How to properly cover and prepare grapes for winter in the Moscow region

Planting grapes is a rather complex and time-consuming process that requires a special approach and specific temperature conditions. Summer residents with plots near Moscow often complain that they can't fully cultivate various crops due to the cold climate. To ensure a good harvest, it's essential to properly cover the grapes for the winter. This process has its own complexities and nuances in the Moscow region.

Recommendations for gardeners

It's no secret that certain crops thrive in specific climates. If you plant a palm tree in the north, it's unlikely to produce fruit, even if you cover it. Therefore, it's important to be very careful about what can grow in the gardener's climate.

However, desire alone isn't enough; you need to study specialized literature and talk to knowledgeable people. Growing grapes in cold conditions is possible. To do this, You need to follow some recommendations:

• First, you need to decide on the grape variety. There are several grape varieties that can withstand low temperatures. These include 'Lora,' 'Codryanka,' 'Kuban,' and 'Vostorg.'
• Once a gardener has selected a variety, they need to find the right location to grow it. It's important to know that vines dislike windy areas, so quiet locations that don't require additional shelter are preferred.
• Proper planting and depth are crucial. It's crucial that the seedling is planted as deeply as possible, as this determines whether it will grow.
• Fertilizers are the key to a good harvest. Besides providing nutrition, they also keep the seedlings warm.
• The climate helps. As we know, winters in the Moscow region can be snowy, meaning the snow will warm the grapes and protect them from freezing. However, without the right insulating structure, the snow won't protect the harvest.

Preparing grapes before covering

The grape vine must be prepared for wintering at a certain time of yearCovering the vines too late, just like covering them too early, can have negative consequences. Covering the vines too early can lead to fungal infections. The grapes will also not have time to stock up on beneficial nutrients, preventing them from surviving the winter.

If you don't cover grapes in the Moscow region until later, they will freeze. It's worth noting that young seedlings are "insulated" at night when the temperature drops to -2°C (-2°C) (at this point, young shoots stop growing). Grapes open up when the temperature rises above zero.

Preparing a vineyard for winter in the Moscow region involves removing the vines from their supports and bending them toward the ground. This is done after the leaves have fallen. Metal clamps are used to secure the vines. However, bending them will be unsuccessful if the vines are planted incorrectly, so this should be addressed from the very beginning. Pruning the vines and treating them with ferrous sulfate is also necessary.

Types of covering material

There are three methods for insulating a vineyard. For young seedlings, earthing is used. Straw or agrofibre is used for the portion of the vines above ground. This method is called semi-open. Complete covering involves removing the vines, bending them to the ground, and cultivating them. This third method is suitable for the Moscow region.

To carry out this procedure, you should select the materials in advance. The best ones natural snow and soil are consideredTo cover the grapes with soil, you need to dig a trench, insulate it, and then lay the vines on top. Then, add soil. As for snow, things are much simpler. The only thing you need to know is the exact amount of precipitation needed to preserve the grapes over the winter. If there isn't enough snow, gardeners have to add more themselves.

Another option is to install wooden shields on both sides of the vine. This creates an elongated structure that can be insulated from the inside. Spruce branches can be used for insulation. The film is a bit sensitive, and at above-zero temperatures it will need to be removed, otherwise the vines may overheat.

For insulation, people typically use improvised means such as plastic containers or burlap. It's impossible to use any of these materials on your own, so soil comes in handy. Everything must be carefully calculated to ensure the weight of the "protection" doesn't crush the vines.

Tips and tricks

Grapes can be hardened off. To speed up ripening, use a metal crowbar to puncture the soil around the vine (the distance should be no more than 15 centimeters). This disrupts the integrity of the roots, which affects the hardening of the grapes. This also ensures a good harvest. the following activities should be carried out:

1. Watering is carried out from late September to October, as grape roots require moisture until the winter cold sets in. The key is to provide plenty of water, which allows it to penetrate deep into the soil.
2. The water should not spread. To achieve this, you can create a ridge up to 60 centimeters high. In winter, the water will rise through the soil as vapor, warming the vine roots with its heat.
3. Failure to water the plant in time may result in stunted growth in the spring.
4. To prevent the grapes from growing too large and affecting the size of the berries, they need to be pruned periodically. This should be done until the thermometer reaches minus three degrees Celsius.
5. First of all, weak and damaged shoots are cut out and leaves are torn off.
6. Next, strengthen the vines by tying them into bundles. Above-zero temperatures are essential, as the plant is very fragile at this stage and can easily break. After this "operation," the grapes must be properly treated to prevent disease. Use ferrous sulfate: 500 grams per 10 liters of water, at a concentration of up to 5 percent. For young shoots, use a lower concentration of the solution. This procedure will eliminate signs of disease and prevent the emergence of parasites that can destroy the grapes.
7. There's no need to rush to cover the grapes, as they easily withstand the first frosts, which may only affect the shoots and green leaves. The actual "insulation" should begin in mid-October, on a dry day.
8. It is necessary to make sure that the entire plant is protected, and not just a part of it.

In addition, you need to know how to properly prune "northern" grapes. The most popular method is a fan-shaped, standardless formationFruiting units are arranged fan-shaped on a vertical trellis. This method is also known as Tokarev's method, which he developed in the 20th century. It's important to consider the year. A one-year-old shoot is tied horizontally. In the fall, only two shoots are left, and the others are cut out.

Knowing the basic recommendations for caring for grapes and their varieties allows you to grow grapevines in the Moscow region without worrying about their safety, as with the right variety and proper care, the shoots will withstand even severe frosts.