In recent years, breeders have bred many frost-resistant grape varieties capable of producing large yields, including in the cold regions of the country. And since this crop has gained popularity in such areas relatively recently, many summer residents of the Urals, Siberia and the middle lane have not yet had time to gain too much experience in its cultivation.
Such activities for the care of vines, such as watering and fertilizing, in principle, are nothing complicated. In this regard, gardeners usually do not have any difficulties. However, unfortunately, not all summer residents of cold regions know how to properly cut grapes. Meanwhile, it is impossible to violate the established technologies when performing this procedure in any case. Mistakes made when pruning by novice growers can lead not only to a decrease in the yield of vines, but even to their death.
Timing
Let's talk about how to cut grapes correctly below. To begin with, let's figure out what period is best to perform this operation. Most garden fruitberry crops are pruned, of course, either in spring or autumn. Grapes are an exception in this regard. Pruning of this crop is carried out not only in the off-season, but also in the summer.
Of course, many summer residents are also interested in how to properly prune old grapes in the spring, which have been growing on the site for a long time or are young. For the first time in the season, this operation on the bushes is usually carried out in March. At the same time, only dried thick shoots and small, very short branches that do not yield a crop are removed.
In the summer, the grapes are pruned in order to preserve their strength and completely redirect them to the formation of clusters. Of course, too much growth is not removed from this crop in the warm season. In most cases, summer residents simply remove unnecessary, actively growing green shoots from the vines in summer.
At the end of August or at the beginning of autumn, among other things, they also perform such a procedure as chasing grapes. This operation, despite its somewhat unusual name, is nothing complicated. Technologically, this procedure resembles a simple pinching. That is, when chasing, gardeners simply remove the tops of green shoots.
In autumn, grapes are cleaned from old dry, as well as rotten and diseased shoots. That is, they perform exactly the same operation as in the spring. Of course, twice a year, the bushes of this crop are not subjected to the main pruning. The choice of season for this procedure depends mainly on the variety of grapes.
Is shaping necessary?
Some inexperienced gardeners unknowingly believe thatto get a good harvest of grapes, it is enough to plant a few bushes and then simply let the growing shoots grow up the trellis. But this, unfortunately, is far from the case.
Of course, this is how vines grow in the wild. However, it is certainly impossible to disagree with the fact that initially the “duty” of grapes to feed a person with their tasty fruits was not included. Of course, wild vines do not produce too high yields.
They will not give a large number of high-quality bunches if the summer resident will let everything take its course, and modern varieties of this crop. Forming grapes on a suburban area should be mandatory. Moreover, this procedure must be performed with strict observance of all the required technologies. A summer resident should definitely have an idea of how to properly cut grapes for the winter, spring and summer.
All schemes used to form such plants fall into two main categories:
- used for non-covering varieties;
- designed for covering.
Technologies for the formation of varieties that require warming for the winter and are able to tolerate cold without this procedure can vary greatly. And, of course, it can be difficult for inexperienced gardeners to understand all this variety of pruning schemes. Therefore, below we will consider especially for beginners how to properly prune the grapes of both of these varieties.
Formation of non-covering varieties
Such grapes are used by summer residents,of course the most popular. Varieties of this group are able to tolerate cold well and do not have to be covered for the winter. There are several ways to form such grapes:
- supportless standard;
- gazebo;
- sleeveless.
With the use of such schemes, for example, varieties such as Foxberry, Seneca, Kat Gray, etc. are pruned. It is still quite difficult for plants of this group to endure winters without additional warming. Therefore, uncovered grapes are cut in most cases in the spring.
Unsupported stem cutting
When using this technology, a long-term high bole is left on the plant. At the same time, the crown of grapes is formed in such a way that sleeves with green fruit-bearing shoots are symmetrically located in the upper part of the trunk in a circle.
The main advantage of this pruning method is, first of all, that in this case the vines do not need to be tied to supports. That is, there is no need to install trellises in plantings of grapes formed in this way.
Arbor trim
With this molding, the vines are grown on arched high supports. Industrial planting of grapes using this method creates a semblance of long green tunnels. Yields from plants grown using this technology can be quite large. In suburban areas, this method is often used, among other things, to create a shadow - green "arbors" or "canopies".
The answer to the question of how to properly prune young grapes or old ones when choosing such a scheme is the following technology:
- at the end of summer, all young shoots that have grown below the level of the first wire are removed from the bushes;
- for branches growing above the second wire, the top is cut off by a tenth of the entire length of the shoot;
- in autumn, after the foliage has fallen, cut the bushes, leaving a pair of the best shoots at the height of the second wire (for 5-12 eyes and 3-4).
Sleeveless Crop
This method of formation is characterized by the absence of very old shoots on the bushes. When pruning grapes using this technology, 3-4 long vines are left on the plant on the branches of two-year-old wood and about 6 knots per 4 eyes on the head of the bush. The following year, these shoots are used to form fruit shoots.
Annual pruning when applying this scheme is done like this:
- Fructifying vines are removed from the bushes along with three-year pieces of wood;
- form new fruit arcs from shoots grown on last year's knots, as well as in the head of the bush.
The main advantage of this formation method is that in this case, landing takes up very little space on the site.
Methods of pruning covering grapes
Such varieties are grown in suburban areas, of course, a little less often than winter-hardy ones. But the vines of this variety among summer residentsis quite popular. Therefore, many gardeners are also interested in how to properly cut grapes of such varieties. This procedure is performed on such bushes usually in the fall. After that, the grapes are immediately covered for the winter.
For varieties of this group, the following formation schemes are most often used:
- fan;
- cordon.
It is these methods of forming bushes that are the best answer to the question of how to properly cut the grapes of Moldova, Potapenko, Adele, Crystal, etc.
Fan formation of covering varieties
When using this scheme, the grapes are cut in such a way that each fruit link is in its "sleeve" coming from the main trunk. As a result, when applying this method, each plant in the plantings of grapes takes the form of a "fan".
The benefits of this trimming scheme include, among other things:
- compact landings;
- convenience in hiding.
This shaping of grapes can differ both in the length of the sleeves and in their number. But the pruning principle itself always remains the same anyway.
Features of cordon pruning
This method of forming grapes is used less frequently than the fan. But even such pruning among summer residents is quite popular. Cordon formation is subdivided, in turn, into horizontal and vertical. When growing grapes in privategardens, in most cases, the first type of pruning is used. When performing cordon horizontal formation, 2-3 short perennial sleeves are left on the plant with a fruit link, most often on one shoulder.
The main advantage of the cordon pruning method is that in this case quite a lot of old wood remains on the bushes. And this, in turn, allows you to grow a very powerful plant with huge fruit potential.
Which shaping method to use
Thus, the choice of grape pruning technology depends primarily on which variety is grown in the suburban area - frost-resistant or covering.
In any case, domestic summer residents grow grapes of the first variety mostly in an arched, fan or cordon way. At the same time, the latter technology is most often used when individual bushes are placed in plantings at a distance of at least 3 m from each other.
If the grapes are planted in a plot with a step of 1.5 to 3 m, it is usually formed with a four-armed fan, and if less than 1.5 m - with a two-armed one. The arched planting method can be used both for dense plantings of grapes, and for rare ones. But most often, such a scheme for the formation of bushes is used in cases where the plants are placed on the site close enough to each other.
What rules should be followed when pruning grapes
To remove shoots and green shoots from the bushes of this culture, of course, you need to do it right. First of all, pruning, of course, should be done withusing only sharp tools. Small branches are in most cases removed from vine bushes using secateurs.
Problems with the removal of shoots from young bushes usually do not arise in summer residents. Perennial vines can be of considerable thickness. Over time, they begin to die off, and they have to be removed. And of course, any gardener should know how to properly prune old grapes. Perennial shoots from such bushes, depending on their thickness, are cut using an ordinary hacksaw with small or large teeth.
The chasing of grapes in most cases is done without the use of any tools at all. The tops of young vines are usually very thin and brittle. Therefore, when minted, they are simply pinched off.
Also, the answer to the question of how to prune grapes correctly are the following recommendations:
- the weaker and thinner the shoot, the more it is shortened;
- the number of eyes left on the vines is calculated taking into account the fact that some of them may be damaged in winter.
Many summer residents are also interested in how to properly cut grapes in the fall. At this time of the year, old dry and diseased branches should be removed only after the foliage has fallen. During this period, the plant "hides" all the nutrients in the rhizome. And therefore, cutting the shoots does not cause any harm to the bushes. At the same time, it is imperative to prune the bushes in the fall before the onset of frost.
Why does the vine "cry"
About how to properly cut grapes in the spring, we found out above in the article. In most cases, pruning at this time of the year does not harm the plants in any way. However, often after such a procedure, so-called "tears" can be seen on the vines in March. From the wounds inflicted when pruning the plant, juice begins to flow in small droplets resembling tears.
In principle, the "weeping" of the vine does not represent anything terrible. On the contrary, the presence of “tears” on the bushes after pruning indicates that the right place with sufficiently moist and nutritious soil has been chosen for planting grapes. However, experienced summer residents believe that the “weeping” of the vine should not be too strong. The abundant flow of juice, among other things, can lead to the depletion of the plant and, as a result, to a decrease in its yield. If the grapes are planted in a very wet area, it is recommended to cut them not in March, but during the period of blooming on the buds. At this time, the pressure of sap flow decreases, and the vines do not "cry" too much.
In some cases, the “tears” resulting from the pruning wounds can burn nearby kidneys. Therefore, many summer residents are also interested in how to properly cut the grapes in the spring so that this does not happen. In order for the juice to corrode the tissues of the vines as little as possible, shoots should be removed from plants in such a way that the wounds are directed inside the bush.
Preparation of cuttings
Performing autumn pruning, many gardeners simultaneously harvest andplanting material of this culture. The answer to the question of how to properly prune grape cuttings is, in principle, simple.
Cut off such planting material, of course, from the most he althy and productive bushes. Each cutting intended for planting must have at least 3-4 developed buds. Planting material prepared in this way is tied into bundles and placed in water for two days.
Further, the cuttings are disinfected with copper sulphate and stored in a cold place - a basement or a refrigerator. The bundles are pre-dried and wrapped in plastic wrap.
