Growing grapes in Central Russia
Thanks to breeders, many frost-resistant hybrid forms of grapes have been bred, which are suitable for cultivation in regions with different climatic conditions. Many gardeners successfully grow grapes in Central Russia. It is easy to take care of it, so even a novice winegrower can grow it.
Growing grapes in Central Russia
The best varieties
In household viticulture, not only varieties from the official register are used, but also other unofficial forms that have become very popular among winegrowers.
You can buy the best grape varieties for Central Russia in specialized nurseries and see their detailed descriptions there.
Early ripe
Best ultra-early table hybrids:
- Kesha and Kesha-1;
- Phenomenon (Augustine, Pleven);
- Don agate;
- Arcadia;
- Aleshenkin;
- Alexander;
- White beauty;
- Bashkir;
- Nadezhda Aksayskaya;
- Shunya;
- Victoria;
- Malengr early;
- Laura.
Mid-season
The tastiest and best mid-early ripening table hybrids:
- Alpha;
- Scarlet-2;
- Volzhsky;
- Cherry.
Frost resistant
The most popular non-covering dark varieties are Buffalo, Super Extra, Rumba, Dashenka, Hamburgsky dark.
Light non-covering hybrids for dining purposes - Delight, Ontario, Romulus, Seneca, Nadezhda Aksayskaya and Lucille.
For central Russia, late grapes are not suitable, because the harvest does not have time to ripen before the onset of the first cold weather.
By purchasing one of these varieties, you can hope that in a few years you will have a healthy and rich harvest.
It is also important to carry out the correct planting and provide the seedlings with proper care.
Sapling selection
To grow a good shrub that will bear fruit abundantly, choose your seedling carefully. Before buying, inspect it for diseases, rot and mechanical damage.
Buy fall seedlings. They are more hardy, and after overwintering, when planted in the spring, they will quickly grow.
Beginners are advised to use old and proven varieties when planting. New hybrid forms are more capricious to care for and require some skill in growing.
It is advised to plant grapes the next day after purchase - after 12 hours of soaking.
Plot and soil
The plant needs sunlight
Planting grapes in the middle lane is carried out in a sunny place. The seedling is planted away from other shrubs and trees.
- successful cultivation of grape seedlings in central Russia is carried out on the sidelines, where there are no winds, drafts and the sun is shining all day;
- the site should be well lit by the sun throughout the day;
- should be grown in places with deep passage of groundwater.
Landing rules
Saplings soaked in warm water are slightly shortened - the roots are cut by 1-2 cm and the vines by 2-3 eyes. All side branches are also removed.
The prepared bushes are dipped into a solution based on clay and water, then into a dug hole or trench.
To plant annual seedlings, you will need to dig a hole 80 cm deep and wide.Crushed stone or broken brick is laid at the bottom. Then a peg or plastic pipe is driven into the drainage, which will serve as a support for the young plant. Nutrient soil from garden soil, humus, superphosphate and ash is laid on top of the drainage - 1 kg of each component. Then the soil is poured abundantly with water so that it subsides. Preparation of planting holes for seedlings is carried out 2 weeks before planting.
Saplings with an open root system should be planted in late spring or early summer, with closed roots - in the last decade of April or early May.
The seedlings are lowered into the ground to the lowest bud - 2-3 cm from the ground. Then sprinkle with ordinary garden soil, watered abundantly and mulched with peat or humus. The next watering is carried out one week after planting.
Care features
Moisturizing
Both light and dark varieties need regular watering throughout the growing season. To get a good harvest and grow healthy bushes, you should water them several times per season:
- early spring;
- during the flowering period;
- in the phase of pouring berries.
If it is too hot in summer and there is no rain, the vineyard should be watered more often. The main thing is not to overdo it. The water under the bushes should not stagnate, otherwise the roots of the plants will quickly rot.
A haircut
Growing grapes in central Russia involves regular pruning. This procedure allows the bushes to form the required shape, enhance the growth of new shoots, increase the productivity of the bushes and prevent the development of diseases.
Annual haircuts are carried out in the fall and spring. In the fall, all long vines are shortened for the convenience of laying them in trenches and further shelter for the winter.
In the spring, all branches damaged by frost and wind are cut, as well as those vines that have dried up. Also, spring pruning is carried out to rejuvenate the bushes and stimulate the growth of young shoots. In this case, the pinching procedure is performed.
The bush must be formed
The first pruning is carried out in the first year of life. All young shoots with green bark are cut, flowers and fruit ovaries are removed, since young bushes spend all their energy on fruiting, and not on the development of the aboveground and underground parts.
The remaining branches with lignified bark are tied to an arch or any other support.
Shelter
The rule of caring for grapes in the middle lane is to ensure a warm wintering. As soon as the cold autumn sets in, the trunk circle and all the shoots are covered with a frost-resistant material.
Regardless of whether you grow early or mid-late varieties, after the autumn pruning, it is necessary to water the bushes with water charging in order to increase their resistance to freezing. All shoots are removed from the arch or trellis, then laid on a straw or leaf layer. Then they are covered with spruce branches, lutrasil and mulched with a thick layer of garden soil.
How to accelerate the ripening of the crop
In this climatic zone, grapes do not always ripen on time, therefore they often freeze out, and the berries remain green.
Ways to speed up ripening:
- grow only early or mid-early varieties in the open field, the late ones simply do not have time to ripen;
- plant grape bushes in the fall on the southern side of outbuildings;
- mulch the bushes with foliage, spruce branches or any other covering material.
With this method of cultivation, the soil on the ridges warms up well, is enriched with oxygen and never waterlogged. Favorable conditions accelerate the ripening of the crop. The disadvantage of this method is that the ridges require shelter for the winter.
It gets warmer under the spruce or pine branches, which speeds up the ripening process.Additional pollination with puffs, envelopes and blowing with warm air also contributes to intensive ripening of berries and an increase in yield by 15%.
You can dig in a row of dark glass bottles 50 cm from the trellis line. After warming up under the sun, they, like solar panels, will steadily warm up the root system and contribute to the rapid ripening of berries.
Conclusion
Agrotechnology of grapes for the middle lane involves the choice of a good place, proper planting and timely care. Considering that in one place the bush will grow and bear fruit for many years, try to choose the sunniest place for it with nutritious soil and the possibility of regular moisture.