Stepping grapes in June and July: how to properly remove and prune

Each gardener plants several grape seedlings on his plot. But to get a bountiful harvest, regular procedures must be carried out. One of them is pinching grapes. Mastering the knowledge of conducting is easy. The main thing is to figure out why and at what time to carry out the operation, how stepchildren affect the productivity of the plant.

Pros and cons of pinching

After the start of the growing season, secondary stepchildren grow from the main shoot. Experts evaluate secondary shoots in different ways, highlighting not only positive aspects, but also negative ones

Pros:

the green mass of plantings is increasing, due to which photosynthesis processes are intensifying, and nutrition is getting better;
young leaves convert the energy of the sun and carbon dioxide into useful substances;
leaves develop later on the lateral branches - this is a good replacement for the old foliage of the main vine.

The presence of stepchildren helps to nourish the grapes in the process of ripening. With proper care, productivity increases significantly.

Cons:

If left unchecked, the bush will become too thick. Ventilation will be disturbed, and as a result, fungal diseases will affect the plant.
Each branch wants to take the maximum space it needs to grow well. Therefore, the main vine will receive less nutrition, which is necessary for the formation of the crop.
A well-developed branch of the second row significantly slows down the fruit ripening process.
The large volume of leaves provokes fruit shading. Photosynthesis and ripening of berries are disturbed.

Therefore, pinching the shoots is a necessary procedure.

Why is this needed?

Second row escape - stepson. It grows in the leaf axil. Branches begin to grow in June and take a significant part of the nutrients. The stepson grows faster than the fruitful shoot.

If you ignore cropping, then:

berries will be small;
fungal diseases will develop;
felt mite settles on young foliage.

Removal of stepchildren stimulates vertical growth of plantings.

Timing of the procedure

Summer pruning helps to increase the quality and volume of the crop. Trimming starts in June. Remove new shoots and tie up the vine. Examine the shoots and roots. Parts frozen in winter are painted white and must be removed.

Stepping grapes in July is carried out after flowering. Together with top dressing, the quality and volume of berries will increase.

Overgrowth of stepchildren provokes the loss of half of the crop. With the complete removal of the shoots, a third of the fruit is lost. To maintain and increase the yield, two leaves are left on the stepson.

Staging Rules

Before proceeding with the procedure, you will need to figure out how to stepchild properly.

The process is divided into stages:

Pinch. Carry out before flowering vines. The procedure is easy, perform it with two fingers, pinching the top of the young shoot.Length 10 centimeters to the initial part of the woody vine. This manipulation slows down the growth of shoots. The result - the forces intended for young branches go to the inflorescences. This stage helps to increase fruiting.
Pruning the stepson. It is carried out after flowering. Stepchildren in grapes are lateral processes. You can't cut them to the ground. The bush develops quickly, and in a few days new sprouts grow from the cuts. Cut at a distance of two centimeters from the first leaf. Plantings are regularly inspected after the procedure. New sprouts are pruned.
Chasing. The method is similar to pinching. The main difference is that the area with the top of the shoots is deeply removed. Held at the end of the summer season. This method ensures the rapid ripening of berries. When chasing, 14 leaves are left on the shoot. This amount will ensure normal life and will not impair fruiting. The procedure is performed with bare hands.
Lightening. This is the removal of some leaves on fruit-bearing plantations.This provides the necessary ventilation. Perform at the time of fruit ripening. At the discretion of the gardeners, it can be carried out at any time. Do not leave leaves at the roots. Bacteria that infect the roots accumulate in this part. As a result, the vine dies.

When removing stepchildren with pruners, the tool is pre-treated with hydrogen peroxide. If you figure out how to remove the shoots correctly, then a vine will form and the quality of the fruit will increase. Pruning will improve yields and reduce the risk of disease.

It is recommended to pluck the foliage around the fruit three weeks before the technical maturity of the berries. This will increase the sugar content and speed up the ripening process. If the leaves are completely removed, the plant will not receive the necessary nutrition and will slow down maturation. Therefore, all processes of bush formation are approached responsibly.