What are the ways to hide grapes for the winter in the middle lane

Grapes in Russia are grown not only on the Black Sea coast, but also in the middle lane: Moscow, Smolensk, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod and other regions. For these regions with a temperate continental climate, frost-resistant and winter-hardy varieties are suitable, however, they should also be covered for the winter. About the timing of sheltering grapes for the winter in the middle lane, its technology and types of covering material, read on.

When and how much cover is needed

Central Russia is characterized by warm and humid summers, but winter weather can be very changeable. Frosts below -20 ... -30 ° C are followed by periods of thaw with cold blowing winds. Only a reliable shelter can protect against such cataclysms.

There are several reasons to cover grapes with a gardener from the middle lane:

• protect from the first frost if the snow cover has not yet formed;
• help the plant survive temperature changes;
• protect from severe frosts, leading to cracking of the bark, freezing of the root system and buds;
• to prevent grapes from damping out during melting snow and too early awakening of the buds.

The main task of the shelter is to ensure a stable temperature regime.

Features of grapes

The decision on the need for shelter and the choice of material depend on the variety and condition of the grapes:

1. Varieties with low frost resistance will not even tolerate -10 ... -12 ° С, therefore, it is imperative to organize reliable frost protection for them.
2. Young plants with insufficiently thick bark, as well as bushes from which a bountiful harvest was collected, need full-fledged shelter. They have given up most of the nutrients, so they are vulnerable to external factors.
3. The most careful care is required for grapes weakened by pests and diseases, since at low temperatures it is difficult for such bushes to maintain vitality.

Degree of protection

When determining the degree of protection, the following factors are taken into account:

• weather conditions in the region, the presence of a stable snow cover;
• the relief of the area where the garden plot is located (hill or lowland);
• protection of grape plantings from the winds.

In most cases, a winter shelter should:

• ensure a constant temperature, that is, prevent hypothermia and too high temperatures;
• do not interfere with air exchange;
• create an optimal level of humidity.

Shelter timing

In the middle lane, grapes are sheltered in mid-November. However, the gardener can determine the optimal time on his own, guided by the following signs:

• maturation of wood in the vine - the bark becomes brown;
• complete fall of foliage;
• the onset of stable cold weather down to -5 ° С.

An important condition for the successful wintering of a plant is the construction of a shelter in dry weather with slightly frozen soil. This will help prevent the lashes from heating up and subsequent cracking of the bark.

Reference. It is advisable to pre-harden adult healthy bushes - to withstand the vine from several days to a month with low frosts (up to -5 ° C). This facilitates the outflow of nutrients from the aboveground organs to the roots of the plant.

How to prepare grapes for shelter

At the end of August, grapes are minted - they pinch the tops of the shoots that have overgrown the trellis in order to help the remaining vine grow woody sooner. Mature wood is more viable than young green wood.

Immediately before wintering vines:

• removed from the trellis;
• pruning;
• watered abundantly;
• treated for diseases and pests;
• hardened during the first light frosts.

Pruning

Cut the vine to make it easier to cover. In addition, unripe shoots are vulnerable to rot and mold, and under favorable conditions the disease can spread to the entire bush.

Pruning is carried out after leaf fall - approximately in the last decade of September. To do this, choose a dry, fine day. The air temperature should not be below 0 ° С. The fruiting part and the unripe growth of the fruit link are cut off. The replacement knot is shortened, leaving up to eight buds on the upper shoot and 2-3 eyes on the lower one (this is the future replacement knot).

You can choose from the cut parts cuttings for reproduction.

Watering

Autumn water recharge watering two weeks before the shelter helps the plants to better endure the winter. First, dry soil cools faster than wet soil. Secondly, at low temperatures, tissues not saturated with water can dry out and die.

The irrigation rate depends on the type of soil, the proximity of groundwater, the presence of heavy rainfall and other conditions. So, a grape bush grown on loam requires 10-15 liters of water, and dry sand and sandy loam - 20-25 liters.

Reference. Before watering, fertilizing is carried out so that the plant absorbs nutrients better.

Top dressing

Autumn dressing strengthens the immune system of the grapes. To do this, he needs zinc, phosphorus, magnesium and potassium. During this period, nitrogen-containing fertilizers should be abandoned.

Reference. Nitrogen is excluded from top dressing by the middle of summer, since this substance excessively stimulates the growth of green mass, which prevents good fruiting of the vine and lowers the frost resistance of the plant.

Organic and mineral compounds are introduced into the soil, depending on the quality of the soil. Fertile soil can be fertilized every 2-3 years, sandy loam requires annual feeding.

Among the most popular fertilizers, organic nitrogen-free ones are ash, peat and compost:

• water infusion of ash (in a proportion of 300 g of substance per 10 liters of liquid) is poured over grapes at the rate of 5 liters per 1 bush;
• a mixture of rotted compost and peat is laid out under the bush with a layer of 5 cm.

Among the mineral compositions and complex fertilizers, preference is given to phosphorus, potash, "Nitroammofoske", etc. For example, 1 tbsp. l. potassium sulfate and 1.5 tbsp. l. double superphosphate is diluted in 10 liters of water and poured under each vine.

Important! To provide adequate nutrition for the root system, fertilizers are applied not under the trunk, but in special grooves. They are dug around the bush at a distance of 50 cm from the base of the vine. The depth is 35-40 cm.

Treatment against diseases and pests

The humid and warm microclimate inside the winter shelter is a fertile ground for fungal and bacterial diseases. In order not to bring in pathogens, all vines are carefully examined for damage, and infected bushes are isolated as much as possible. But even outwardly healthy grapes need preventive treatment.

Grapes are most susceptible to fungal diseases such as oidium, gray and white rot, mildew, chlorosis, anthracnose. To combat them, folk recipes are used (solutions of salt and soda, copper or iron vitriol, colloidal sulfur, potassium permanganate), as well as special means (Bordeaux liquid, "Polycarbacin", "Euparen", "Nitrafen", "Ridomil"). The preparations in the proportions recommended by the instructions are diluted in water with a temperature of about 40 ° C, the resulting liquid is sprayed on the vines and the soil around them.

Under plant residues and in the upper layer of the soil, malicious pests of grape plantings - thrips, spider mites, cluster leafworms and leafhoppers - winter well. Therefore, it is important to dig up the soil between rows, remove loose leaves and weeds. The leafworm can also settle in cracks in the bark and boles, which means that insecticides will be needed based on:

• malathion ("Fufanon", "Iskra", Aliot ");
• cypermethrin ("Sharpei", "Intra-vir", "Caesar");
• lambda-cyhalothrin (Karate Zeon);
• fenoxycarb (Insegar, Lufox).

How to shelter grapes for the winter in central Russia

Depending on from the chosen method of shelter use different materials and build appropriate structures.

Shelter types

Distinguish between hilling, incomplete and complete shelter of grapes:

1. In the first case insulate only the root zone: an earthen mound 10-25 cm high is poured around each bush. The soil is taken from row-spacing or from adjacent beds located no closer than 1.5-2 m from grape plantings, so as not to expose the plant's root system. The diameter of the embankment depends on the age of the grapes - the older it is, the more area the roots take. The earth is moistened and compacted.
2. Incomplete cover means warming not only the roots, but also parts of the plant located close to the ground: arms, bases of fruitful shoots and trunks. With this method, the roots are spud, and the ground parts are wrapped in non-woven material 4 cm or more thick.
3. With full cover after pruning, the vine is removed from the trellis and the remaining lashes are tied together with a rope. The bundles of rods are laid along the row, bending to the ground and fixing with arcuate brackets. It is important to limit the contact of the vine with the soil, as this can lead to mold and freezing of the stems: wrap the lashes with waterproof material or lay on a substrate. For insulation, mulch, spunbond, agrospan, film, slate, etc. are used.

Also, the shelter is divided into wet and dry.

Wet and dry

A shelter is called wet when it does not prevent water from entering the bushes, and the mulch is not isolated from the vines. Usually, with this method, natural materials are used: snow and earth embankments, spruce branches, straw, sawdust, and so on. A damp shelter is effective only in case of stable weather without thaws and melting snow.

With the dry method, the vines are isolated from the mulch. For this, different layers of covering material are used: the first is breathable and permeable, the second is moisture resistant. This option is laborious, but more reliable: a stable temperature regime is maintained, due to which the kidneys do not freeze out and do not vytuyut. With such a shelter, the bushes are not afraid of thaws.

To set up dry shelter:

1. Above the lashes laid on the ground, a support with a height of 30-40 cm is installed - metal arcs, lattice structures made of wood, etc.
2. A non-woven material (agrospan, spunbond), straw or reed mats are thrown over the support.
3. Cover the top with plastic wrap, slate, roofing material, fiberglass.
4. Leave air vents for ventilation. They can be covered with a bundle of straw or a cut-off plastic bottle (narrow neck out).
5. The upper covering material is fixed - pressed down with stones so that it is not blown away by the wind.

A structure for a dry shelter can serve the owner for more than one year.

Features of the shelter of young grapes

Young bushes, and even more so seedlings, need reliable shelter more than mature ones. The main danger for them is icing, therefore, preference is given to the dry method.

If the bush is not high, you can not lay it on the ground, but build a cone around it made of wire, metal mesh or wooden pegs. The structure is filled with mulch, and the top is covered with spunbond, film or foil insulation. If the material does not allow air to pass through, 1-2 ventilation holes are made in it.

Disinfection of covering material

The materials must be dry and clean, so they are dried in the sun beforehand. If more thorough disinfection is required process fungicides and insecticides.

To scare away mice and other rodents, substances with a pungent odor (engine oil, carbide) are used, as well as preparations containing brodifacum ("Rat", "Brodifan", "Varane") or dust ("Rottendant", "Raninbrom").

Mulch made from plant materials is carefully inspected and used only without signs of rot. Not suitable for mulching fruit tree foliage and plants with seed boxes.

Reference. Natural insecticides are tansy, calendula, wormwood and marigolds. They repel insect pests, so it is advisable to add them to the shelter.

Covering materials

Various materials are used for shelter for the winter - from natural resources in the form of snow, soil and vegetable mulch to expensive synthetic materials. The choice depends on the tasks pursued and the capabilities of the gardener.

Hilling with soil and snow

The roots are covered with a 20-30 cm layer of earth, and the associated vines are laid on a waterproof shelter and covered with snow from above. The thickness of the snow cover is at least 60 cm.

This shelter is suitable for winter-hardy varieties that tolerate temperature changes and variable humidity well. Its disadvantages are obvious:

• neither snow nor soil will save you from severe frosts (the limit of their capabilities is -15 ° С);
• snow may fall too late and melt in the middle of winter;
• in open areas, snow and poorly compacted soil can be blown out by winds, so they must be fixed with spruce branches, brushwood or wooden slats;
• possibly the formation of a crust of ice, due to which the grapes are deprived of air access and melt.

Mulch

Various materials of natural origin are used as mulch: foliage, sawdust, spruce branches, straw, etc.

Its advantages:

• environmental friendliness, absence of harmful components;
• creating an air cushion that retains heat, but does not impede ventilation;
• additional weed protection;
• in the case of using spruce branches - scaring away rodents.

However, mulch also has disadvantages:

• spruce branches, sawdust and peat increase the acidity of the soil;
• foliage, straw and sawdust cakes and dies during a thaw, become covered with mold;
• a dense layer of straw or sawdust in the spring does not allow sunlight to pass through, so the thawing of the soil under them is delayed;
• a straw shelter attracts mice;
• low-quality mulch can introduce diseases, pests and weed seeds.

To avoid this, follow the rules:

1. The materials must be dry.
2. Leaves and stems are harvested only from apparently healthy plants.
3. It is recommended to protect the mulch from moisture.
4. In order not to violate air permeability, materials and techniques should be combined: erect a metal or wooden frame around the bushes, fill it with mulch, and cover it on top with a denser material with vents.

Instead of loose straw, you can use straw mats or sheaves in a house. From such a surface, rain and melt water will roll down and will not get inside the shelter.

Slate or plywood

If there is a renovation in the country, you can use the remnants of building materials, but there is no need to specifically purchase them - there are more reliable ways to cover the grapes.

Slate is durable, it retains heat well and does not allow excess moisture to pass through. It can be used to protect grapes in trenches: wrap the vines in burlap, pin them to the ground, cover them with slate and cover them with earth and snow.

Plywood sheets are usually installed over the vines in the form of a gable roof, and the joints and ends are covered with roofing material. Leaf mulch is laid inside the structure. In spring the improvised "house" is easy to ventilate - in good weather it is enough to raise one end of the roofing material.

Film

The film is used primarily to protect the vine from excess moisture. It also prevents fertilizer from leaching out of the soil and inhibits weed growth.

Plastic wrap keeps warm well and does not let air through. Hence, its main drawback is the danger of overheating of plants. Therefore, the film is used mainly in late autumn as protection from rain, and in spring, when good weather is established take off.

Reference. If the sun is too active, light-stabilizing polyethylene can be used. It will create a milder microclimate and prevent the kidneys from waking up prematurely.

Trellis

When it is impossible to remove the vines from the trellis, they make a vertical shelter:

1. The lashes are moved to the center and tied tightly.
2. The resulting sheaves are wrapped in several layers of insulation: straw, spunbond, spruce branches.
3. For reliability, the structure is fixed with roofing material, agrospan or a film with weight (stones, bricks, boards).

Trench

For this method, the grapes are initially planted in trenches with a depth of 40-60 cm. After harvesting and preparatory measures, dry mulch is spread on the bottom of the groove, and on top of it - a vine tied in bunches. The scourges are covered with spunbond, boards, slate or foil. Snow completes the structure - the higher the snowdrifts, the more reliable the shelter.

The procedure must be carried out in dry weather. If severe frosts are expected, the trench is made deeper and wider, and the number of layers of insulation is greater. For example, straw, sawdust or dry foliage are additionally laid out. For better protection of the roots, the covering material is also spread between the rows.

Reference. The method is applicable even for regions with a harsh climate - the Urals and Siberia.

Other materials

Other materials are also used to shelter grapes for the winter:

1. Burlap made of natural or synthetic fabrics. But the former can absorb moisture and form an ice shell during temperature changes, while synthetic ones are poorly breathable and contribute to the formation of rot and mold.
2. Roofing material is a durable and flexible material, but it prevents air exchange and requires regular ventilation.
3. The polycarbonate film is durable and lightweight, keeps warm well, protects from rain and wind. The main disadvantage is the high cost.
4. High-density agrofibre maintains constant soil moisture, does not form condensation and does not rot, but protects only from light frosts.

What grapes do not harbor for the winter

Frost-resistant varieties (Rapture, Krasa Severa, Nadezhda Azos, Dekabrsky, Kasparovsky) tolerate temperatures well down to -20 ° C... Under high snow cover, they are able to overwinter without shelter.

Winter-hardy hybrids can withstand the changeable weather of the middle zone: Reeline pink sidlis, Taiga emerald, Triumph, Siberian Cheryomushka, Amur liana.

Reference. The Valiant hybrid is an absolute champion in frost resistance. His vine remains viable even at -47 ° C.

However, it should be borne in mind that for these varieties, thaws are more dangerous than extremely low temperatures. If the plant starts growing ahead of time, it loses its varietal resistance to cold.

Common mistakes

Novice gardeners often make mistakes in organizing a winter shelter for grapes. Some of them:

1. Cover too late, and the fruit buds freeze. Warm the grapes as soon as the thermometer drops to -5 ° C.
2. They are in a hurry with shelter, and the grapes do not have time to harden. Leave the lashes bare at the first frost to prepare the wood for winter.
3. They act on the principle "the more the better", unnecessarily wrapping the vine. To keep the grapes from budding under artificial conditions, provide a dormant period - avoid excess heat and moisture.
4. Do not ventilate. To avoid drying out, during the period of long thaws, lift the film from the shelter, and it is better to take care of breathing out in advance.
5. Leave the vine insulated for too long.Immediately after the snow melts, start the spring hardening of the grapes - remove the shelter for several hours, gradually increasing this interval.

Conclusion

In winter, grapes suffer not only from frost, but also from changeable weather, high humidity and strong winds. Early thaw and too warm shelter can lead to premature budding, high humidity - to the formation of mold and rot. The main task facing the gardener is to provide plantings with constant comfortable conditions so that the vine and root system can rest and gain strength for the next season.