Rules for pruning grapes for the winter

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-18 00:05

It is no secret that today grapes can be grown in the zone of risky farming and even in the open field. You just need to properly care for it, cut it off for the winter, and cover it. We will learn about cropping and shelter, give advice, see photos and videos.

Autumn pruning goal

Although most plants are pruned twice a year, in the spring and fall, for grapes the most important pruning is in the fall.

She pursues not one, but several goals:

1. Removing old and damaged branches.
2. Formation of the future bush.
3. Preparing for winter.
4. Increased harvest in the future.
5. Storing nutrients only where they are needed.

Knowing these goals helps you understand how to properly prune the vine for the winter, so as not to be left without tasty and juicy berries.

The structure of the vine

In order to carry out pruning, you need to understand what parts the vine consists of.

Name	Description
Stam	A vertical main shoot, part of which is under the ground.
Head	The place where the bole thickens, lateral shoots are formed here.
Sleeve	Side lash extending from the central trunk.
Peephole	The place where the kidney appears.
Fruit arrow	A fairly long branch, where about 10 eyes are left.
Heel	Located at the bottom, the root system begins from it.
Replacement knot	Shoot with 2–4 buds.
Stepson	Minor branch.
Brush	A bunch of grapes obtained during the fruiting period.

The structure of the vine is formed already in the first year after planting.

Pruning grapes

In autumn, all types of grape pruning are carried out, including sanitary, formative, rejuvenating. But they do this only for two-year-old seedlings and older.

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Here are the steps on how to properly prune grapes for the winter in the middle lane:

1. The time is chosen after the leaves fall, when the growing season ends. The temperature is not lower than 3 degrees.
2. For trimming, tools are taken, which must be sharp and treated with a disinfectant solution.
3. A bad tool breaks up the cut, which negatively affects wound healing, complications may arise.
4. Lashes of three years of age and older are removed. They almost do not give a harvest, but only require nutrition. They are replaced with new ones, leaving 3-4 buds on them. It is best to select branches that grow at an angle to the ground.
5. The main stem is selected, if it has not been formed so far, and branches are left extending from it.
6. Most of the vine is cut from the inside of the bush, that is, the cuts remain in the center. This will help the vine heal wounds faster.
7. On new young shoots, about 10 eyes are left.
8. The thickness of the wood is also taken into account, which should be about 1 cm.
9. After pruning, they are treated with antiviral drugs.

Pruning can only be carried out 14 days after leaf fall. Until then, nutrients have not yet been accumulated. But be sure to do this before the first frost.

The difference between pruning in the Urals

The climate of the Urals is more severe than in the Moscow region, but here there are also foremost winegrowers who have learned in difficult conditions to properly prune grapes for the winter.

After harvesting, around mid-September, only three vines are left on the central stem to the right and left of it, excess shoots, damaged and not ripening, are cut off. The twigs of the first year are cut into one bud, the second - into two, and then - into 4 eyes.

Methods for pruning grapes

There are a lot of methods for forming a bush, some are applicable only in the southern regions, some in the northern regions.

1. Guyot method. It differs in that it is a standard-free method based on replacement knots.
2. Fan way. The name speaks for itself: from the second year, the branches are gradually tied to the stretched strings in the form of a fan.
3. Tokarev's method. In another way, it is called the small Moscow fan, when the bushes are planted more often than with other methods.
4. Short cut. It is mainly used for rejuvenation, since after it small shoots remain, no more than 4 buds.
5. Niffin's umbrella. The bushes open like umbrellas, covering the bole and the trellis on which they hang with leaves.

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There are other methods of both Russian and foreign scientists. Everyone can choose their own, depending on the area and growing conditions of the vine.

Shelter grapes

This is one of the stages of preparing grapes for the winter period after you have learned how to properly prune them for the winter.

After pruning, the vine is tied in bunches and bent to the soil.

1. Each branch is secured with some kind of staple.
2. For shelter, a breathable material is prepared, otherwise there will be increased humidity, which can lead to the death of the grapes.
3. Prepare spruce branches or nonwoven fabric.
4. When building a shelter, it must be remembered that the vine suffers most from cold winds and excess moisture.
5. Throwing a layer of soil on the vine, you should not take it next to the bush, thereby exposing the root system. The earth is dug in other areas or in the aisle.
6. The material for the shelter is placed on the shoots, then attached with the same staples or boards, slate, stones, but so that nothing lies on the branches.

Some gardeners prefer to lay the grapes in dug trenches and cover them with soil.

Preparation for wintering

For growing large and sweet grapes, it is not enough to know how to properly prune the vine for the winter. It is also necessary to preserve it in the harsh winters.

Before covering the grapes, it is worth carrying out some preparatory measures:

1. Loosen the soil around the bushes.
2. Watering.
3. Provide the vine with superphosphate and potassium for the last time. And some time before frost - organic matter, which can also serve instead of mulch or bedding.
4. Put up shields for snow retention. Sometimes you can take advantage of natural protection, planting grapes and closing it from the prevailing winds with trees: pear, apple, sea buckthorn.

If gardeners want to get a good harvest of fruits, then they must know how to properly prune and cover the grapes for the winter. The knowledge gained from the article will help you with this. Feel free to experiment, do not hesitate to ask questions, look for answers to them. Only then will the fruit and vegetable garden please you with abundant flowering and harvest.

Bonus

When preparing grapes for winter, all stages are important:

1. Leaves and plant debris are cleaned.
2. Do sanitary and formative pruning.
3. Cover, bending to the ground.