Harvesting, rooting, and growing grape cuttings at home

Nowadays, heat-loving grapes are grown not only by residents of the southern regions, but also in the central zone and even Siberia. The main thing is to select the right variety and create comfortable conditions for growth and overwintering. Commercially available grape cuttings are expensive, and it's unknown how an unknown grape variety will perform in your soil. Therefore, it's possible to propagate a favorite variety, tried and tested in the region, using your own efforts.

Preparing cuttings

Preparing cuttings Grape cuttings (saplings) are usually harvested in the fall. This coincides with the time of vine pruning, when the bush is being formed and excess branches are removed. For harvesting cuttings, vines are selected that:

• grew on the sunny side;
• was fully ripe;
• healthy;
• gave a large harvest;
• had dark straw-colored shoots;
• was from 5 to 8 mm in diameter.

Autumn cuttings of grapevines differ from spring cuttings in that the survival rate of the planting material is almost 100%, due to the presence of the largest amount of nutrients in the vines during this period.

Pruning is done in late September – early October, two weeks after the leaves fall. Shoots not suitable for cutting into cuttings include:

• old shoots;
• lateral shoots;
• growing in the shade;
• thick and thin;
• obese.

Methods of cutting cuttings

Select a suitable shoot and cut off the top with 4 eyes from the top.

There are several ways of cutting:

• long cuttings with 5 or more buds;
• medium – 3.4 buds (the most popular);
• short – 1.2 buds (used for grafting).

It's best to cut the cuttings so that they begin and end at a node with a tendril. This is where the membranes that prevent moisture from evaporating are located.

Preparation for storage

To prevent cuttings from drying out during winter storage, soak them in a bucket of water for 24 hours. Then, place them in a disinfectant solution of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) or 5% CuSO4 for 30 minutes. Lay the cuttings out on a paper towel to dry. The cuttings are sorted and wrapped with wire, gathering several together. Wrap them in cellophane film.

Storage

You can store cuttings in different ways:

• in the refrigerator;
• in the basement or cellar;
• in the ground.

Cold storage

The cuttings are placed in plastic bottles with sealed lids and stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of approximately 2–6°C (35–40°F). The planting stock is inspected monthly for mold and rot. If any signs of disease are detected, the cuttings are rinsed with water and dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate or copper sulfate. If the cuttings become dry, place them in water for 6 hours.

Storage in the ground

You can store cut cuttings in the ground if your plot has a raised area with drainage. To do this, dig a trench, fill the bottom with damp sand, place the cuttings on the sand bed, and cover with a layer of sand about 20 cm thick and soil. Cover the entire trench with slate or other insulating material.

Storage in the basement

This is the best method for preserving planting material until spring.

Method No. 1

To do this, sawdust from coniferous trees is moistened with water until it is damp and placed together with the cuttings tied in a bundle in cellophane bags, which are not sealed hermetically and holes are made in them for ventilation. storage method Carbon dioxide, which acts as a preservative and helps preserve the planting material, accumulates inside the bag. The sawdust is checked periodically and moistened with a spray bottle if necessary.

Method No. 2

Dig a 50 cm deep hole in the basement, place the cuttings in it, and cover with soil. The optimal storage temperature is considered to be between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius. At higher temperatures, the cuttings will only have enough nutrients to last 3.4 months.

Spring preparation for rooting cuttings

In February, preparations for rooting grape cuttings begin. First, the cuttings are inspected for the presence or absence of:

• fungus and signs of mold;
• damage to the bark.

The cuttings are renewed with garden pruning shears. A fully intact shoot has a green color at the cut, but not yellow or brown. In the first case, the cutting was dry; in the second, it was overwatered.

After inspection and rejection of damaged material, the following manipulations are performed:

1. Prepare a dark crimson solution of potassium permanganate and soak the cuttings in it for 2-3 hours. Even if no diseases are detected, this procedure should not be ignored.
2. Drain the solution and place the cuttings in clean, settled water. The soaking time depends on how dry the cuttings are, but should not exceed three days. The temperature should not exceed 10 degrees Celsius to prevent premature budding. If you don't have a balcony or basement, you can place the jar containing the cuttings in the refrigerator.
3. Melt the candle over the fire and dip the top edge into the melted paraffin for a moment.
4. The cutting is cut just below the bottom bud. The nodes contain nutrients, and the root heel will be located just below the bottom bud.
5. Cut off the bottom node (blind it). If the bud is green inside, this will serve as further confirmation that the cutting is healthy.
6. Near the root heel, make 3.4 small vertical cuts and powder with Kornevin powder or another root formation stimulator.

Kilchevaniye

Kilchevanie, a method for growing cuttings, involves creating different temperature conditions for the roots and the upper part of the cutting. The cuttings are rooted in a moist substrate, positioned so that heat (from a radiator) flows from below and cool air flows from above. Rooting occurs much more quickly.

Germination in water

The cuttings are immersed head-on in water with honey added (1 tablespoon per bucket of water) for 24-48 hours. Then, they are placed in water with a growth and rooting stimulant added for 3 hours. A small amount of water is poured into the bottom of a liter jar, and the cutting is placed in it, root-side down. Place it on a sunny windowsill. Roots and shoots will appear after 14-20 days.

Germination in plastic cups

For this method, you'll need two glasses, one with a capacity of 500 ml and the other with a capacity of 200 ml. Poke holes in the bottom of the larger glass for drainage. Add a mixture of turf, leaf mold, and compost to a depth of about 2-3 cm. Place a bottomless 200 ml glass in the center. Fill it with steamed sand, and pour the soil mixture between the sides of the smaller and larger glasses. Remove the smaller glass, make a depression in the center, and plant the cutting. Cover with a glass or plastic dome. Water every other day with warm water, and remove the bottle when the cuttings begin to develop leaves.

Germination in a plastic bottle

Poke holes in the bottom of a plastic bottle without a top, fill it with a drainage layer, and add nutritious potting soil. Place the seedling at an angle so that the top bud doesn't protrude above the bottle's edge. Fill the space to the top with steamed sawdust.

Cover the plantings with plastic cups and don't open them until the cuttings grow. Water through the tray.

Germination in filler

At planting cuttings Without roots, a loose planting substrate should be prepared. It should contain:

• sand;
• soil;
• humus or compost.

Drainage holes are made in the container and it is filled with the prepared solution. The cutting is planted so that one bud remains above the surface. The seedling is watered with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. The container is placed in a plastic bag to maintain a temperature of about 25-30 degrees Celsius. Water every other day with warm water. To check if the cutting has rooted, gently tug on it. If the shoot resists, root formation has begun, and watering should then be reduced slightly. Remove the bag when the leaves unfurl.

Germination in sawdust

It gives a good effect sprouting cuttings In pine sawdust. Boil the sawdust for 5-10 minutes, let it cool, fill the planting containers, and root the cuttings, leaving one bud exposed. To create a microclimate and speed up the rooting process, cover the seedlings with plastic bags. As soon as the buds begin to grow, remove the covers.

Puzenko's method

According to Puzenko's method, the prepared tips of the cuttings are wrapped in a damp cloth and then covered with plastic. The tips are left exposed and the cuttings are placed on the surface of a cabinet, with their tops facing the light. After 2-3 weeks, small roots will appear.

A more reliable rooting method is using peat pellets. They are moistened with water, then the cuttings are inserted into them. Wrap the pellet with the lower part of the cutting in plastic wrap and place it on a cupboard. Turn the tops of the cuttings toward a lamp or window. After 15-20 days, the first roots will appear. Remove the plastic wrap and root the prepared material, including the pellet, in cups or pots filled with a mixture of leaf mold, sand, and compost in equal parts.

Radchevsky's method

This method requires cotton wool, foam rubber, or polystyrene foam. Place them in the bottom of the jar and add water until it barely covers the materials. Cover the jar's opening with plastic wrap, secure it with a rubber band, and cut holes for the cuttings. Lower the cuttings into the water, with the root ball just barely touching the water. The optimal temperature at the bottom of the jar is around 26-28 degrees Celsius (80-82 degrees Fahrenheit), and at the top, lower to delay bud break. After 15-20 days, roots begin to form at the interface between air and water. Allow them to grow to 20 mm (0.8 inches) and then root in a container with a suitable soil mixture for further growth.

Rooting in a hole and soil

In southern regions, winter-hardy grapes are planted in a hole. In the spring, before the buds open, a 50-70 cm long vine is cut. It is twisted into a ring and tied with wire. Dig a deep hole and arrange the vine ring so that only two buds are visible above the surface. By the end of the season, the branch will have rooted. The plant should be protected from frost for the winter.

If the cuttings were taken in the spring, the seedlings are planted directly into the soil. To do this, choose a high, sunny spot and add compost, sand, and vermiculite to the soil.

Throughout the rooting period, monitor soil moisture. Rooted shoots are further grown in containers of 500 ml to 1 liter the following spring.

Reviews

Marina

"I use Puzenko's method for rooting cuttings. It works well, but you can't leave rooted cuttings in a draft or move them frequently. It's better to use your own soil and make your own mixture."

Lydia

“I took the chopped ones last year cuttings in autumn"I wrapped it in cellophane, poked a few holes in it, put it in the basement, and forgot about it. In the spring, I put it in water for a few days and planted it in a pot. Of the three cuttings, only one took root. I'll ask again this fall, and I'll keep an eye on the humidity in the bags this winter."

Rooting grape cuttings is the primary method of propagating grapes. With the right knowledge, this task can be accomplished by tailoring planting principles to the growing conditions.