Growing grapes in a greenhouse: features, planting and care

Grapes are a heat-loving crop, more suited to the southern regions of the country. However, enterprising gardeners in central Russia and Siberia, where the climate is characterized by short summers and frequent spring frosts, have come up with the idea of ​​growing grapes in protected soil, thus achieving quite good yields.

Benefits of growing in a greenhouse

Growing grapes in protected ground has many advantages. When growing in a greenhouse, you don't have to worry about the grapes not ripening before the cold weather sets in, as you can control the climate inside. Furthermore, even in the south, many winegrowers prefer to grow berries indoors, as this allows for a much earlier harvest. This is especially true for farmers who are self-employed and grow grapes for sale. Other advantages of greenhouse cultivation include:

1. No problems with harmful insects or diseases – any creatures, including wasps, which often spoil berries, rarely enter the greenhouse. Diseases such as mildew and oidium are extremely rare in greenhouses.
2. The plants are protected from adverse weather conditions, such as rain, wind, or intense sun. Grapes grow and develop in stable climatic conditions.
3. The cultivation technology is simple. Plant care is convenient. There is no need to additionally treat the bushes with fungicides or insecticides.
4. The berries don't crack in precipitation, and the clusters don't fall apart in gusts of wind. This allows gardeners to harvest a full, healthy crop.
5. The taste of the fruit remains at the same level, in no way inferior to that of soil-grown grapes.

Selecting a variety

Almost all varieties are suitable for greenhouse cultivation, but those with early maturation periods show the best productivity. For initial cultivation, it's preferable to select cold-hardy, highly resilient, and shade-tolerant varieties guaranteed to produce good fruit. Considering the size and height of the greenhouse, it's recommended to prioritize medium-sized and low-branching varieties.

Table of the most suitable varieties for greenhouses:

Greenhouse requirements

In a properly equipped greenhouse, all phases of grapevine growth occur significantly faster than in open ground, by an average of two weeks. Grapes can be grown in both unheated and heated greenhouses. In the former, the harvest can be three weeks earlier than usual, while in the latter, it can be as much as a month earlier.

What a greenhouse should be like:

1. The greenhouse structure should be at least 2.5 meters high. A small space is suitable for private farms, while grapes grown for commercial production require a large space.
2. The frame must rest on a strong, deep foundation that will reliably protect the greenhouse soil from soil-borne insect pests and weeds. A shallow concrete strip foundation can be used.
3. A polycarbonate greenhouse is ideal for growing grapes. This material allows light to pass through well and offers good thermal insulation. Film or glass are suitable for unheated spaces.
4. There should be vents in the upper part for full ventilation of the room;
5. If a heat-loving variety is being grown, the greenhouse should be heated with a fan heater or radiator. Grow lights can be used for additional lighting.
6. In winter, the walls (film, glass) should be removed so that the soil can “breathe” oxygen and become saturated with moisture from the snow.

Preparatory work

When growing grapes in protected soil, there's one important detail to keep in mind: the grapevine seedling can be planted outside the greenhouse, but the trunk and vines themselves must remain inside. Therefore, make a hole in the lower part of the greenhouse wall and insert the stem into the greenhouse area, while the remaining part of the plant can be covered with soil or grass mulch.

The soil must be thoroughly warmed, approximately 10 degrees Celsius. To achieve this, the greenhouse is heated artificially. The soil should be loose, soft, and slightly acidic. The required substrate is composed of various parts peat (3 parts), loamy soil (7 parts), sand (3 parts), crushed chalk or lime (50 grams per bucket of soil), and mineral fertilizers (50 grams of nitrogen, 30 grams of superphosphate, 15 grams of potassium). The prepared soil mixture is poured into deep holes, into which the young seedlings will later be planted (if planting in a greenhouse).

Indoors, you should install trellises in advance, and stretch the wires that will be used for tying the vines. The wires should be positioned 20 centimeters from the glass to prevent vine burns. The distance between the wire rows should be approximately 20 centimeters.

DIY trellises

A grapevine, characterized by vigorous growth and branching, requires support. Typically, a trellis is used for support—several posts driven into the garden bed, with layers of string stretched between them to support the vines. In a greenhouse, T-shaped, single-plane, and horizontal trellises are acceptable, and these can be homemade.

Vertical single-plane trellis

The essence of this trellis is that tall metal pipes or wooden stakes are driven into the ground at regular intervals along the growth pattern of the grape vines, with wire or strong thread stretched between them. A vine is tied horizontally to the wire. The next vine, positioned higher than the previous one, is tied in the same manner to the top layer of wire, and so on.

The distance between the thread wires is 35-40 centimeters—this is the optimal distance to ensure each vine receives adequate ventilation and sunlight. Leave a one-meter gap between the stakes (or pipes). If they are installed any wider, the thread layer will sag, causing branches to fall or break.

Horizontal trellis

The design of these supports differs slightly from vertical ones. T-shaped or simply vertical poles are installed along the row, and wire is stretched across them, running lengthwise and crosswise across the greenhouse. The result is a sort of mesh or lattice with mesh sizes of 30 x 40 centimeters. Vines are allowed to grow along this lattice (the same method is used in vertical gardening). Although the structure is bulky, it does facilitate harvesting, as the bunches of grapes hang from the ceiling as they ripen and are easily removed from the bush.

Buying seedlings

Both own-rooted and grafted seedlings are suitable for greenhouse cultivation. Regardless of the plant's pedigree, it must have a healthy and, most importantly, strong root system. The more roots, the faster and better the seedling will establish itself. If you cut off part of the root, the cut should be white and moist. Dry, spotted, or deformed roots indicate that the plant is dying.

The trunk should be smooth, clean, and brown. If you gently push the wood fibers apart, you'll see a moist, greenish area underneath, indicating the seedling's youth and health. The buds should be free of scale.

Which seedlings are not recommended to buy:

• If the root system is open, meaning it's not in a moist substrate. When exposed to air, roots quickly dry out, deteriorate, and die;
• If autumn seedlings have leaves, the foliage drains the plant's energy, preventing it from surviving until spring.
• If you notice even one bush showing signs of disease among the seedlings for sale, it's likely that most of the neighboring seedlings have already become infected.

Planting grape seedlings

One-year-old seedlings or rooted cuttings can be planted in early spring, when the greenhouse air and soil have warmed sufficiently. Leave 30-40 centimeters of space between the greenhouse wall and the planting site.

Planting grapes step by step:

1. For seedlings, dig individual deep holes measuring 50 x 50 centimeters. The depth is 70 centimeters. The distance between holes is 50-70 centimeters.
2. The bottom of the pit is drained with broken brick, crushed stone, and expanded clay. The drainage layer is 20-25 centimeters thick.
3. Garden soil mixed with humus, minerals, sand (or peat), and ash is added on top. The layer is compacted.
4. A thick watering tube is inserted into the edge of the hole. Its height above the ground should remain 10 centimeters.
5. A small mound is made at the bottom in the center, and the seedling is placed on it vertically. The roots are spread along the mound so that they point downward.
6. They are backfilling the soil.
7. The soil on top is compacted and watered.

Care

Caring for young, and later fruiting, grapevines involves regular watering, shoot training, and microclimate control. The environment must be comfortable for the plant—temperature, sunlight, and soil texture will determine the growth of the vine.

Features of watering

Greenhouse grapes require less frequent watering than those grown outdoors, as moisture remains in the soil longer. The first watering is done immediately after planting. Then, once the plant is well established, watering is done every 7-10 days, as the topsoil dries. During flowering and fruit ripening, the plant requires less water. From early July to mid-August, water every two weeks.

Temperature

For grapes grown in protected soil, maintaining the right temperature is essential. At planting, the greenhouse should average 10°C (50°F). The temperature is then gradually increased, reaching 24°C (75°F) by the time the buds open. At night, 16-18°C (61-64°F) is sufficient. Once the fruit sets and the harvest begins to ripen, the temperature can rise to 30°C (86°F)—this is optimal for grapes.

When monitoring the indoor microclimate, it's important to prevent stuffiness, condensation on leaves and stems, and the formation of a soil crust. During hot days, it's best to shade the greenhouse with a protective awning; otherwise, the berries will wilt before they have time to ripen.

Features of pruning

Grapes can be grown along the eaves of the roof. In this case, it's best to train the plant on one stem and pinch out the second, spare stem. If the greenhouse isn't too tall, the vines can be grown along the wall, forming a multi-arm cordon. The idea behind pruning greenhouse grapes is to remove any excess shoots that grow throughout the season, which, in a confined space, quickly thicken the vine and cast shade on the fruit.

When other crops are grown near a grapevine, it is trained into a standard form. Standard grapes can even be grown in a pot. The plant produces a small number of bunches, but these are of high quality and excellent flavor.

Formation begins immediately after planting the seedling. Initially, the trunk is severely pruned, and in subsequent years, all newly grown shoots are shortened by half, cutting off all immature green areas. To prevent side shoots from growing too quickly, they are pinched in the summer and removed during the fall pruning. The trunk can reach up to one meter in height. Lateral branches begin to grow. The crown is shaped so that up to two buds remain on each shoot during the fall pruning. All side shoots are completely removed. Gradually, the main short, strong branches will form on the bush. In the summer, stems will grow from these branches, which are pruned once they reach 40 centimeters in length.

To produce larger berries and fuller clusters, it's necessary to remove excess fruit buds from the shoots. Otherwise, the clusters will be numerous, but small and loose. Removing small fruits, weak branches, and dried and yellowed leaves will help prevent overcrowding.

Help with pollination

Self-pollinating grape varieties, meaning those with flowers containing both male and female organs, are ideal for greenhouse cultivation. This approach is based on the fact that pollinating bees rarely enter the greenhouse, meaning pollination may not occur, resulting in no harvest. If you're growing a bee-pollinated variety, you'll have to pollinate yourself. When the flowers are fully open, tap the branches or flowers to release pollen from the male flowers onto the female ones. For maximum efficiency, install a fan in the greenhouse to disperse the pollen with the wind.

Top dressing

During the first year after planting, grapes don't require any additional fertilizer. However, this is only true if the soil was generously fertilized when the beds were planted. Otherwise, the crop requires four applications of fertilizer:

1. In the spring. Organic matter such as ammonium nitrate or urea, potassium salt, and superphosphate are added to 25-centimeter-deep trenches near the bush. At this stage, the nitrogen fertilizer should make up 45% of the total, potassium 25%, and phosphorus 30%.
2. Two weeks before flowering, the soil is supplemented with organic matter (diluted cow manure, compost, chicken manure), 20 grams of potassium sulfate, and 25 grams of superphosphate diluted in water.
3. Berry emergence. Foliar feeding with microelements is carried out.
4. Berry ripening. The proportion of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is doubled. Nitrogen is completely eliminated. Wood ash can replace potassium at this stage.

Shelter for the winter

After harvesting, a final watering is performed at the end of September. This moisture will nourish the roots during the winter. The vines are removed from the trellises and laid in dug trenches – this will provide warmth to the wood and prevent frost damage. The shoots are covered with spruce branches, straw, dry grass, and sawdust. You can spray the bushes with insecticides and fungicides beforehand to prevent disease.

It's best if the greenhouse's walls and roof are removable. In this case, the frame should be dismantled so that the snow can create a reliable protective layer for the grape vines.

Problems with fruiting

Gardeners often encounter problems with fruiting: grapes produce a very meager harvest, and the fruits are small and not sweet. Most often, the problem stems from improper agricultural practices.

Why don't the grapes in the greenhouse bear fruit?

• Micronutrient deficiencies – if fertilizing is not done in a timely manner, the soil quickly becomes depleted and stops adequately nourishing the plant. If the grapes lack zinc, manganese, boron, and other chemical elements, their development will be stunted, and flowering and fruiting will be poor;
• Excess nitrogen – it's important to remember that applying nitrogen-containing fertilizers is only advisable during the initial stages of vegetation. During flowering and berry ripening, excessive nitrogen can stimulate shoot and leaf growth, but not fruit growth;
• Pruning errors – infrequent or incorrect pruning leads to crown thickening, pea-shaped shoots, and shoots becoming overloaded with fruit.

Rules for growing greenhouse grapes in the Moscow region

The weather in the central region of the country is variable. Frequent temperature fluctuations, precipitation, cold snaps, and prolonged heat waves all impact grape growth and productivity. Therefore, in the Moscow region, grapes are also grown in greenhouses.

Basic principles of cultivation:

• It is recommended to choose early, medium-sized grape varieties such as Kishmish (seedless);
• It's best to use a wall-mounted greenhouse, meaning one wall is replaced by a wall adjacent to the house, which adds warmth to the greenhouse space. The open parts of the greenhouse should face south and southwest;
• For watering, it is preferable to use a drip irrigation system;
• since the soil is often too acidic, when making a soil mixture for a greenhouse, chalk powder is added to the soil (loam), sand, and peat;
• Seedlings are planted in the greenhouse as early as February. The greenhouse should be heated until mid-March.

Rules for growing greenhouse grapes in Siberia

The climate in the northern part of the country is harsher than in the Moscow region. Summers there are cooler and shorter, frosts begin as early as early September, and spring arrives late. Therefore, growing grapes there is somewhat more challenging.

Basic principles of cultivation:

• the greenhouse must be heated;
• The most suitable varieties for the Siberian climate are: Arcadia, Laura, Alyoshenka, Prozrachny;
• The topsoil should be loose and light, as this is where the roots take root. It consists of turf, sand, and gravel;
• After planting, the plants are mulched to keep the roots warm. The mulch layer can be made of compost or straw. The frequency of watering is significantly reduced;
• When the first flower buds appear, apply saltpeter to the roots. This can be done 2-3 times at two-week intervals;
• After flowering, the soil is dusted with wood ash, which acts as a preventative against fungal infections.

Rules for growing greenhouse grapes in the Urals

The Urals' climate is similar to that of the northern region. It also features cold winters and short, warm, humid summers. Fungal infections are rampant in the region from mid-summer onward. This is due to excessive soil moisture from frequent precipitation.

Basic principles of cultivation:

• seedless varieties are predominantly suitable for greenhouses, such as Korinka Russkaya, Rusbol (kishmish), Hybrid-342, Pamyat Dombkovskaya, Irinka;
• The soil at depth is often clayey. Therefore, before planting seedlings, deep holes are dug and the bottom is filled with a mixture of rotted manure, mineral fertilizers, and fertile sod soil;
• Grape vines are regularly treated with contact fungicides to protect against mildew and oidium. Although this disease is extremely rare in protected soil, it is still advisable to take additional measures to protect plants from this insidious disease, which often appears "out of nowhere."
• For the winter, the grapes are removed from the trellises and covered with spruce branches. The base of the bushes can be covered with soil or sand. The carefully twisted, flexible vines are covered with agrospan.
• In the fall, after the harvest, grape vines are additionally fed with potassium fertilizer. This is necessary to boost the plants' immunity and ensure their better wintering.

Reviews

Marina

I live in the Western Urals. I prefer to grow Aleshechka, Pamyat Dombkovskaya, and Isabella varieties in my garden. These varieties are considered easy to care for and productive. The Pamyat Dombkovskaya variety produces small clusters, but there are always plenty of them. The berries have excellent flavor. Isabella is an excellent wine grape. I plant two seedlings per hole. I keep the distance between the holes small, about 60 centimeters, since the greenhouse is small. The greenhouse faces south, so the grapes always receive sunlight, and the vines always ripen on time. I always insulate the plantings for the winter, although I don't remove the greenhouse.

Oleg

I've been growing grapes in protected ground for several years now. I like this method of cultivation because the crop is almost never affected by disease. It's also well known that grapes don't tolerate excessive moisture. Well, in a greenhouse, this doesn't pose a threat, meaning there won't be any rot or mold. I'm also pleased with the yield – any variety in a greenhouse always produces excellent results, even with little care. And the flavor of the berries is just as good as that of grapes grown in the open ground. Overall, greenhouse grape growing has only advantages.

Conclusion

Growing grapes in greenhouses takes a lot of time and effort, but the results are worth it. Thanks to this method of cultivation, residents of any region of the country, even those with the harshest climates, can enjoy delicious and juicy grapes. And for experienced farmers, greenhouse-grown grapes can also be quite profitable.