Features of grape care in spring

Caring for grapes is painstaking and demanding work, especially during the first three years of the plant's life, as this is when it establishes itself and grows. Even if grapes have been growing in a garden or vegetable patch for several years, they still require the same thorough care, without which they will be unable to reap the delicious and juicy fruits of the future.

Grapes are in special care It needs to be cared for after a long, cold winter, in the spring, when all living things begin to awaken. It's important to know how to care for grapes in the spring to ensure a good harvest.

Inspecting the plant after winter

Caring for grapes can make you feel like a doctor. And a doctor can't prescribe treatment without a preliminary examination. Therefore, the first step in caring for grapes in spring to ensure a good harvest is to conduct an inspection after winter and identify any current problems.

The most common problem that arises in the spring, especially with young grapevines, is drying out of the branches. Due to the constant fluctuations in air temperature during the winter thaw, the plant's branches can rot or dry out. This problem is easy to spot by inspection: if the branches crunch or crack, drying out is a problem. If the grapevine branches are wet to the touch and begin to darken, they have rotted.

This problem can be solved using a method also included in the list of how to care for grapes in spring for a good harvest. Take some black roofing felt, make a 10-centimeter-diameter hole in the center, dig up the shoots to the heel roots, and cover the seedling, pressing down the edges of the film.

After this, water the plant through the hole you made with water at a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius. You should also add the growth stimulant Energen and the biological fertilizer Kemira. After 2-3 weeks, the condition of the branches will improve significantly. What are the different types of grape diseases and how to treat them.

Another problem can befall grapes if repeated frosts occur in the spring. If the grape buds have already opened, they will simply die under the influence of frost. To save them and protect them from unexpected weather conditions, treat the grapes with copper sulfate, which will slow down the growing process and also protect the plant from diseases.

Opening of grapes in spring

Grapes should only fully open when the outside temperature exceeds 10 degrees Celsius. However, the entire vine doesn't open at once; this process should occur gradually, with the plant being uncovered a little at a time to avoid stressing it. In southern regions, the opening period is the first half of April. The further north the region, the further the opening period will shift to mid- or late May.

The timing of when to uncover grapes in the spring is an important consideration when caring for grapes in the spring to ensure a good harvest. Uncovering grapes too early or too late can lead to the death of the plant, and then there's no chance of a harvest. Ideas for DIY landscaping of a summer cottage.

Spring pruning and spraying of grapes

If you don't prune old branches, you'll definitely not get a bountiful harvest. This is because old branches absorb many of the nutrients that young shoots need for growth and development, making them an unnecessary obstacle.

Only branches that have already become woody or have completely dried out should be pruned. Before jumping to conclusions about a branch's condition, it's best to check: break the branch with your hands; if it breaks easily, it's dry. A living branch that's still capable of growth and development is virtually impossible to break by hand.

Important! The bush shouldn't be left completely bare. Typically, up to 15% of the old branches are cut off.

If you can't see any fresh shoots on the grapes, you need to dig up the roots and see if the bush has survived the frost or if it has rotted.

After pruning, treat the soil with a copper sulfate solution to protect the grapes from diseases and pests. How to care for grapes in spring to ensure a good harvest (video)? Spraying the plant is also recommended. For the first spraying, you can use Nitrofen, Karbofos, or Bordeaux mixture.

These measures will help avoid problems with parasites and mites during the summer. As soon as buds appear on the bushes, stop spraying.

The most important aspects of spring grape care include timely uncovering of the vines, pruning, and spraying along with fertilizing. Without these procedures, the grapes may not produce fruit during the summer season, so they are essential.