Features of pruning grapes
The basic rules of care for good growth and development of grape culture include not only proper watering and feeding of plants, but also their formation. Pruning grapes is an important agricultural technique, the main goal of which is the correct distribution of the plant's forces to increase yields and shoot development.
Features of pruning grapes
Terms of work
The timing of the formation depends on the region where the vineyard is grown. Trim grapes are accepted in spring, autumn and even summer. The procedure is carried out only in warm, calm weather. The air temperature in spring and autumn should not drop below 5 ° C. If you prune at the wrong time, there is a risk of damage to the bush.
When the right time comes, you will need to get the garden pruner and saw out of the tools, sharpen and wipe them with antiseptic compounds. Preliminary preparation is no less important for effective formation than knowledge of the rules and schemes for its implementation.
Spring work
Spring formation is often used for growing uncovered grapes that are kept on an arch or in a gazebo. Spring formation is common in regions with cold winters. If there were severe frosts in January and February, there is a possibility of frostbite on thin branches. All frostbitten parts of the plant are removed.
Work begins when the juice is not yet flowing through the vine. That is, until the bud awakening phase followed by the formation of leaves. If you cut the grapes later, at the beginning of the growing season or before flowering, you will have to forget about a good harvest.
The time for formation is selected individually for each region. In the north, a favorable month for starting gardening is May. It is different in the south. Thus, the famous winegrower N. Puzenko successfully applied vine pruning at the end of February. During this period, he does not cry. But even if the juice is released from the cut, it does not drip onto the kidney, flowing to the lower side of the hemp (oblique cut). The main thing is not to prune the grapes at sub-zero temperatures.
Summer shaping
Summer formation consists of breaking out unnecessary growth, pinching and pinching.
This pruning of grapes is called "green". It is carried out for sanitary purposes. Cutting off the shoots from thin stepchildren and unnecessary leaves makes it possible to receive sufficient sunlight, which is necessary for a fruiting plant.
With the correct sanitary shaping of the vines, the total yield increases in summer, and the culture itself receives all the necessary conditions for growth and development. It is held in any month of the summer. In the South, it is permissible to do this in May.
Autumn formation
Autumn formation is suitable for growing cover crops.Correct pruning of grapes allows plants to winter well and prevent mistakes when covering them.
Autumn formation consists of 2 stages. The purpose of the first is to remove foliage after harvest. The second stage consists of removing unnecessary branches. The main thing is to finish it before the first frost appears. It is difficult to prune grapes correctly at low temperatures. The vine will become brittle and break when trying to cut.
Pruning methods
It is important to cut a grape seedling in a certain way: short, long, medium or mixed. Each method of pruning grapes has its own characteristics, which it is important to understand for a novice winemaker even before planting seedlings.
Formation is important for a plant
When choosing the method of operation, they are guided by the variety of culture, as well as the age of the vine and its neglect. For proper pruning of a grape bush, compliance with the rules for each type of procedure is required:
- Short. The branches are greatly shortened, creating replacement knots. Only 2-4 eyes are required. This is a rejuvenating pruning, since its purpose is to create conditions for the growth of new shoots.
- Average. Each annual shoot should contain up to 8 buds. In total, up to 50 buds are left on the plant.
- Long. It is used less often because it is not applicable to many varieties. It is suitable for Asian cultures. It is also used for raisins and some other varieties of table grapes. Up to 15 eyes are left on the branches.
- Mixed. This is the most popular method, which includes short and long shaping elements. Some of the young branches are removed "for a knot" (ie, up to 1-2 buds), and the other part is formed for fruiting.
The wrong form of the planted plant threatens poor growth of seedlings, unpreparedness for active fruiting and fruit ripening. It is important to formulate in accordance with established norms.
Pruning schemes
Cut off the planted grapes from the age of one. The first formation is carried out in the spring. Its technology changes every year until the fruiting period.
In total, there are 2 schemes for molding a young bush. It is recommended to prune the planted grapes using a standard or non-standard method. For an adult plant, developed and bearing fruit, there are other rules for molding.
Stamp method
It is better to cut winter-hardy grapes of a non-covering variety using the standard method.
The first standard pruning of grapes is carried out in the first spring, after planting a young seedling. It is repeated annually until the culture reaches the age of five. The work is performed according to the instructions:
- The formation of an annual bush is carried out for 2 eyes. The task is to grow 2 strong shoots before reaching the age of two.
- A two-year-old seedling requires the formation of one shoot - the future stem. The tallest is cut into 2-3 buds. The second is cut short, up to 3 buds. It will be back-up.
- Formation of a three-year-old plant is reduced to the creation of "cordon shoulders" (sleeves). All young growth is removed. Only 2 upper shoots are left. One is cut into 2 eyes. The second is 5-6.
- From the 4th year, conditions are created for the growth of the previously created sleeve. The strongest branches are left, the rest are removed.
- In the 5th year, the base of the fruiting link is formed. The grown branches are cut into 2-3 buds.
Starting from the age of 6, shaping is carried out in a mixed way: short and long pruning. The lower shoot is cut shortly, by the third peephole, and the one that is higher is cut in a long way - 6-8 buds are left. A large shoot in the coming years will be a fruitful vine.
For non-covering varieties, vertical binding to the wire or at an angle is suitable. Covering varieties of culture are best tied with a light arc. Cut grapes in this way, already 5 years after planting, pleases the owner with a delicious bountiful harvest.
Stampless method
Suitable for covering varieties.If a stalk rooted in the fall has given 2-3 shoots by the spring, they are not touched. At favorable times for the shelter of the culture, young shoots are bent to the ground and buried in a layer of earth. Only from next spring they carry out work with a pruner.
Another method is the French Guyot shaping. It is distinguished by the need to work with pruning shears in the first year when 1 or 2 young shoots appear. Favorable days for formation are the beginning of March.
Stamp trimming is carried out as follows:
- In the first year. If 1 shoot has formed, it is shortened by 4 eyes, if 2, then by 2 eyes.
- In the second year, only 4 of the emerging shoots are left. They are cut into 2 eyes.
- In the third year, the fruit links are formed. 2 vines are left on each of the sleeves. The lower one is shortened to 2 eyes, and the second is cut in a long way. 7-15 buds are left on the upper vine.
In subsequent years, pruning of young grapes is based on the preservation of 4 branches with fruit links. The plant is given a fan shape. A pruned bush according to all the rules gives a good harvest already 4-5 years after planting, subject to proper care.
Formation of a fruitful bush
Correct pruning is important
This grape pruning scheme is only suitable for mature bushes. Working with a fruiting bush is characterized by regular renewal of the fruit vine and the replacement knot. The old, fruiting powerful shoot is cut to a replacement knot. Newly grown vines are the material for the subsequent development and growth of culture. The vine, which is closer to the sleeve, is cut into 2 buds, and the second - into 5-7.
All subsequent years, pruning of a perennial plant is reduced to a simple rule: the shoot, which is closer to the sleeve, is cut shortly, and the upper vine is cut long. A correctly cut bush will delight the owner with a bountiful harvest for many years.
Formation of a neglected plant
Launched grapes are pruned in the fall, when no leaves remain on the branches of the plant. The formation of an overgrown plant is also carried out in early spring. All dry branches are removed first. After the plant is shaped.
When working in the vineyard, one rule is taken into account: the fruit link is made from annual shoots. If the remaining branches are not enough to form the base of the selected shape, the procedure is repeated the next year.
Special trimming
Among the peculiarities of grape pruning, there is a place for non-standard occasions. The most common problem encountered by novice winegrowers is freezing of the bush in winter. Vineyards also suffer from spring frosts.
This is dangerous not only for varieties with poor frost resistance, but also for non-covering crop species. If in March, when inspecting the vineyards, signs of frostbite were found, the plantings are reanimated. To do this correctly is obtained only after an inspection for damage.
The bush froze during the winter
The first thing to do is check the vitality of the kidneys. Incisions are made on the eyes. The buds are examined from the base of the branch to the top. Favorable signs of a speedy recovery are green at the incision site. If the eyes are brown or black under the outer film, they are frozen and unable to recover. After examining the vine, the total percentage of dead buds is determined.
If the number of frozen eyes does not exceed 80% of their total number, the plant can be saved. The main thing is to leave more eyes on the fruit links than with ordinary vine pruning. If the fruiting arms were formed in the fall, the harvest will turn out to be obtained from them.
If more than 80% of the buds have died, pruning grapes in spring for beginners is carried out in 2 stages. Before the start of active sap flow, the first work is carried out: lifeless branches and sleeves are removed. When the vine gives the first greens, the second stage of formation is carried out - sanitization. All young growth is removed.
It is more difficult if the bush is completely damaged.The death of all the eyes requires an examination of the condition of the stepsons (they are more frost-resistant). If they are also frozen, fruit links form from the shoots of the underground part of the trunk or tops. If the bush in its aboveground part does not show signs of life, you will have to cut off the planted grapes on the "black head".
Frozen branches must be removed
The grapes are dug in to cut the bole down to its healthy part. If you sprinkle the resulting stump with earth, it will soon give young shoots, which, with proper care, will develop into a full-fledged bush.
The roots are frozen
If the buds are completely dead, check the condition of the plant roots. They can be frostbite. In this case, the root system is carefully dug out (the depth of the hole should be different) in order to make cuts in different parts of it. White indicates healthy roots. A partially frostbite root will be brown, while a completely dead root will be brown or black.
The diameter of the examined processes of the root system is also taken into account. If roots with a diameter of less than 3 mm have suffered from a frozen bush, the plantings are easy to save. The grapes are pruned in order to relieve the load from the bush and use all its strength to recover.
The bush suffered from hail
Spring hail, which kills young shoots, is also dangerous for vineyards. If they are damaged, you can cut the grapes to 1-2 buds. Later, shoots will appear from the cut shoots. Only strong young shoots are left, the rest are removed.
Carrying out such a pruning of a grape bush after a spring hail helps to awaken the dormant buds. The growth of new shoots creates all the conditions for the emergence of a crop next summer.
Spring frosts
The most dangerous for the planted culture are spring frosts, especially during the period of movement of sap in the vine. Even annual vines can suffer from this weather. It will be possible to revive the bush if you carry out a short pruning of the grape bush. She will create the conditions necessary to stimulate the growth of shoots from dormant buds.
It is easier to reanimate the plant if only the greens are affected. In this case, it is required to shorten the annual shoots. Leave segments of 2-3 eyes.
Conclusion
A detailed study of pruning schemes and their principles allows novice winegrowers to avoid mistakes in crop care. Learning the rules and following them allows you to turn the cultivation of grapes into a favorite thing.