other trace elements need to be added during the growing season? The calculation is difficult, but possible.
Note that one kilogram of grapes contains on average 17 mg of boron, 19 mg of zinc, 10 g of calcium, 7 mg of copper, 6.5 g of nitrogen, 4 g of magnesium and 2 g of phosphorus.
Now remember how many kilograms of crop you collect from one bush and multiply by ten. The resulting figure indicates the amount of nutrients spent on fruiting. This is the so-called economic removal; the plant took so many useful elements from the soil only to grow fruit.
There is also such a term as biological removal - it will be necessary to ensure the viability of roots, leaves, branches and shoots. These costs also need to be compensated, but they are almost impossible to calculate.
Most fertilizer rates for grapes are calculated based on the area (dosage per 1 m²). However, inexperienced gardeners can hardly determine where the territory of the bush ends, where the roots seeking nourishment are located. On average, an adult bush extends over 6 m² of area; this is exactly the area around the vine that needs to be fed.
Naturally, young bushes occupy a smaller area; the dosage of fertilizing for them should be reduced.
Root feeding system for grapes for growth and yield
How to fertilize
Fertilizers are applied to the roots of grapes at certain stages of development; a total of three feedings per season will be required. The ideal option would be to have a drainage pipe or underground system on the site drip irrigation, which will allow the nutrient solution to be delivered directly to the grape rhizome. In the absence of such devices, simply step back 50-60 cm from the base of the vine and dig a groove about 30 cm deep around the perimeter of the bush (this is one bayonet of a shovel) and apply fertilizer into it.
How to feed grapes in early spring for growth and a good harvest
First feeding grapes are held in early spring during the period of kidney swelling. A complex of mineral fertilizers is added, consisting of 30 g of potassium sulfate, 60 g of superphosphate and 90 g of ammonium nitrate. Dilute each preparation in water separately, and then pour it into a common container, bring the volume of liquid to 40 liters and water it under 1 adult bush.
Mineral can be added in dry form, and then watered or replaced with organic matter. Add a solution of fermented mullein or chicken manure (1 liter of water or 0.5 liter of concentrate per bucket, respectively).
How to feed grapes before and after flowering
Before flowering begins, add second feeding:
- It is prepared from the same ingredients, but the proportion is increased. You will need 160 g of superphosphate, 120 g of ammonium nitrate, 80 g of potassium sulfate. Also dissolve each ingredient in water separately, and then mix together in a 40 liter working solution and water 1 adult bush.
Very useful after flowering third feeding ash. How to do this, watch the video:
Ash is a source of potassium and phosphorus, which are so necessary for grapes to bear fruit. By providing the bushes with these microelements, you will get a rich harvest.
How to feed grapes for ripening and sweetness of berries
Fourth feeding will be required when growing grapes in regions with short summers. In these conditions, it is very important, since it accelerates the ripening of berries and the process of lignification of the vine - the key to successful wintering.
- The nitrogen component is excluded, the solution is prepared from 60 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfate per 10 liters of water, water 1 bush. It is useful to pour 3 more buckets of water on top.
- Fertilizer can be replaced with a drug such as Aquarin, Master, Novofert, Plantafol or Kemira; prepare working solutions according to the instructions.
Foliar feeding of grapes (by leaves)
It is a mistake to think that foliar feeding is unimportant and cannot be beneficial compared to root feeding. In fact, grapes are able to absorb nutrients through their leaves even better than through root system, if you do everything correctly and regularly (do not skip processing).
Let's consider when and how to feed the grapes by leaves.
How to feed grapes for a good harvest. Feeding before flowering.
Carry out the first foliar application of grapes on the eve of flowering.
- For 10 liters of water, take 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate, 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate, 1 tbsp. l. ammonium nitrate and 5 g of boric acid.
- We dilute each component separately, then pour it into a common container and bring the volume to 10 liters.
- Strain and spray the grape bushes with the resulting mixture.
How to feed grapes when setting berries
Immediately after flowering, a second treatment will be required to successfully set berries. The composition of the solution is similar, you can add to it ready solution microelements.
How to feed grapes while pouring berries
Apply the third foliar feeding at the beginning of berry ripening. Proportions for 10 liters of water: 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate. Nitrogen is not introduced at this stage of the growing season.
How to feed grapes during fruiting using folk remedies
The final foliar feeding is carried out in August directly over the ripening berries. She's getting ready from natural ingredients with fungicidal properties and serves as disease prevention. This can be a solution of infusion of wood ash, iodine or potassium permanganate, or diluted whey.
How to prepare an infusion of ash:
- Take three tightly filled liter jars of ash, fill them with 10 liters of warm, settled water, stir well, cover and let sit for two days.
To prepare the working solution, take 1 liter of prepared infusion per 10 liters of water. Treat the leaves or pour 4 to 8 buckets of this fertilizer under each grape bush.
How to feed grapes to make them sweet Treatment with iodine solution
The sweetness of the berries can be increased by applying iodine solution to the leaves. In addition, such feeding is additional protection vineyard from diseases. Take 1 drop of iodine per 1 liter of water and treat the bush with this solution. Such simple feeding will not only improve the sugar content of the berries, but also fill them with iodine, which is beneficial for human health. The skin of the berries will not crack under unfavorable weather conditions.
By the way, iodine treatments can be used throughout the growing season. This will improve the condition of the plants, the vine will grow better. However, do not do this more often than 2 times a month, so that the roots of the bush are not depleted due to the accelerated growth of the above-ground part.
Fertilizing with potassium permanganate, iodine and boric acid for the sweetness of berries and green leaves
How to feed grapes in August if the leaves are pale? And how to increase the sugar content in berries? You can make the bush turn green and increase the sweetness of the berries with this simple feeding.
For 3 liters of working solution you will need:
- Potassium permanganate on the tip of a knife, throw it into the water and get a slightly pink solution.
- Boric acid on the tip of a teaspoon, first diluted in a glass with hot water(a small amount of water), and then poured into the general solution.
- Add 3 drops of iodine
We apply this solution to the leaves in the afternoon. This feeding increases the plant’s immunity, makes the leaves green and the berries sweeter.
Feeding with whey and iodine
Good feeding and reliable protection It works against diseases if you use whey and iodine:
- Take 10 liters of water
- 1 l whey
- 10 drops of iodine
Stir thoroughly and apply to the leaves. This is a safe feeding and protection against diseases, which is used during the ripening of berries. This method can be practiced throughout the growing season, starting in early spring. The frequency of treatments is once every 7-10 days. Instead of whey, low-fat milk can be used.
How to feed grapes with yeast
A good growth stimulator is feeding with yeast:
- For 10 l warm water You will need a packet of dry yeast and 2 tablespoons of sugar, let the mixture ferment for a couple of hours (place in a warm place).
- Dilute the concentrate in 50 liters of water and water an adult bush.
It is useful to combine this feeding with eggshells. Crush the shells finely and scatter them in a circle around the trunk.
How to feed grapes in August video:
Of course, growing grapes is a labor-intensive task that requires time and effort from the gardener. But as a reward, you will receive a healthy, actively growing and fruit-bearing vine, which will become a real pride.
How to feed grapes in the fall to ripen the vines after harvesting
Preparing for future wintering - the most important condition getting a good harvest next season. How to feed grapes in winter before sheltering? Feeding with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers will help provide the ripening vine with all the necessary elements.
Phosphorus feeding of grapes after fruiting:
- Take 10 liters of warm water
- 100 grams of superphosphate (5 tablespoons)
- stir thoroughly, apply fertilizer to 1 bush
- After fertilizing, water the plant generously
Feeding with superphosphate is especially useful in cold summers with prolonged rains, when it is very difficult for the vine to ripen. In this case, you don’t have to prepare a solution, but simply scatter the fertilizer in the tree trunk circle. The rains themselves will wash the fertilizer into the soil.
How to feed grapes with potassium fertilizers in the fall
To feed grapes with potassium in the fall, after harvesting, apply a maximum of 50 grams (3 tablespoons) of potassium salt under the bush. It can be scattered in a circle near the trunk and watered generously on top. Or combine it with liquid phosphorus fertilizing by adding potassium salt to the superphosphate solution.
In addition, do not forget: if you fertilized with ash during the spring and summer, this will become a very good basis for a successful wintering of the grapes.
How to feed grapes after planting
When planting a young grape bush, it is useful to immediately add mineral fertilizing, which will become the main source of nutrients in the first 2 years of growth:
- Take 90 grams of nitroammophoska, mix it with garden soil in the planting hole and plant the plant.
This simple feeding will give a charge for the full growth of the grape bush: the vine will grow quickly and ripen well.
How to feed young grapes in September
It is also useful to feed young grape bushes with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Take 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate, 1 tbsp. l. potassium salt and add them dry to the tree trunk, mixing with soil. Afterwards, abundant watering is recommended.
Scientists have found that grapes are unpretentious in choosing soil; any soil is suitable for it, except salt marshes and swamps. For its own growth, it does not particularly need fertile soil; it feels great on both rocky and sandy soil. But if we want to grow a vine that produces a high yield, we will have to feed it throughout the growing season.
Menu for grapes
Grapes are a woody perennial vine of the grape family. Grape shoots - vines - can reach several meters in length. They are excellent climbers: grabbing branches, partitions, and ledges with their tenacious antennae, they easily climb onto the crowns of trees, roofs of gazebos, arches and other buildings. The fruits are juicy berries with a pleasant sweet and sour taste - collected in an appetizing bunch.
The history of the origin of grapes goes back many millennia, and it doesn’t matter who was the first to discover this wonderful creation of nature, what is important is that it has reached us, has multiplied many times over with beautiful varieties and delights us with the splendor of choice and taste.
Bunches of grapes, nurtured by the sun and caring hands, delight with great taste
“There is no greater pleasure in the world than to smell the fragrance of a blooming vineyard...”
Pliny the ElderCollection of quotes
Feeding grapes begins “from the cradle”. The planting hole is filled with soil mixture, well-fertilized organic matter and minerals in such a way that the young bush has enough nutrition for the next year or two. To be entered:
- 1–2 buckets of humus or rotted manure;
- 200 g of superphosphate and 150 g of potassium sulfate (or 1 liter of ash).
Then you can begin root and foliar feeding. For adequate nutrition of grape bushes, inorganic and organic fertilizers are used.
Mineral fertilizers
Inorganic, or mineral, fertilizers are:
Some of the mineral fertilizers are especially important for grapes.
Potassium
No matter how tasty we “feed” our grapes, if potassium is not on the menu, the vine will demand it, because potassium:
Azofoska is a complex fertilizer that includes the most important elements in needed by the plant proportions necessary for grapes to obtain a good harvest and life support for the bush:
Fertilizer is used in two ways:
- direct application of dry matter into the soil;
- pouring the solution to the roots drainage pipes or trenches.
Urea (urea) is one of the main nitrogen mineral fertilizers needed by grapes; it contributes to:
Bor
Boron deficiency has Negative influence on the formation of grape pollen, which impairs the fertilization of the ovaries. Even simple foliar feeding of grapes with boron before flowering can increase the yield by 20–25%. Boron and boron-containing substances:
- help the synthesis of nitrogenous compounds;
- increase the chlorophyll content in the leaf;
- improve metabolic processes.
Important! An excess of boron is even more harmful than a deficiency, which means that when preparing a solution it is necessary to carefully calculate the dose according to the instructions.
Lack of boron leads to deterioration in the formation of grape ovaries
Organic fertilizers
During the entire growing season, in addition to inorganic fertilizers, grapes can and should be fed with organic matter. Inorganic and organic fertilizers have their fans and opponents, therefore, dear reader, you and only you can decide which to give preference to. Or maybe find golden mean- use organic matter as a “snack” between main feedings? Moreover, we have a wide choice.
Manure
This is a waste product of livestock, containing a lot of useful substances:
- nitrogen,
- potassium,
- phosphorus,
- calcium.
Considered the best horse dung, then comes cow, or mullein. Before using this organic fertilizer, you need to let it rot (it is used to fertilize the soil around the bush) or prepare an infusion (for watering around the roots) in this way:
The grapes are fed with mullein infusion through drainage pipes or trenches once every two weeks, combined with watering.
Bird droppings are a waste product of birds and an equally valuable organic fertilizer. It can be composted or used as an infusion. Procedure for preparing the infusion:
The infusion of bird droppings is poured through drainage pipes or into trenches between the main fertilizers, combined with watering once every two weeks.
To fertilize with infusions of manure and bird droppings, we choose one or alternate so as not to overfeed the plant.
Wood ash
Wood ash is an ideal fertilizer for grapes; it contains:
- approximately 10% magnesium and phosphorus;
- about 20% potassium;
- up to 40% calcium;
- sodium, magnesium, silicon.
In dry form, it significantly improves both the mechanical and chemical composition of the soil, alkalizing it. On heavy soils, add ash for digging in the fall and spring, and on light sandy loam soils only in the spring. Application rate: 100–200 g per 1 sq. m.
It should be noted that simultaneously with nitrogen fertilizers ash is not used, as it contributes to the “volatilization” of nitrogen, so for grapes we will use foliar fertilizing with ash infusion. It's done like this:
- Wood ash is poured with water in a ratio of 1:2.
- Leave for several days, stirring regularly.
- Then filter and add 2 liters of water to each liter of mother liquor.
Ash infusion is sprayed on plants between main feedings.
For grapes, foliar feeding with ash infusion is used.
Eggshell
Eggshells are also classified as organic fertilizers. It consists almost entirely (94%) of calcium carbonate. Fertilizer is prepared from it as follows:
Apply crushed eggshells to deoxidize the soil around the grapes as needed at the rate of 0.5 kg of powder per 1 sq. m.
A wonderful organic fertilizer is herbal infusion. To prepare it you will need a large container. Make the infusion this way:
The remains of the grass are placed in a compost heap, after rotting it will turn into herbal compost, and the infusion is used for root and foliar feeding at the rate of 1 liter of infusion per 10 liters of water. Root feeding is combined with watering, foliar feeding is carried out between the main sprays on the leaf.
Yeast infusion
A good addition to the grape menu would be a yeast infusion. This is a completely safe fertilizer for humans and plants. Yeast contains:
- Saccharomyces fungi,
- B vitamins,
- proteins,
- carbohydrates,
- microelements.
To prepare yeast infusion you need:
- Pour bread crumbs into a bucket - about a quarter of the volume.
- Add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar and 50 g of raw baker's yeast.
- Pour in water, leaving room for fermentation.
- Infuse in a warm place until bread kvass is obtained.
The working solution is made at the rate of 1 liter of infusion per 10 liters of water. Feeding them is combined with watering.
Video: DIY organic fertilizer for grapes
Fertilizing grapes according to timing
During the growing season, 7 grape feedings are carried out, of which two are foliar.. The doses and timing of fertilizer application are shown in the table below.
Spring root feeding
As soon as the buds begin to swell on the vine, spring root feeding is carried out with a complex of mineral fertilizers, which includes:
- ammonium nitrate or urea,
- superphosphate,
- potassium salt.
Fertilizer is necessary for grapes to replenish nutrients after a dormant period. All solutions of mineral fertilizers are made in accordance with the attached instructions. Feeding is carried out in this way:
Feeding before flowering
The second time we feed the grapes in the third ten days of May before the start of flowering at the root, using the same composition as for the first feeding, but with a lower dosage of fertilizers and on the leaves. This will improve pollination and contribute to the enlargement of the bunch.
Fertilizing to improve berry ripening
The third time we apply fertilizer at the root, consisting of superphosphate and potassium salt, before the berries ripen, which will increase their sugar content and speed up ripening. We do not add nitrogen to this fertilizer so that the vine has time to ripen well and become woody.. For small berries we carry out foliar spraying with a complex mineral fertilizer.
Superphosphate is used during the ripening period of grape bunches
Fertilizer after harvest
After harvesting, the bushes must be fed with potassium sulfate and superphosphate to replenish the supply of nutrients and increase the winter hardiness of the plant. In addition, once every 3 years in late autumn, humus or compost based on bird droppings, manure, and plant residues is added to the digging hole (at the rate of 1–2 buckets per square meter). This improves the chemical and mechanical composition of the soil.
Once every 3 years, in late autumn, add 1-2 buckets of humus to the hole for digging
Foliar feeding
In addition to root feedings, we carry out two foliar feedings, one 2–3 days before flowering, the other for small ovaries. Foliar feeding is carried out in dry, windless weather at sunset, so that the solution remains wet on the leaf longer. You can treat plants during the day if it is cloudy.
Not all winegrowers consider foliar feeding very effective, but they are not in a hurry to abandon them, using them as an additional feed in tank mixtures when treating the vineyard against various diseases.
What does foliar feeding provide? I believe that when spraying a plant, the nutrients are absorbed by the leaf in a few minutes, which means the grapes will receive nutrition several times faster. This method is good in case of emergency assistance to a weakened bush.
Table: feeding scheme and approximate amount of fertilizer per 1 grape bush
| Top dressing | When is it carried out? | Fertilizer | Target | Mode of application |
| 1st root | When the kidneys are swollen |
|
Replenishment of nutrients substances after a period of rest |
|
| 2nd root | A week before flowering |
|
Supports vigorous growth shoots, reduces shedding ovaries, nourishes the bush |
Embedded in the ground around the bush or dissolved in 10 liters of water and poured through drainage pipes |
| 1st foliar | 2–3 days before flowering | Usually combined with spraying bushes with fungicides. For 10 liters of water:
|
Improves pollination, reduces shedding of the ovary, promotes enlargement of the hand |
Carried out by spraying by leaf in the evening |
| 2nd foliar | After flowering small peas |
|
Prevents grape chlorosis and crest palsy |
Carried out by spraying by leaf in the evening |
| 3rd root | 1–2 weeks before ripening |
|
Prevents cracking berries, improves their taste quality, speeds up a little maturation |
Dissolves in 10 liters of water and pours through drainage pipes |
| 4th root | After harvest |
|
Improves shoot ripening | Dissolves in 10 liters of water and poured through drainage pipes |
| Autumn | Once every 2–3 years | 1–2 buckets of humus per 1 sq. m | Nourishes the soil around the bush, improves its chemical and mechanical composition |
Introduced for digging |
Video: how and with what to fertilize grapes correctly
Grape feeding - important element in the development of the bush and the key to good fruiting. Follow the timing of treatments, apply fertilizers correctly, and the vine will definitely thank you with a generous harvest.
It is believed that growing a healthy, lush vineyard that produces bountiful harvest large and sweet berries are difficult. Grapes are a capricious crop that requires constant care. This opinion is wrong.
Grapes really need a complex of certain nutrients and proper care. However, this plant is no more whimsical than, for example, strawberries or raspberries. You just need to know when to apply fertilizers, choose the right fertilizer for grapes and follow the rules for their application.
Article outline
The main mistakes of winegrowers
When growing grapes, gardeners usually make the following mistakes:
- mainly fertilizing of young grape seedlings is carried out, when minimal attention is paid to adult plants;
- fertilizing is applied only in the form of complex fertilizers;
- An excessive amount of fertilizer is applied to the grapes.
As practice shows, many gardeners feed young seedlings, while mature vine goes unnoticed. It is believed that an adult plant with a powerful rhizome will itself obtain nutrients from the deep layers of the soil. While young grapes need strength for growth and development.
In fact, seedlings do not require additional fertilizing at all in the first two years if all rules were followed during planting and landing hole All necessary fertilizers have been applied.
An adult plant, on the contrary, can completely deplete the soil in a few seasons. Feeding should become mandatory for plants older than three years.
The use of complex fertilizers for the vineyard soil is a completely justified procedure, but only once during the growing season. Standard complexes contain the main elements of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, but microelements valuable for grapes may be absent.
In addition, the application of nitrogen to grapes is indicated only twice in early spring. In subsequent fertilizing, the presence of nitrogen can harm the plants. If you do not want to give up complex formulations, select fertilizers special for grapes, which, in addition to the main macroelements NPK, contain a complex of microelements of zinc, boron, sulfur, calcium, magnesium and manganese.
Another mistake wine growers make is the unsystematic application of excess fertilizers.. Indeed, grapes are a nutritionally demanding plant; however, additives of mineral and organic origin should be added in strictly standardized doses and only in certain time. Otherwise, the grapevine will become vulnerable to disease, the plant will lose immunity, and the timing of fruiting may be delayed until the onset of autumn frosts.
What substances need to be fed to grapes?
To help the plants develop properly, let’s try to figure out what to feed the grapes and what nutrients they need.
- Nitrogen - stimulates the growth of foliage and young shoots, is necessary in the spring, at the end of the growing season it is harmful for grapes, as it delays the ripening of berries and wood, which protects the vine from the cold in winter.
- Phosphorus is necessary for grapes to form inflorescences, ovaries and ripen berries, so it is added before flowering begins. Due to the prolonged decomposition period in the soil, phosphorus fertilizers for grapes are also applied in the fall, so that by the beginning of the growing season the plant receives this macronutrient in full.
- Potassium is an important macronutrient for grapes. The vine does not tolerate well low temperatures, and potassium increases the resistance of grapes to winter frosts. Potassium also increases resistance to drought and dehydration, diseases and pests. Potassium fertilizers are applied to grapes in the fall.
- Boron - stimulates the flowering process and prevents the ovaries from falling off, affects the sugar level in fruits, and accelerates their ripening.
- Copper – enhances the growth of young shoots, affects the immunity of grapes.
- Zinc – affects the amount of harvest.
- Magnesium – affects the absorption of phosphates, participates in the processes of photosynthesis and protein formation, and affects the taste of grapes.
Grapes do not tolerate chlorine well, so when choosing mineral fertilizers, pay attention to the absence of this element in the composition.
Grape feeding scheme
Mineral supplements or organic?
For grapes, you can only get by with mineral fertilizers, which can be simple (two- or one-component) and complex (multicomponent).
However, it is unlikely that you can get by with mineral supplements alone. Chemical compositions, although they provide nutrition to plants, do not change the structure of the soil. And grapes need fertile soil with a high content of humus and beneficial bioflora.
You can also use it, but be extremely careful so as not to harm the vine. All in the litter chemical components are in a more concentrated form compared to other types of organic matter. High doses of nitrogen are especially dangerous.
To prepare liquid fertilizer, it is necessary to dilute the droppings with water in the ratio of 1 part organic matter/4 parts water, that is, for every 100 g of fertilizer you will need 400 ml of water.
The resulting mixture is infused for 3–7 days and then used, diluted tenfold with water. For a 10 liter bucket of water you will need 1 liter of chicken manure infusion.
Potassium chloride, dangerous due to the chloride compounds it contains, will replace. Regular wood ash will do, although sunflower husk ash is considered the best. fruit trees and grape ash.
Scheme of root feeding of grapes
Farmers have different opinions on how many times it is necessary to apply fertilizers to grapes. Some people believe that feeding the vine should begin in early spring after the last snow melts. Some gardeners fertilize the vineyard for the first time just before flowering.
We have selected a grape feeding scheme for depleted and sandy soils, where the nutritional elements are presented in minimum quantity. If the vineyard is developed on fertile lands or fertilizers have been applied to the vines since the fall, you can skip the first fertilizing in the spring.
During the season, the grapes will need 5 root feedings:
- carried out in early spring, before the bushes open after wintering;
- carried out before flowering;
- before the formation of ovaries;
- before harvest, in a state of technical ripeness of grapes;
- in the fall, carried out depending on the type of soil.
First feeding
Feeding grapes in spring begins when the temperature reaches +16°C. For feeding, prepare a solution:
- from 20 g of superphosphate, 5 g of potassium salt, 10 g of ammonium nitrate.
This composition will help plants recover after winter. One grape bush will need 10 liters of liquid mineral fertilizer. Also, the first spring feeding of grapes can be done with any complex fertilizer prepared according to the instructions, or you can use slurry prepared at the rate of 1 kg of organic matter/10 liters.
How I feed grapes
Second feeding
The second fertilizer of grapes in the spring is necessary not only for the growth of leaves and shoots. The goal is to stimulate the flowering process, therefore, an additional 5 g of boric acid is added to mineral compositions and organic matter. To feed the grapes a second time, you can use the composition for the first feeding or use a solution of nitrophos at the rate of 60 g - 70 g/10 l. But the best option will be the use of organic matter to fill the soil solution with humus:
- 2 kg of mullein are diluted in 5 liters of water and allowed to brew for several days, then the resulting mixture is brought to a volume of 12 liters, calculated given quantity per 1 m² of grape planting.
- make a weakly concentrated solution, no more than 50 g of litter/10 l, the liquid fertilizer should infuse for 2 - 5 days.
Third feeding
It is carried out at the end of flowering and 10 days before the formation of fruit ovaries.
When choosing a fertilizer for the third feeding, you need to understand that the main component should be active nitrogen, which will affect the weight of the fruit and the amount of the harvest as a whole. Root feeding of grapes with active nitrogen is prepared:
- from 10 g of potassium magnesium and 20 g of ammonium nitrate, diluted in 10 liters of water.
Fourth feeding
It is carried out in a state of technical ripeness of the bunches, approximately 10 - 20 days before harvest. The goal is to improve the taste of the grapes, the keeping quality of the bunches and increase the weight of the berries themselves. At this time, nitrogen is contraindicated in the vineyard; only phosphorus and potassium are added. It is better not to use complex compounds and organic matter, especially bird droppings, due to their high content of active nitrogen. For feeding:
- 20 g of superphosphate and 20 g of any potassium fertilizer without chlorine per 10 liters of water.
After harvesting, if desired, you can additionally apply 20 g of potash fertilizers in solution per 1 m² so that the plants replenish the nutrients lost during the growing season. If planned autumn feeding grapes, fertilizer may not be applied.
Fifth feeding
The last application of fertilizer for grapes occurs in the autumn months. This procedure will prepare the vine for winter and create a supply of nutrients for the beginning of the next season. Autumn application does not have to be carried out annually if the vineyard is planted on fertile soils.
For chernozems, it is enough to add mineral supplements and organic matter once every three years. For sandy loam soils, autumn application becomes more frequent up to once every two years, while for light sandy soils annual application in the fall is indicated.
In autumn, mineral compounds or organic matter are used. Manure or bird droppings are applied rotted. Fresh organic matter in the fall can harm the vine, as it contains active nitrogen, and the main elements before wintering are phosphorus and potassium. Grapes will also need sulfur, manganese, boron, and zinc to improve immunity. Iodine can be added to fertilizer formulations for vineyards on sandy soils.
Mineral complex in autumn:
- 10 g of potassium salt, 20 g of granulated superphosphate, 1 g of boric acid, 2 g of zinc sulfate, 2 g of manganese sulfate, 1 g of potassium iodine.
Organic fertilizers in autumn:
- rotted manure – 2 kg/1 m², applied dry or liquid;
- bird droppings – 1 kg/1 liter of water/1 m² of planting, applied only in liquid form so as not to burn the roots of the plants;
- ash - 300 g / 10 l of water / 1 bush - applied after abundant moisture of the soil.
How to properly fertilize grapes
Rules for applying fertilizers for grapes
The main mistake gardeners make is shallow planting of crops or combining watering and fertilizing of grapes. When planted superficially, grapes develop more roots in upper layers soil solution.
Nutrients remain unavailable to the powerful rhizomes of adult plants. In winter, the upper roots will begin to freeze, and the grapes may simply die. The same situation occurs when watering is combined with the application of fertilizers.
In order for fertilizing grapes in spring and autumn to produce results, any fruits are placed in trenches dug in the circle of bushes. The diameter of the trunk circle depends on the age of the vine and can be 40 cm - 80 cm. The depth of the trench varies between 20 cm - 50 cm.
For a three-year-old vine, for example, you can add nutrient mixtures to a depth of 20 cm - 25 cm; for older plants, the depth should be greater - 35 cm - 50 cm.
In spring, any compositions are applied in liquid form. Before application, the soil is watered generously. This way the nutrients will not burn the roots and will become more accessible to the plants. In autumn, tuk can be applied in dry or liquid form. The exception is bird droppings, which are always used in liquid form. After laying the fertilizer, the trench needs to be backfilled and compacted a little.
When using ash, special rules must be observed, since this type of organic matter can leave severe burns on the roots. Before adding ash, at least 3-4 buckets of water are added into the trench around the bush, and only after that the solution with ash is poured out.
Scheme of foliar feeding
Sometimes root feeding does not bring results. Why? The reaction with the soil and the fertilizer components among themselves leads to the formation of harmful salts that are not absorbed by the grapes. In this case, several heavy rains must pass so that the fertilizers applied by the root method dissolve in the soil and reach the rhizome. For these reasons, most winegrowers prefer to replace root application with foliar feeding of grapes.
Foliar feeding of grapes can give results within a few days, because some microelements are absorbed by the leaf within the first minutes after spraying. Add to this minimum consumption water and fertilizers compared to root application. The benefits are obvious, so check out the following foliar feeding scheme:
- first treatment on the leaf - no earlier than 3 - 5 days before flowering, boric acid 5 g / 10 l / 1 bush is used, spraying with this composition is usually combined with the use of fungicides to prevent the development of pathogenic flora, fertilizers can be used in the first feeding, the composition of which includes nitrogen;
- second spraying - 5 - 10 days after flowering, phosphorus mineral fertilizers are used, ash can be selected from organic fertilizers, nitrogen compounds are excluded;
- third spraying - with an interval of 15 days after the second treatment with a similar composition;
- fourth treatment - 15 days before the ripening of the bunches and harvesting, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are excluded, spraying is carried out with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to bring the vine and roots to a state of rest and prepare for the winter period.
It is better to use the evening or early morning hours for processing. The underside of the leaf is sprayed. In some cases, spraying can be replaced by manually wetting the leaves.
As you can see, caring for grapes is not much different from the rules for caring for other berry plants. The application of the main components is carried out depending on the stage of development of the vine, taking into account the soil and temperature regime. Follow the rules for applying fertilizers, and your vineyard will give a bountiful harvest of delicious berries.
How to fertilize grapes after flowering
Proper feeding of grapes in spring is the key to a good harvest
Grapes need basic fertilizing, which is applied every few years, and additional fertilizing, applied annually in spring and autumn.
The need and timing of fertilizing grapes in spring
Every year, when harvesting, grapes take nutrients from the soil, without which they will not be able to develop normally and bear fruit in the future. If there is a lack of necessary substances, the bush becomes vulnerable to diseases and pests, the vine does not ripen well, and the ovaries crumble.
Additional fertilizing in the spring is applied according to the scheme, focusing on the stage of grape development:
- First, the bush is at rest (mid-April);
- The second - two weeks before the start of flowering, when the embryos of the brushes have just appeared (mid-May);
- The third - after fruit set (late May - early June).
The main elements that grapes need are nitrogen - for the growth of the vine and leaves, phosphorus - for flowering and ripening, and potassium - for active ovary and increasing the plant's immunity. Grapes also need: copper, magnesium, zinc, sulfur, boron, iron.
The deficiency of one or another element can be determined by the state of the grape foliage and the composition of nutrient solutions can be adjusted. The following symptoms appear when there is a shortage:
- nitrogen - the leaves are light green, the growth of the vine is slow;
- potassium - border along the edge of the leaf Brown;
- phosphorus - dark green leaves with brown spots, late flowering;
- iron - yellowing of the leaf plate, while the veins remain green;
- sulfur - the growing points of the vine die.
To fertilize grapes in the spring, you can apply organic matter, single-component and complex fertilizers, as well as use folk recipes for nutrient solutions.
How to fertilize grapes in spring: organic and chemical products
Fertilizer for grapes must be applied at the level of the main roots - this is one of the basic rules for feeding vines. This way the nutrients will be fully absorbed and will work for the benefit of the bush. Surface feeding stimulates the growth of additional roots, which can lead to a slowdown in grape development.
Methods of fertilizing
When planting a seedling, experienced winegrowers recommend digging a pipe through which you can later water and feed the grapes. Use asbestos or plastic pipes with a diameter of 10-12 cm. They are placed at a distance of 50-80 cm from the seedling (depending on the growth vigor of the variety) and deepened by at least 40 cm.
There is another way to properly feed grapes. At a distance of 50-80 cm from the bush along the entire diameter, you need to dig a trench 40-50 cm deep. Pour into this ditch nutrient solutions, after which they cover it with earth.
It is important to remember that before each feeding, the grapes need to be watered abundantly.
Chemical solutions for spring feeding
The basic solution for spring feeding of grapes is a solution of two tablespoons of superphosphate, one tablespoon of ammonium nitrate and a teaspoon of potassium sulfate. All components are dissolved in 10 liters of non-cold (20-25 degrees Celsius) water. This amount of solution is consumed per grape bush, poured into a pipe or groove.
The first and second feeding of grapes in the spring is carried out with the solution described above. Ammonium nitrate should be excluded from the third feeding - nitrogen at this stage of development can cause increased growth of green mass to the detriment of the formation of bunches.
To feed grape bushes in the spring, you can use complex fertilizers containing all the elements in the required proportions, such as Aquarin, Mortar, Novofert. The preparations are dissolved in water according to the instructions and applied to the soil in the manner described above.
Using organic matter for spring feeding
Grapes respond well to the application of organic fertilizers to the soil. Organic matter can be used as a basic fertilizer or in combination with mineral fertilizers. It must be remembered that organic fertilizers can be applied only before flowering begins.
Rotted manure is applied under the bush in early spring and embedded in the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm. It improves the structure of the soil, promotes the development of microflora, and saturates the plant with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. You can replace manure with compost made from mowed grass, ash, sawdust, and plant waste.
For liquid fertilizing in the spring, you can use slurry. One part of the manure is poured with two parts of water in a barrel, and left for 10 days. The fermented solution is diluted with water one to six and poured into the recess around the trunk at the rate of 10 liters per bush.
Chicken manure is effective as a fertilizer. It is used in the form of a liquid infusion. To prepare, a liter of dry litter is filled with water (4 liters) and left to ferment for two weeks. Immediately before application, the slurry is diluted with water, bringing the volume to 10 liters. For each bush, use 0.5-1 liter of solution.
You can completely compensate for the potassium needs of grapes with the help of ash from sunflower husks. For root feeding, an extract from ash is prepared - two liters of the substance are poured with 8 liters of water and left for a day, stirring occasionally. A liter of the finished extract is diluted with a bucket of water and applied under each bush.
Foliar feeding of grapes in spring
Foliar feeding of grapes complements the root feeding, but does not replace it. Grape leaves quickly absorb micro and macroelements dissolved in water. The solution for spraying is prepared from the same components as for root feeding: urea or ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, potassium sulfate, with the addition of microelements - zinc, boron, copper, etc. Before use, add 50 g of sugar to the nutritional composition to slow down its evaporation from the foliage.
You can use solutions of complex fertilizers: Master, Florovit, Biopon - they are sold in any garden store. The dosage of preparations for foliar feeding is indicated in the instructions.
Among the folk recipes for foliar feeding of grapes, a herbal infusion with the addition of ash extract is popular. To prepare it, you need to fill the barrel halfway with cut grass, fill it to the top with water, and leave it to ferment for 10-14 days. To spray, add a liter of fermented infusion and 0.5 liters of ash extract to a bucket of water.
The first spraying is carried out before the flower buds appear (in early May), the second - after flowering (in early June). Treatment is carried out in the evening or morning hours, when there are no aggressive sun rays. To prolong the effect of the solution, the grape bushes are irrigated every day clean water. The dried solution then takes on a liquid form again and is well absorbed by the plant.
Bottom line
In order for the yield of the grape bush to be maximum, fertilizers must be applied according to a schedule, adhering to the recommended doses. Can be used chemicals or resort to folk recipes- the choice is yours. The main thing is to provide the grapes with sufficient nutrition for growth and abundant fruiting.
