How to cover grapes for the winter: preparation and the right ways to insulate

To preserve the plant, to prevent its freezing, death or illness, you need to know how grapes are covered for the winter for wintering, taking into account the region of growth. But before shelter, it is important to prune and treat the shrub from pests. Only specially carried out activities will help the plant survive the frost safely.

Why cover the grapes?

Many gardeners are wondering: do I need to cover the grapes? It all depends on the region of growth, the severity of winters and the variety of shrubs. Worth noting! Frost-resistant species, hybrid varieties, young seedlings, complex-resistant shrubs are sheltered.Frost-resistant varieties are important to properly prepare for wintering.

Optimal timing of shelter from frost

To begin with, it is important to decide: when you need to cover the grapes. It is recommended to create a protective layer in the middle of autumn. The timing of sheltering grapes for the winter is determined by the plant variety. A slight decrease in temperature (-5) contributes to the hardening of the bush.

Shelter is made in advance prepared material, it is important to ensure that the temperature does not fall below 12 ^oC.

How to properly prepare a vine bush?

For a successful wintering, you need to know: how to properly prepare grapes for winter. To do this, he:

• cut off;
• treated against pests;
• takes cover.

Special attention is paid to the shelter of young grapes for the winter, the thinner the bark, the more carefully it should be treated.

The shrub planted in the first year is not cut off, not fallen leaves are removed from it. There is no need to apply fertilizer, they were applied at planting.

In the Urals

When preparing grapes for a harsh winter in this region, there are certain features. It is unacceptable to cut with a fruit arrow and a replacement knot due to climatic conditions. In March, you can observe sudden changes in temperature, which leads to a slowdown in the development of the first buds.

Required:

• remove all stepchildren, as well as shoots to the lignification site;
• leaves about 12 buds, no more.

In the first year after planting, the bushes are not pruned, leaving four sleeves, because growing grapes in this climate is unpredictable.

When pruning, young vines growing from the center of the bush are left. It is also important to leave spare branches for replacement, given winter losses, and remove unnecessary eyes in the spring.

It is important to carry out a cataract: at a depth of up to 15 cm, remove the roots and fill the hole with sand. Fertilizers are applied, liming is carried out in strongly acidic soil.

Before the onset of frost, the vines are rolled into a ring, bent down and covered with suitable materials.

In Siberia

Winterization starts after the harvest. It is necessary to add ash, which contributes to the maturation of the vine and the destruction of spores of fungal diseases. It is important to carry out the circumcision correctly, because the liberated bush is easier to cover for the winter. Be sure to leave 1/3 spare kidneys.

Before frost, the vine is removed from the support, bent down and covered.In this region, the best material for shelter is fallen leaves, the soil is covered with boards or sawdust, then the vine is laid and covered with foliage up to 35 cm thick, non-woven material is laid on top. After that, you need to lay tree branches to retain snow, the thickness of which should be at least half a meter.

Vineyard growing in trenches is laid on the bottom and covered with several layers of agrospan. After that, it is covered with a wooden shield, foam plastic, cardboard or polypropylene bags should be placed on it. The final layer is ruberoid. To prevent rotting, side vents are made, which must be closed when stable frosts set in.

In the middle lane and Moscow region

Winters are fairly mild in this region, with vines preparing for frost a few weeks after leaf fall. There is no need to wait for the final frosts.

For circumcision you need:

• prune young shoots;
• cut stepchildren;
• leave 12 eyes on stems;
• lower branches are recommended to be cut, leaving no more than 4 eyes.

To shelter grapes for the winter in the middle lane, they are removed from supports, bent down to the ground, creating a shelter from dry leaves, additional funds (special material, slate sheets, straw bundles).

When growing a crop in the Moscow region, it is important to correctly bend the vine to the ground. It must be ensured that they are not in close contact with the ground. It is recommended to lay out wooden planks. This will avoid the appearance of condensation, mold, and prevent rotting of seedlings. If desired, you can treat the bush with copper sulfate to protect against pests.

The following species do not require abundant shelter:

• Early Northern;
• Moscow Steady;
• Anniversary Novgorod.

Pruning grapes for the winter

Pruning of seedlings is preferably carried out in autumn, this will reduce the amount of plantings and make it easier to bend down to the ground. When pruned in spring, sap can flow from the vines, which will cause the crop to become weak, and the yield will decrease accordingly.

In order for the grapes to overwinter well, they must be cut properly in the fall. Pruning removes non-fruiting vines, damaged or diseased parts, old sleeves or unripened areas that will freeze in winter and be the site of infection. It is necessary to leave a knot of replacement and a fruit arrow.

Pruning is done twice:

1. After harvesting, dried and weakened branches are removed.
2. After shedding leaves. Work is carried out before the onset of frost, at a temperature not lower than 3 ^{оС, shoots above 1.5 meters are cut off, vines that exceed the second row of wire on a support are cut off by 30 cm. Stepchildren are also removed. The lower part of the vine becomes the basis for replacement knots, 4 eyes are left, and up to 12 eyes on the fruit vine.}

After cutting, it is necessary to treat the vine from pests. Soda-s alt solution effectively copes. For 10 liters of liquid, 200 g of s alt and 120 g of soda. Lay the field of processing the vine on the ground and treat with a solution of iron sulfate. After drying, the vine can be covered. To repel mice, it is recommended to put calcium carbide nearby, absorbing moisture, it releases a gas that repels mice.

How to shelter grapes from frost

So that next year the vine does not get sick and pleases with a new harvest, you need to know how to warm the grapes for the winter.

If winter temperatures are below 20 ^oC, the plant needs to be protected. An important rule before shelter is the treatment with iron (can be replaced with copper) vitriol.

The vine needs to be bent to the ground and dug on top with moistened earth. You can’t take the soil next to the vine, the roots will be exposed and they will freeze.

Some gardeners, telling how to properly shelter grapes for the winter, advise using the air-dry method. To do this, a plastic burlap is put on the collected bunches of shoots, after which the plant must be buried with earth. It is recommended to periodically ventilate by opening the shelter for a short while.

Covering material for grapes for the winter can be different materials: leaves, sawdust, straw, non-woven coatings, wooden shields, boxes.The shelter material depends on the area of growth, the severity of winters and the plant variety. Some modern varieties are able to tolerate frost under light cover.

In the northern regions, coniferous spruce branches are abundant, it perfectly passes air, rotting processes do not occur. It retains snow well, creating favorable conditions for wintering.

If the plant is grown in trenches, it is convenient to insulate with wooden shields. Air circulation is provided between the boards. Fallen snow prevents freezing. In the absence of snow and frost, it is recommended to cover the shields with non-woven material.

Important! It is not recommended to use a polyethylene film for shelter, as high humidity is created under it, there is no ventilation. Sudden changes in temperature can cause condensation to form, leading to mold growth.

The following ways of sheltering grapes for the winter are distinguished:

• semi-shelter - applicable in southern regions;
• full shelter - used in regions with harsh winters;
• snow;
• earth;
• dry shelter - using slate, boxes, roofing felt.

The grapes are covered with slate if there are extra sheets left after construction. To do this, you need to dig a ditch along the bush to a depth of 20 cm, wrap the vine with burlap, bend it to the ground and cover it with a slate sheet.

Any of the right covering methods will help the vine to endure frost and produce next season.

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