How to plant grapes in spring with seedlings and cuttings: the specifics of spring planting

Even if you plan to plant grapes with seedlings in the spring, preparations for it should begin in the fall. You'll need to prepare a hole, soil, and planting material, and simply decide whether to plant seedlings or cuttings. If using purchased planting material, the latter is preferable, as seedlings don't transport well. If propagating the vines yourself, keep in mind that cuttings are more difficult to care for, while seedlings have a higher survival rate. In both cases, planting can be done to lay a solid foundation for a future grape harvest.

Pros and cons of spring planting

Autumn and spring are considered equally favorable times for grape plantingsA benefit of spring planting is the opportunity to thoroughly prepare the plants for winter: during the summer, the young plant has time to acclimate and firmly establish roots in its new location, making it more frost-resistant. Spring grapes also begin to bear fruit a year earlier than autumn-planted seedlings.

The disadvantages of spring planting include a higher risk of pest and disease damage, which is especially dangerous for immature plants, and the need for watering—in the fall, seedlings receive moisture from precipitation. Buying planting material in the spring runs the risk of purchasing frozen and weakened plants.

Preparation of planting material

If you want to expand your grape plantation of an existing variety, you can prepare seedlings or cuttings yourself.

Preparing seedlings

To obtain planting material, select a mother plant—a healthy, strong grapevine. In the fall, dig a furrow near it and place one of the young vines in it. Secure the cutting, for example, with hooks, and cover with turf or well-rotted manure. Water the cutting until frost sets in.

By spring, the vine planted in the ground will have developed a root system, producing several seedlings. Before digging them up, prune the vine as close to the roots as possible.

Preparing for landing:

1. Remove roots located above the 2 lower nodes, as well as any rotten, dry or damaged ones.
2. Shorten the remaining roots to 12 cm.
3. Trim the seedling, leaving 4-5 buds.
4. Treat the plant with a 2% hexachlorane solution. It is recommended to add clay to the solution – 2 parts to 1 part hexachlorane.
5. Immediately before placing the seedling in the ground, soak its roots in water with a growth stimulant for 30 minutes. Plants will experience less stress in their new environment if you soak the roots in a mixture of one bucket of water, two buckets of soil, and one bucket of manure or compost.

Preparing cuttings

After harvesting the berries, select a healthy, strong, one-year-old vine from the mother plant and prune it. Immediately remove the lower leaves and trim the shoot, leaving a stalk approximately 45 cm long with 3-4 buds. The top cut should be straight and 2 cm from the crown bud. The bottom cut should be made at an angle, 1 cm from the first bud. Place the trimmed shoots in room-temperature water for 2 days.

After soaking:

• treat the cutting with copper sulfate (1%);
• dry;
• dip the top of the head to a depth of 6 cm in melted paraffin (in 100 g of water, put 100 g of paraffin, 5 g of wax and the same amount of resin, then heat the mixture, stirring continuously);
• immediately immerse in cold water;
• wrap in cling film.

Treated cuttings should be stored in a dark room with a temperature of 0 to +2°C until spring (cellar, basement or refrigerator).

In late winter or early spring, plants should be soaked in warm water for 2-3 days, then for 24 hours in water with added growth stimulants. Cuttings should be planted in seedling containers, burying them so that 5 cm below the top bud remains above the soil surface. The seedlings should be kept in a well-lit room with a temperature of 20 to 25°C. Avoid watering the soil from above; water should be added to the trays.

When the cutting develops 2-3 leaves, it's ready for transplanting, but first it needs to be hardened off. To do this, the "seedling" should be brought outdoors during the day and kept in the shade for the first 6-7 days, followed by full sun for the next 10 days. If the room was poorly lit or the temperature was above 25°C, the hardening period should be extended to 10-11 days in the shade and 15 days in full sun.

Selection of seedlings

When purchasing seedlings, ensure they are healthy, undamaged, with firm buds and at least three roots up to 12 cm long. Buds should not fall off when touched. The cut of woody seedlings should be white, while that of cuttings should be bright green. A brown tint to the cut is unacceptable.

Selecting a variety

By purchasing new grape variety, you should pay attention to the varietal characteristics:

1. Purpose. Grapes can be either industrial, intended for wine production, or table grapes. The latter are sweeter.
2. Ripening time. Late varieties are not recommended for planting in northern regions, as the harvest will not have time to ripen before the cold weather sets in. For southern or central regions, this option is worth considering – late berries tend to be the sweetest and largest.
3. Zoning. It's dangerous to experiment with varieties intended for more southern regions—either the berries won't ripen or the vines will be damaged by frost. Often, the problem isn't discovered until the bush begins to bear fruit.
4. Height. Vigorous grapevines require a fair amount of space; in a small space, medium-height vines are preferable.
5. Resistance. If a fungus or pest appears in your garden, you can find grapes that are resistant to them. However, there are also varieties that are particularly vulnerable to bacteria and fungi.

Site preparation

Harvest yield is largely determined by site selection and planting planning. Plants should be positioned so that they continue to receive sufficient light, nutrition, and moisture even after reaching maturity.

Choosing a location

The best option for grapes is a well-lit area near the western or southern wall of a house or outbuilding. In this location, the vines will be protected from the north wind, and the barrier will also heat up during the day and release some of the heat at night.

Another good planting option is a south- or southeast-facing hillside. Avoid low-lying areas, which are always colder and tend to accumulate moisture. Any areas prone to standing water are unsuitable for this crop. The soil should be fertile and well-drained. Groundwater levels at the planting site should not rise closer than 1.5 meters.

The key to a good harvest is full-day illumination. In the shade, the plants' energy will be devoted to vine growth, leaving no nutrients for ripening the berries. Insufficient light also reduces the amount of sugars accumulated in the berries.

Distance

When planting several plants, maintain a distance of 1.3-1.5 m between low-growing and medium-growing bushes, and 1.8-2 m between tall ones. Leave 2-2.5 meters between rows.

The distance to a wall or fence should be at least 0.5 meters. Planting closer than 3-6 meters from tall trees is not recommended, as their powerful roots can severely deplete and dehydrate the soil.

Planting depth

If you don't plant the seedling deep enough, its roots will be in the upper layers of soil, which quickly lose moisture, requiring more frequent watering. However, planting it too deep is also harmful, as the deeper layers of soil don't warm up well, resulting in slow growth. The optimal hole depth for annuals is 40 cm, and for vegetative cuttings, 50 cm.

Preparing the planting hole

It's recommended to dig the hole in the fall: by spring, the soil will absorb the added fertilizer and settle. For planting, dig a hole 80 cm in diameter and the same depth. The excavated soil should be placed in two piles: one for the top layer, where the most fertile soil is located, and the other for the bottom layer.

Pit filling scheme:

1. A 10 cm drainage layer (broken brick or crushed stone) is placed on the bottom.
2. Add 25 cm of fertile soil (from the first pile) on top and compact it. It is recommended to mix the soil with well-rotted manure or compost in a 1:1 ratio.
3. A 10 cm layer of fertilizer is placed on top. To do this, mix 5 kg of ash and fertile soil, add 0.5 kg each of potassium sulfate and superphosphate.
4. The fertilizer layer is covered with a 5 cm layer of soil.
5. The embankment is watered generously so that the soil settles.
6. After this, the hole is filled to the top with soil and left until spring. Shortly before planting, some of the soil is removed, creating a hole of the required depth.

Boarding procedure

Planting of hardwood seedlings should take place when the average daily air temperature reaches 15°C and the soil warms to 10°C. In temperate climates, suitable conditions will occur from mid-April to mid-May, and in northern regions from late May to early June. In the south, planting is possible as late as late March. Cuttings should be planted later; in temperate climates, this should be done in the last ten days of May or throughout June.

Step-by-step instructions

The procedure begins with generous watering of the hole. Once the water has been absorbed, the seedling can be placed.

Landing plan:

1. Make a small depression in the center of the hole and place the seedling into it, distributing the roots evenly around the stem. If the seedling is longer than 25 cm, it should be planted at a slight angle.
2. The hole should be half filled with soil without compacting the soil.
3. Pour 2-3 buckets of water into the hole.
4. After the water has been absorbed, fill the hole with soil.
5. A mound 15-20 cm high should be made on top. After 2 weeks, when the plant has adapted, it will need to be removed.

The first fruits from seedlings should be expected within a year, and a full harvest – after 2-3 years.

Planting cuttings

It will take more time for the vegetative shoots to develop to maturity; fruiting will begin only after 3-4 years.

Planting plan:

1. After watering, place the cutting in the center of the hole. A stake can be installed nearby to support the plant.
2. The hole should be filled in the same way as when planting a seedling, but green cuttings can only be watered with warm water.
3. A mound is not necessary, but if the cutting has not been hardened, it needs to be shaded for the first 10 days.

Aftercare

Young plants are vulnerable and require careful care. Improper agricultural practices are the main cause of seedling death in the first year after planting.

Watering, loosening, fertilizing

The first watering should be done 10-12 days after planting, using warm, settled water. Repeat after 14 days. Subsequently, apply 10 liters of water per plant every 7 days.

After each watering, loosen the soil and remove weeds. Mulching can reduce the frequency of weeding. Straw or hay, laid in a thin layer, is suitable for summer.

Fertilizer applied at planting is sufficient to nourish the seedling for 3-4 years, after which additional feeding is necessary. At the beginning of the growing season, grapes require nitrogen; during the stages of ovary formation, fruit growth, and winter preparation, phosphorus plays a key role.

Pest and disease control

Every year, immediately after removing the winter cover, the grapes should be treated preventatively against pests and diseases. If necessary, the vines can be sprayed before budding, but once flowering begins, any chemical treatment should be avoided.

For preventative purposes, broad-spectrum products are recommended that can protect against insects, but primarily against fungi, to which grapes are vulnerable:

• ferrous sulfate (3%);
• Bordeaux mixture (3%);
• "Ridomil Gold" (1%);
• "Tsineb" (0.5%).

Trimming

Young plants are pruned for the first time at three years of age. In the fall, after the harvest, sanitary pruning is performed, which involves removing diseased, damaged, and old branches, this year's fruiting shoots, and most of the new growth. Formative pruning is performed in the spring, defining the bush's structure.

During the first year, only the top roots of seedlings need to be removed. To do this, remove a 20-cm layer of soil from the area around the trunk and cut off the top roots near the stem. Then, cover the roots with soil. This procedure is performed twice: at the beginning and end of summer.

Garter

After spring pruning, tie up the newly grown shoots, securing them to stakes installed in the hole or to a trellis. For tying, choose soft materials, preferably made of natural fibers. Twine, nylon stockings, fishing line, and other hard materials can damage the vines.

Wintering

Depending on the growing region and frost resistance grape varieties Winter insulation may be necessary. To do this, lay the vines on the ground or in furrows, securing them with hooks. Place poisoned rat bait near the shoots to prevent pests from chewing them. Create a mound of dry soil at the base of the bush to protect the roots. Cover the vines with mulch (spruce branches) or covering materials (tarpaulin, agrofibre).

Reviews

Elena, 48 years old:

"I prefer spring planting because autumn cold snaps in our region (Kaluga Oblast) are harder to predict. I'm afraid the seedlings might freeze. Spring planting always goes well; by autumn, the vines have grown to 2 meters in length, and the plants overwinter well."

Anna, 36 years old:

"I try to avoid store-bought products and stick to natural remedies. So, I never soak grape cuttings in stimulants, but follow my grandmother's advice: I dissolve a spoonful of honey in a liter of water and soak the roots in it. They grow beautifully. Another life hack: position the seedlings so that the roots face south and the buds face north."

Mikhail, 40 years old:

"It's hard to figure out the right time to plant cuttings. I've had frosts hit me a few times, so I started placing two cuttings in each hole, hoping at least one will root. If both root, I keep the stronger one."

Planting grapes isn't the easiest process, but it pays off with a long-lasting harvest of berries. It's important to do it well to avoid the need to replant the vines later. Spring planting gives grape seedlings a head start—the plants immediately experience favorable growing conditions and thrive.