How to properly insulate grape vines for the winter

With the arrival of autumn, not all gardeners can take a break from work. After all, harvesting and preparing pickles isn't the final stage of winter preparation. Most bushes and other plants require care in the fall to withstand the harsh frosts. Beginning gardeners are interested in how to insulate grapes for the winter, as this vine can't survive the cold.

Preparatory stages in autumn

With the right algorithms in place, you can successfully preserve your favorite bushes until spring in the fall. It is important to know the main stages:

• watering;
• top dressing;
• pruning;
• protection from diseases and pests;
• construction of a shelter.

Watering the plant

During the period of greening and harvest ripening grape bushes need waterBut don't overwater the plant; excess moisture is harmful, causing disease and impairing the flavor of the fruit.

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Watering frequency depends on the soil type. For example, sandy soil requires more frequent watering, but with less water. Clay soil requires slightly less frequent watering, but only until the plant is fully saturated. Air temperature, groundwater depth, wind frequency and speed, and the onset of frost are all taken into account.

Correctly chosen timing for watering guarantees increased winter resistance of grapes.

Fertilizer for crops

In the fall, after the harvest, the grapevine weakens. During the entire ripening cycle, it loses much strength and internal reserves. Refreshing and fertilizing are required to restore the grapevine's strength. This is done to preserve the flower buds already formed within the vine, and to ensure the plant displays lush foliage in the spring.

Experienced gardeners recommend fertilizing the delicious berry bushes once every 3 years. For this, per 1 m² For the vineyard, mix 25 g of superphosphate and 25 g of chlorine-free potassium fertilizer. The resulting dry mixture is added to the soil.

For annual feeding, water with a solution:

• 10 liters of water;
• 20 g of phosphorus fertilizer;
• 10 g of potassium fertilizers.

To ensure that the plant receives enough nutrients, the soil should be moistened to a depth of 25 cm when watering.

Pruning a bush

After all the grapevine leaves have fallen, pruning begins. This is done to refresh and rejuvenate the bush, increase the quantity and flavor of the fruit, and speed up ripening. This procedure also helps protect grapes from frost.

If you start pruning early, you can deprive the plant of many plastic substances for the cold season. If you start pruning after frost, the brittle shoots will crack. The best time for pruning is considered mid-September.

Dried and infected shoots should be removed and burned immediately to prevent disease from affecting other plants. Grapevines should be shaped and thinned to remove any thickets that can cause overgrowth, impede ventilation, and deprive the plant of light.

Protection from diseases and pests

The next step after pruning the bush is treating it for diseases and various pests. Failure to do so will expose the plant to overwintering forms of pathogens and prevent it from surviving until spring.

The main solution for preserving vineyards from diseases is a solution: add 10 tablespoons of salt and 5 tablespoons of baking soda to 10 liters of room-temperature water. Apply the solution to the entire vine, including the leaves. This procedure is repeated at least three times in mid-September.

Digging and loosening the soil around the bush will help reduce the number of insects and pathogens. Lightly turning the soil is recommended to better eliminate pests.

The prepared vines are laid on the ground and sprayed with the solution. To prepare, add 200 g of iron sulfate or 50 g of copper sulfate to 5 liters of hot water (about 45 degrees Celsius).

Once the grapevine has dried out, it is covered for the winter. To prevent rodent attacks, calcium carbide is used. The pieces are placed in metal cans and placed under a covering material. Besides helping to control rodents, it also helps prevent diseases.

Insulation for grapes

Grapes are not designed for cold weather, so they need to be covered in the fall to help them survive the winter. There are different options tailored to specific locations. The main criteria for choosing insulation material are:

1. A grape variety. Some can tolerate low temperatures under light cover.
2. Growing method.
3. Growing region. Northern regions have abundant pine branches, making them readily available and easy to use as shelter.

Common materials include spruce branches, wood and polyethylene.

When creating a fortification using pine branches, you should surround the vines with them after properly preparing them. Pine branches allow air to pass through, and a lack of it promotes rotting. Furthermore, the insulation of pine branches traps snow, creating favorable wintering conditions.

Wooden boards are used after spraying against pests and diseases. The vines are pressed to the ground and covered with wood. It is recommended to leave gaps between the boards to allow for free air circulation. The lack of snow is compensated for by covering the seedlings in the spring.

Beginner gardeners, unsure how to properly insulate grapes for the winter, use plastic film to cover them. However, this is a big mistake. Under such insulation, increased humidity develops, and the lack of air causes mold and fungal diseases.

The optimal time to begin insulation is considered to be late October to November. During this time, there are no warm days, and frosts are not a concern.

Preparing young vines for winter

Since it's important to insulate grapevines for the winter during the first year, it's important to know that these bushes don't need pruning. It's recommended to remove any fallen leaves and avoid feeding them with nutrients.

In the second year, grapevines are pruned, leaving about four buds on one or two shoots. In the third and fourth years, in the fall, three to seven buds are left; fertilizing is not yet necessary. From the fourth year onward, fertilization begins in the fall.

Methods of preserving grapes vary from region to region. For example:

1. Middle zone. After removing leaves and branches, leave the fruiting stalk. Immature shoots are also pruned. They can be identified by the cracking sound they make when bent. Also, remove any vines that have already fruited and any dewy roots. Dig up the base of the bush to a depth of 15 cm and remove any root system protruding above the ground. Cover the bed around the base with dry sand.
2. Moscow region. If you plant grapes correctly, then it's not difficult to cover itThe planting hole should be 60 cm by 60 cm and 15 cm deep. Choose dry, clear weather and roll the sleeves into a circle, laying them at the bottom of the hole. After treating the grapes for diseases and pests, place a carbide mulch in the mulch and cover the vine with wooden sheets or roofing felt.
3. Siberia. In autumn. Fertilizing the grapes is recommended. Fallen leaves are considered a good covering material. They are laid about 35 cm thick and insulated on top. A final layer of pine branches or vegetable tops is recommended.
4. In Ukraine, insulating grapes for the winter is not considered a difficult procedure, as the climate there is not significantly different from Russia.

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Each region has its own methods for preserving bushes over the winter. The taste of the fruit depends largely on watering, growing techniques, and proper storage during the cold season.

Knowing how to properly prepare grapes for winter, as well as how to store and insulate them until spring, you can enjoy juicy fruits for many years to come.