Planting grapes in autumn

Many gardeners consider autumn the ideal time to plant many garden crops, particularly grapes. This is based on the fact that grapes planted outdoors in autumn develop better and begin to bear fruit in the second year. Grapes can be planted in autumn from both cuttings and seedlings. Each propagation method has its own nuances, but following them will result in a high-yielding vineyard.

Benefits of Fall Planting

It's commonly believed that if you plant grapes in the fall, the seedlings or cuttings won't have time to root before frost sets in and may die. Yes, this is certainly a risk. However, if you plant the plants at the right time and securely cover the young vines for the winter, such problems can be avoided. At the same time, experts say that planting grapes in the fall offers several clear advantages, including:

1. When planting in the fall, there's no need to worry about how to store cuttings or seedlings until spring. It's a known fact that without proper storage conditions, planting material can rot or be damaged by pests, rendering it ineffective.
2. In autumn, prices for garden seedlings drop significantly, so you can buy more seedlings than in spring.
3. With proper planting, grapevines become more resilient, stress-resistant, and frost-resistant by spring. Their immunity to diseases increases.
4. Grapevines enter the growing season more quickly in the spring. This is facilitated by a balanced distribution of nutrients in the soil.
5. The soil is well moistened thanks to melting snow, which means that the root system will not suffer from a lack of water.

In addition to the advantages of autumn grape planting, there are also some disadvantages that gardeners need to be aware of and be prepared for potential problems.

So:

• The planting material must be of high quality. Unsound seedlings and cuttings are unlikely to root well;
• it will only be possible to understand whether the plant has taken root in the spring;
• risk of freezing, especially in the northern regions.

Planting dates

The most important thing when carrying out autumn work is to correctly set the planting dates for various crops. If grapes are planted later than the set date, they simply won't have time to adapt to the new conditions and will likely not survive until spring. Planting dates are determined based on the regional climate. In the central part of the country, as well as in the North, autumn grape planting should be done from mid-August to late September; otherwise, the vines won't have time to establish their roots before the cold weather sets in. In southern regions, it's acceptable to plant seedlings until the third ten days of October, as cold weather typically doesn't arrive in these areas until December.

Features of autumn planting

To ensure successful establishment, select only healthy and strong seedlings and cuttings. When choosing, pay attention to the root system—it should be closed. A young, one-year-old shoot with mature, woody growth and a developed rhizome will root best.

In the fall, most of the land in the garden plot is ready for rest: the entire harvest has been gathered, and the spent crops have been removed from the vegetable garden. If grapes are planted in the fall, they are primarily planted in rested soil. This means that nothing is planted in the area where the vineyard will be located during the summer, allowing the soil to absorb the fertilizers applied in the summer and become enriched with beneficial microorganisms.

And one more detail: planting holes must be prepared in advance so that all the nutrients added to the soil have time to be evenly distributed throughout the soil layers and begin to reach the plant immediately after planting.

The best varieties for autumn planting

It's best to choose local varieties adapted to the region's climate. Frost-hardy, early-ripening varieties tolerate fall planting well. Mid-season varieties are suitable for the central and southern regions. Late-ripening grapes are best planted in early spring.

The most popular grape varieties:

• early: White early, Fantasy, Julia, Muscat Azos;
• mid-season: Pobeditel, Ellada, Romantika, Marinka.

Rules for planting grapes

Grapevines require fertile soil, a well-chosen garden site, and reliable shelter. If all necessary factors are not taken into account, the seedling will not establish itself before winter and will die before the snow sets in. Planting grapes in the fall requires careful consideration.

Choosing a suitable location

The vineyard is planted in a sunny, leveled area on the south side of a house or fence. Here, the plants will be protected from cold winds, and the sun's rays will promote harmonious growth.

Soil requirements

The soil for this southern crop must be fertile. Grapes thrive in light loam and do not tolerate highly alkaline soil. If the soil is dense and clayey, a multi-centimeter drainage layer of broken brick or gravel should be laid. Excessively acidic soil should be limed beforehand, lowering the pH to 5-6. If the soil contains a lot of peat, add river sand to the soil mixture.

It's also important to ensure the groundwater level is deep, at least 1.5 meters. This requirement is due to the plant's extensive roots, which can grow up to two meters long. If they are constantly submerged in water, they will quickly rot and the plant will die.

Preparing the planting hole

Grape vines are planted in deep holes or long, wide trenches. The hole should be at least 80 centimeters deep and 70-80 centimeters wide. The holes are dug at least a meter apart. This wide spacing is necessary because the grapevine's root system is highly developed and requires ample space for nourishment. The bottom of the hole is lined with drainage material. Then, the gravel (or other drainage material) is topped with 2-3 buckets of compost along with a generous amount of mineral fertilizer (potassium salt, superphosphate, ash).

The organic matter and minerals are mixed and covered with a thick layer of fertile soil. This is necessary to prevent the roots from having direct contact with the fertilizer.

Planting grapes in autumn with seedlings

Grape seedlings are planted using the same method as all fruit and berry bushes. The entire process takes just a few minutes, but proper planting can determine whether the planted bushes survive or die. So, How to plant grapes:

1. A mound of fertile soil is poured into the center of the prepared hole. It's important that the soil is well-warmed and slightly moist.
2. If the seedlings' roots have dried out, they are trimmed slightly. To promote better rooting, the roots are dipped in a clay-manure slurry.
3. The seedlings are planted strictly vertically on the mound. The roots are carefully straightened and guided along the slopes of the mound so that their ends do not curl upward.
4. Please note! Plant the seedlings at a depth such that 2-3 mature buds are 5 centimeters below the soil surface.
5. The eyes on the plants should be directed towards the trellis.
6. The plant is covered with soil. The bush is gently shaken to allow the soil to settle into denser layers.
7. Don't fill the hole completely with soil. Leave 10-15 centimeters to the brim. Compact the surface and water with warm water, using 20 liters of water per seedling.
8. After the seedlings are planted, they are covered with plastic film, creating a greenhouse effect. Cuts are made in the film to allow fresh air to reach the plants. After a few days, the film can be removed.

How to install a support

Grape seedlings must be tied to a support. This should be done immediately after planting. Depending on the growth rate of the shoots and the overall height of the vine, install sturdy metal stakes, ranging from one and a half to three meters in length. The stakes are firmly driven into the ground along the edge of the hole. If the vineyard consists of several vines, it is preferable to construct a trellis and then tie the vines to it. Stakes are installed every two meters along the vine row, with wire stretched between them at equal distances parallel to the ground. The first layer of wire is stretched 40 centimeters above the ground. The next row is spaced another 40 centimeters apart. Trellis can be vertical or horizontal. This is used when growing tall varieties. In this case, the wire is stretched over pipes installed at equal intervals to serve as supports. The wire rows are made in the form of a grid, onto which long, flexible shoots are laid. As the grapes ripen, the clusters will hang from the trellis, making them easy to pick.

How to plant grapes with cuttings (saplings) in the fall

In the southern regions, gardeners plant grape cuttings in the fall, harvested during the fall pruning of fruit-bearing bushes. Planting occurs in mid-October.

Cuttings should be strong, fully mature, one-year-old shoots with smooth, succulent wood, 1-1.5 centimeters in diameter. Each branch should have 3-4 buds. The cuttings should be stripped of leaves and side shoots, and the tendrils should be trimmed.

Shallow longitudinal cuts are made in the lower part of the cuttings. These areas are treated with a rooting stimulant (Kornevin).

The cuttings are planted in a long, narrow trench 20 centimeters deep. The distance between the cuttings is 15-20 centimeters. The soil for propagating the cuttings should be rich in minerals. The loose, moist soil is supplemented with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers and organic matter. The cuttings are placed in the hole at a slight angle, with the ends facing south. The cuttings are covered with soil, and the bed is covered with plastic film.

Cuttings grown this way will have a well-developed root system by spring. Once the weather becomes consistently warm, they can be transplanted to their permanent location. By next fall, the cuttings will be a meter-high bush with two or three strong shoots.

Do seedlings need to be covered for the winter?

Seedlings planted in the fall require protection, regardless of the region you live in. When the cold weather sets in, mulch the soil under the young plants to prevent frost damage to the fragile roots. Mulch can be dry grass, sawdust, hay, straw, compost, or peat.

There are many options for winter protection for grapes. For example, you can wrap a small vine (already tied to a support) in breathable material. Or you can build a small wooden frame and then cover it with agrofibre. Spruce branches, covered with a thick, warm material, can also serve as an improvised frame.

If you don't want to bother with constructing a frame, you can cover the vineyard with roofing felt. The stiff, waterproof fiber can be folded into a tent-like structure and placed over the plant. This covering is guaranteed not to damage the plant and will provide reliable protection from the winter cold.

Advice from the pros

Many years of experience of winegrowers will tell you, How to plant grapes in the fall with seedlings and what nuances are worth paying attention to.

Adviсe:

1. When planting, focus on the bud from which the vine grows. This is the bud that should be underground.
2. In regions with long, frosty winters where the soil warms up slowly, grape seedlings should not be planted too deeply. In such cases, planting holes should be no deeper than 40 centimeters.
3. It's important to uncover the grapevine in time in the spring, before it begins to mate under the thick covering layer. Uncover the vine gradually, first exposing the base of the vine, and then uncovering the rest of the vine.
4. The first frost, even a light one, can kill cuttings planted in the fall. Therefore, it is recommended to cover them with a thick layer of sawdust or straw.
5. It's important to carefully monitor the grapevine to ensure it doesn't enter the growing season during winter. If leaves begin to appear, stop all watering and spray the plant with a potassium solution.

Conclusion

When and how to plant grapes is a personal decision for every gardener. However, it's important to remember that grapes are a delicate crop, and growing them requires specific knowledge and agricultural techniques. Fall planting requires following a number of rules that will promote rapid rooting and the development of strong, healthy vines that will soon yield a bountiful harvest.