If you're planning to grow grapes at your dacha, be prepared to put in a lot of work and a lot of reading. Choosing a variety suited to your region's climate isn't enough; it's also important to know the right time, location, and planting techniques, as well as how to care for the vines. So, in a couple of years, you'll be able to find ripe, muscat-flavored berries nestled among the foliage on the shoots.
Where is the right place to plant grapes in a plot?
Grapes are heat-loving plants and won't thrive in the shade, so when choosing a bed, pay special attention to the southern part of the garden, where the sun shines from morning until evening. This is where the rising sun begins to warm the surface first. Furthermore, the chosen bed should be free of drafts. Cold gusts of wind will cause the vines to wither and soon they will have to be dug up and disposed of; you shouldn't expect a fruitful harvest from such a bush. Moderate soil moisture is also crucial for good vineyard growth. If your garden is located near a pond or lake, it's best to plant the grape cuttings on a slightly elevated site, away from water. Otherwise, the root system may rot from standing water.
Soil preparation
The vineyard site has been selected, now it's time to prepare the soil for the new seedlings. Berry bushes thrive in fertile but rocky soil. This reduces waterlogging, minimizing the accumulation of salts and lime. Some grape varieties thrive in sandy-clay soil. Therefore, choose the grape variety for planting based on the soil composition of your plot.
Soil preparation begins a month before the expected planting date. First, weeds and debris from the previous year are removed from the beds. Then, each square meter is dug over with 10 kg of manure, initially mixed with 150-200 g of wood ash. A couple of days after harrowing, the dug area is leveled, and beds 30-40 cm high and up to 1 m wide are constructed. Borders can be built around the beds; they will decorate the area and preserve the bed's original appearance.
Grape vines grow several centimeters or meters each month. To ensure the vines climb beautifully, metal or wooden trellises are installed, which can be purchased at any specialty store or made at home. The support posts are buried at least half a meter deep in the ground, and the soil around them is compacted.
Two weeks before planting the cuttings, begin preparing the beds. First, dig holes up to half a meter deep and wide. The distance between holes is typically 3 meters for dwarf varieties and 4 meters for vigorous varieties. About three buckets of gravel, sand, or crushed stone are poured into the bottom of the dug hole in an even layer, then topped with two buckets of compost, half a kilo of superphosphate, 1 kg of ash, and a bucket of fertile soil.
How to choose and plant a seedling correctly
To ensure a seedling takes root in your garden, you first need to choose the variety you want to grow. If you live in the central part of the world and want to grow southern grapes, you'll likely succeed, as the climate and soil composition of your garden plot should be suitable for the plant. Planting material is usually purchased two years old; it takes root better in its new location and will begin to bear fruit within a year or two.
When purchasing cuttings, pay special attention to the plant's appearance. There should be no visible damage, such as brown spots or deep scratches. Before planting, the vineyard seedlings are treated, removing damaged roots and upper branches. Only the lower root node is left; all other side shoots are trimmed off to prevent them from interfering with the planting process. Before planting, the seedlings are taken outside and left in a wind-protected area for a day. This air conditioning process lasts for 4-5 days. This hardening off will prevent the grapes from dying from cold.
Planting grapes in black soil and clay
Carefully insert the seedling into the fertilizer hole and adjust the root system so that it doesn't stretch toward the sun during active growth, but instead spreads outward. Fill the hole with 20 cm of fertile soil and add 30 liters of sun-warmed water. Watering is necessary to compact the soil and moisten the roots. Half an hour after watering, add the remaining soil. Water the plant again and loosen the soil to a depth of 10 cm. Repeat the watering and loosening process twice a week. Mulch the soil for the final time after the cultivation. It's best to plant grapes at sunrise or sunset to prevent the scorching sun from damaging the plant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcsxBSMB24o
Planting grapes in sandy soil
Growing grapevines in sandy soil is much more challenging. Sunlight quickly warms the sand. However, the sun's heat doesn't last long, and the sandy surface cools at night or when weather conditions change. Constant temperature fluctuations will kill the root system, so if your garden soil contains sand, be patient and follow our advice:
- Dig a hole, the depth of which should be 1 - 1.2 m.
- Place a 20 cm layer of dense clay at the bottom of the pit.
- Apply a 25 cm layer of organic fertilizer.
- Plant the seedling at a depth of 50–60 cm.
- Cover the roots with soil.
- Water the plant once a week.
- Pour at least 40 liters of water under each bush.
How to plant grape seedlings during the growing season
Vegetative seedlings are planted in open ground only in the spring, when green leaves appear on the young shoots. The bed is prepared in the same way as for one-year-old seedlings. Before planting, the green shoot is watered generously, then the plastic "pot" is cut open, and the seedling, along with the root ball, is transferred to the prepared hole. The stem and root system are covered with a layer of soil and fertilizer up to the leaves. The shoot is tied to a stake. During active growth, the two bottom leaves are removed and soil is added to the hole.
When to plant grapes in spring
There are no specific dates for planting outdoors in spring, as climate conditions vary across regions, and the degree to which the soil warms up largely depends on the dacha's location. The further south the garden is, the earlier the grapes are planted. Weather conditions can help avoid mistakes and time the planting correctly. Seedlings are planted when the air temperature is above 16°C (61°F) and the soil temperature is above 10°C (50°F), and only after the last chance of night frost has passed. Based on these criteria, it can be concluded that in southern Russia, the optimal temperature is late March, in central Russia, mid-April or early May, and in northern regions, late May or mid-June.
Benefits of spring planting
Grapevines thrive in warm weather, so spring planting allows the vines to establish themselves before the cold weather sets in and better withstand the harsh winter conditions. Furthermore, most varieties planted in spring begin to bear fruit the following year. Spring is a convenient time for grape growing, especially for beginning grape growers, as it's easier to predict the weather and choose a planting date during the flowering season.
Cons
The most common problem that arises during the planting season is a lack of moisture for the roots. The plant requires regular watering, especially if the bushes are planted in sandy soil. Also, during this time, there is a shortage of grape seedlings at markets. The risk of purchasing a low-quality product for planting increases significantly. It's best to purchase planting material in the fall, when healthy, young shoots with root systems are available.
Autumn planting
In the fall, grapes are planted after the general garden cleanup. The optimal temperature for fall farming is 15 degrees Celsius. In the central and northern regions, the vegetable garden is harvested before the end of September, so vineyard cultivation begins in early October. In the south, the final harvest is collected by mid-October, and grape vines are planted in late October or early November. The shoots should be planted before the first frost. After planting, the vines are covered with agricultural material to protect the seedlings from frost.
Advantages
In the fall, plants are prepared for sale, so an abundance of healthy, robust bushes of various varieties can be found at the market. Furthermore, after harvesting the garden, the soil is infused with natural elements and vitamins, which is crucial for the growth of new planting material. Over the winter, the seedlings have time to establish themselves, and with the arrival of spring, they will immediately begin growing, skipping the adaptation period.
Cons
A sudden drop in temperature isn't good for seedlings; sometimes, such climate conditions can even kill the plant. After planting the vines in open ground, be sure to cover them with plastic sheeting to keep the vines warm during the winter. If you plant a vineyard just before the leaves fall, don't expect a harvest the following year. You won't be able to taste the first berries for at least a couple of years.
How to care for a vineyard
To ensure a good harvest, a plant needs to be cared for properly. The same goes for a planted grape vine; without proper care, it will quickly die, and all your efforts will be in vain. The requirements for grape vines are very simple: water, protect from pests and diseases, protect from adverse environmental factors, and prune the vine shoots and leaves.
Watering and spraying
The bushes are watered twice a week, provided that rainy weather is rare in the summer. At least 10 liters of settled, room-temperature water is poured under each bush. After watering, the soil around the vines is loosened and mulched. Spraying the vines with a 1% Bordeaux mixture as a preventative measure will prevent fungal infections. A soap solution made from grated laundry soap and 10 liters of water will help control small pests. For the first two weeks after spring planting, protect the seedlings from direct sunlight.
Top dressing
During planting, sufficient fertilizer was added to the soil; this nutrition will last the roots for 2-3 years. If desired, you can supplement the bushes at the end of summer with the following mixture: potassium hydroxide – 10 g; superphosphate – 20 g. Mix the specified amounts of chemicals in one container and sprinkle the resulting mixture over 1 square meter of soil. This will better prepare the plant for winter.
Trimming
Immediately after planting, prune the grape vine to two buds. By growing the bush this way, you can control the growth direction of the young shoots. Pruning should be done annually, preferably to the top three to five buds. The risk of fungal diseases increases if the berry bush's foliage is not trimmed regularly. Furthermore, spraying dense plants is much more difficult, meaning pests will be more likely to attack the vine.
Conclusion
By following all the above planting techniques and stages of growing grapes at home, you can effortlessly create your own grape garden and enjoy the harvest every year. And if you initially plant the grapes near a gazebo and gradually entwine it with grape vines, next summer your dacha will have a truly magical place where you can enjoy tea on summer evenings.
Reviews
Elizabeth
I tried planting grapevines for the first time in the fall and immediately ran into trouble deciding where to plant them. I ended up choosing the sunniest spot. After planting the vineyard, the weather quickly turned bad, and all the grapevines froze. In the spring, I had to dig up the dead vines and plant new varieties in their place. This time, I was luckier; the grapes took root well over the summer and overwintered without issue. Now, clusters of large berries are starting to appear in my garden. The only mistake I made was planting two varieties of different ripeness next to each other. It's inconvenient to pick the berries, but I can boast of a good harvest.
Anna
My neighbors plant grapevines at different times of the year and constantly argue about the best place to plant their vines. As an experiment, I decided to plant grapes both in the spring and fall behind the bathhouse on the sunny side. A year later, the spring grapes produced new shoots earlier than the fall ones, and the vines planted in the spring also produced berries earlier. From now on, I'll only plant grapes in the spring, as they're much easier to care for and take root faster.
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