When is the best time to plant grapes
The grape is one of the most sought-after berries on the market. The plant is thermophilic, and many gardeners are wondering what time it is best to plant grapes. There are only two optimal planting options: spring or autumn.
When is the best time to plant grapes
When to plant grapes
Each season has its own pros and cons for planting seedlings. There is a risk of plant death both in autumn and spring. But there is still a difference between spring and autumn planting of grapes. Let's consider them in more detail.
Spring period
It is good to plant grapes in the spring because the plant has time to get stronger before severe winter frosts. A bush planted in spring takes root remarkably during the summer season, and thereby reduces the risk of plant death. But there are also downsides to spring planting. For example, the soil in the spring does not have enough moisture to nourish the crop, so you will have to constantly monitor the condition of the grapes and, if necessary, water it abundantly.
In the spring there is a difficulty in acquiring high-quality planting material, the cutting will have to be prepared on your own. Or buy in advance in the fall and store until spring, which can also be difficult, because the seedling should not be damaged or dried out.
Planting a seedling in spring
Before planting a bush in the spring, you need to carefully prepare the soil in advance. Even before winter, the soil must be dug up and fertilized. Already during the spring planting, you need to prepare the holes, for this you need to dig holes and fill them with rubble 12-15 cm.
The size of the dug holes is 80x80 cm. Mix the dug soil with humus and fill it back. A space should remain in the hole, about 0.5 m, and we place the seedling there.
Autumn period
We plant in the winter
In autumn, the land has a lot of moisture, you can water the planted plant much less often than in spring. An autumn seedling develops rapidly, during the winter it will take root in the ground and in the spring it will already give new shoots. And one more of the positive aspects of autumn planting is a wide assortment in the selection of seedlings. In the fall, winegrowers have an excellent opportunity to buy any grape variety.
The problem of planting in the fall is sudden frosts that can destroy a young plant. The bush, which is planted in late autumn, is still fragile and may not withstand the cold.
How to plant seedlings in the fall
Before planting a seedling in open ground, it is very important to prepare it. First, cut off their roots, after a while, place them in a mash made of clay and manure. After this procedure, the grapes are planted in holes prepared since summer. The most important thing about planting in the fall is getting ready for winter. There are three ways to protect a young plant from frost:
- Partial cover is one of the commonly used options. The lower part of the bush is covered with earth, and the upper part with straw.
- Full cover - in this case, you can use any material, for example, old clothes, a blanket, a blanket, and cover everything with a film on top.
- Hilling - the plant is insulated with straw, and covered with a container of suitable size on top. From above, everything is covered with a layer of earth.
Planting material
The choice of planting material must also be approached responsibly, since you cannot save a spoiled seedling in any way. To know for sure whether the plant is in good condition, you need to check the root system, since the appearance of the main roots contributes to the rapid engraftment of seedlings. Firstly, the length of the roots should not be less than 20 cm. Secondly, the length of the annual shoot should be about 0.2 m from the beginning of the main root. It is also important to determine if the seedling is dried, this can be recognized by the color of the cut of the root tip. If its color corresponds to a milky or light coffee shade, then the seedling is of high quality.
Cuttings
Many gardeners use the technology of planting crops by cuttings. In order for them to take root better, you need to choose green cuttings.
Cut them when the bush begins to bloom or two weeks before it. The shoots left after pinching are best suited. They are cut so that each of them has 2 kidneys. Immediately after the procedure, it is placed in a vessel with water. Prepared shanks are taken to the greenhouse until autumn. Then they are sent for storage during the winter to the basement. In the spring they plant in prepared holes.
Conclusion
When to plant a plant, each gardener chooses for himself. It is important to remember that no matter what time of the year you plant the seedlings, one of the most important conditions is caring for the plant, which will help you get a good harvest.