Buying a summer residence, first of all it is necessary to lay a garden and a vineyard. The inexperienced truck farmers always accumulate a lot of questions. Crop grapes for the winter, as they do, etc. These and other questions you will find answers in this article.
When is it better to cut the grapes?
Pruning is done once a year in the autumn, before preparing for the winter shelter. During this period, all active processes slow down and the strength of the plant does not go away in the brush, as a result, grapes are easier to survive the trauma.
Now a little about the age of grapes, when it is better to cut it. Fruits are obtained only from the vine that ripened last year. That's why it makes no sense to trim the plant that you recently planted.
Why cut the grapes for the winter?
Before you decide to trim the grapes, you need to clearly understand the reasons for this procedure:
- after such a procedure, the berries become larger;
- the brush itself becomes noticeably larger;
- after trimming, the maturation period is shortened;
- it is necessary to cut off the young grapes as well, since this increases the frost resistance of the plant;
- this allows to form the size of the bush for the convenience of hiding it for the winter period.
How to properly cut young grapes?
In the first two years, all plants are cut equally, regardless of the variety and garter system. If the vine is very active in growth in the first year and has managed to grow to the bottom wire, it must be cut.
If the vine not so intensively develops, but you want, that already in the second season there was a powerful fruit branch, then it should be cut to one ovary.
When you tie the grapes, you should do this only in the direction of the dominant wind flow. It does not matter how you tie the plant: the trunk, shoulder or fruit branches.
Once the first branch of the vine has time to reach the top wire, cut it 25 cm above the wire. This will direct the energy of growth into the branch, determine the main trunk of the vine. When tying, try not to tighten too much to allow a free move.
How to trim old grapes?
First of all, take care of good tools for work. Secateurs should not only be well sharpened, but also clean. This will prevent the need for long work on wound healing.
Before you trim the old (and not very) grapes, decide on the purpose of your actions. What kind of bush you want, with what grade you work - all this is important to consider when pruning. If you harbor grapes for the winter, the stem is left symbolic, minimal. If the hibernation is carried out without shelter, the stem is left about 1 meter.
Old vines should be cut off perennial vines, as they will not bear fruit. If the vine overwintered more than twice, it makes no sense to leave it. The plant spends on it forces, while not receiving any return. Leave only those on which there are fruit-bearing vines, everything else is cleaned without regrets.
Always see which vines need to be left and which ones to remove. Further, the level of trimming of the main sleeve is determined.
The cut line runs in different places. Some gardeners prefer to cut simply through the kidney, others retreat by a few centimeters. As a rule, the first two buds do not bear fruit from the base. Thus, it is necessary to leave at least 8 eyes when pruning.