How to properly care for grapes in July: what to do, tips for novice winegrowers

Grapes are among the crops that require the attention of gardeners all year round. In the fall, the plant is prepared for the cold weather, in the spring all forces are spent on the formation of the future harvest, and the taste and size of the fruits, their presentation and shelf life depend on summer care. It is in the summer that summer residents carry out the basic agrotechnical procedures for caring for grapes. In the article, we will consider in detail what to do with grapes in July and what agrotechnical measures to pay special attention to.

What care is needed for grapes in July

To get a good harvest, summer residents regularly water the vineyard and fertilize it with mineral and organic dressing.

In order for the bush to withstand the weight of the bunches, it is formed and stepson. And so that the plant does not hurt and has a strong immunity, they carry out insect pest control treatments.

At the same time, gardeners are advised to take care of the vineyard by mulching and loosening the soil - the procedures improve air circulation, prevent the development of weeds and diseases of the root system.

Care rules in the middle of summer

Care procedures are carried out mainly in the early morning. At this time, there is no active sun, which can leave sunburn on leaves, shoots and fruits. Suitable air temperature is up to + 20 ° С, the weather is calm. If it was not possible to carry out care measures in the morning, they are transferred to dusk.

Another important rule is compliance with the intervals between procedures. For example, grapes are watered no more than once every 10 days, feeding is carried out at intervals of 2-3 weeks. For convenience, it is recommended to mark the dates of events in the calendar.

July works in the vineyard

Without proper maintenance, the vineyard will quickly overgrow with weeds, and the fruits will be small and sour. The procedures will not take much time and attention if they are carried out in accordance with the recommendations.

Stealing

The event is carried out 2-3 times during the growing season, including pinching in July. Stepsons are small shoots that appear in the axils of grape leaves. If you do not cut them off, they will grow, the bush will become thickened, the clusters will not have enough room for full growth. Stepsons contribute to the development of infections and diseases, take away some of the nutrients, which is why the berries grow small.

Grape growers remove the stepson over the second leaf. This is done with sharp garden shears or by hand. Before the procedure, the equipment is disinfected, hands are thoroughly washed in clean water and soap. It is not recommended to remove stepchildren on fruit branches, as they are responsible for the size and juiciness of the fruit.

Garter

The garter has several goals: uniform distribution of the crop on the shoots, unhindered penetration of sunlight, airing the shrubs and the effectiveness of foliar dressing.

Thanks to a timely garter, the vineyard is less likely to get sick, the bunches ripen faster. The summer garter is called green because green shoots are actively growing at this time. They should not intertwine with each other, so they are rigidly fixed.

Vines are tied up in different ways: figure eight, winding, loop.

In July, the loop garter is common.A strip of fabric is folded in half and applied to the wire. The ends are threaded into the loop and tightened. After these ends, the shoot is fixed. Use a clean cotton cloth. Synthetics are not suitable for these purposes.

Attention! Adult vineyards are recommended to be grown on single-plane trellis... It is a single row of wood or metal columns with stretched wire. The distance between the supports is about 3 m, the lower tier of the wire is at a distance of 50 cm from the ground.

Pruning

Pruned grapesto increase yields and protect the plant from disease and insects. By removing old shoots, summer residents stimulate the development of new, fruiting ones. Thanks to the procedure, the plant is constantly rejuvenated, the berries grow more juicy and sweet.

There are several pruning techniques: short, medium, long and mixed. The latter is the most popular because it combines short and long.

Mixed pruning technology:

1. Half of the sleeves are cut short, on a knot. Next year, new shoots will grow from them.
2. The grown branches are pruned, leaving 10 buds on each. Fruit arrows will bear fruit next year.
3. Shoots that do not have fruit ovaries in the current year are removed.
4. Cut dry and broken branches. They contribute to the development of diseases and pests.

Cut off the shoots with a sharply sharpened secateurs. Slices are made oblique so that they tighten faster. After the procedure, they are not smeared with garden pitch. Shoots quickly recover on their own.

Formation

The formation is responsible for the yield and the well-groomed appearance of the shrub. The procedure is carried out along with pruning. One of the most popular shaping methods is fan-shaped.

It is distributed in the southern regions, in the middle lane and in the north:

1. In the first year, the young vine is cut to the length of its ripe part; usually it is 40-60 cm.
2. In the second year, the vine is cut into 2 buds with a sharp pruner. New shoots are tied up vertically and pinched by stepchildren.
3. In the third year, the sleeves are tied to the lowest wire like a fan - in an oblique direction, in different directions.

After 4 years, the vines begin to die off, so it is recommended to leave one powerful green shoot and grow it in the same way as a seedling. This will extend the life of the shrub and improve yields.

Also, gardeners do not forget to remove green stepchildren, diseased shoots, dry and weakly growing branches during the entire growing period.

Watering

Without watering the vineyard weakens, viral diseases occur more often... Moisten the soil every 7-10 days, per 1 sq. m consume about 20 liters of water. Grapes are moisture-loving crops, so it is not recommended to save on water. Lack of moisture also leads to the fact that the fruits crack and fall off. At the same time, it is important not to allow waterlogging - this provokes the development of fungal diseases.

The water must penetrate 50 cm underground - where the root layer is located. The plant is watered along the grooves or aisles, the water is warmed up in advance in the sun. If the soil is dry and sandy, the procedure is carried out every 5 days.

A popular watering method is drainage. Winegrowers build a structure with which water immediately penetrates to the roots through special pipes. At the same time, the upper layers of the soil remain dry. This method of irrigation saves water.

Attention! Late-ripening grape varieties bloom in late June - early July. At this time, the plant is not watered. The procedure is carried out 5 days before flowering and a week after.

Top dressing

In July, grapes need mineral dressingcontaining potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron. They are obtained from complex fertilizers: "Zdraven Turbo", "Florovit", "Lebozol". The introduction of dressings normalizes the acidity of the soil and makes it more nutritious and fertile.Together with this, summer residents use double superphosphate, calcium nitrate, potassium salt, magnesium sulfate.

It is recommended to apply fertilizing in liquid form - the granules are diluted in water and watered in the vineyard. Liquid fertilizers are better absorbed and penetrate to the roots faster.

A quick and cheap way to feed grapes in July is to prepare an ash solution. It stimulates the ripening of the bunches, the fruits grow large and sweet. In addition, ash serves as a prophylactic agent against diseases and pests. 80 g of dry wood ash are added to 5 liters of water, mixed and infused for 3 days. Water the grape bushes at the root.

Mulching

Mulching is aimed at protecting plantings from weeds, retaining moisture in the soil and saturating it with useful elements. Mulch also protects the soil from erosion, stimulates the development of the root system and reduces the amount of fertilizer applied.

The grapes are mulched throughout the growing season - from spring to autumn. In summer, manure, compost, sawdust, needles, bark are used as organic mulch.

It is recommended to use several materials at once. The layer thickness should be 3-5 cm. Paper, crushed stone or gravel are used from inorganic mulch.

Attention! A layer of mulch not only protects the vineyard from weeds, but also decorates it. For example, gardeners use decorative wood chips. It is painted in brown, red, yellow, green, orange and other colors. Such a vineyard looks original and attracts attention.

Chasing vines

Vines are minted together with pruning and forming a bush. Gardeners remove the tops of the green shoots so they don't grow and thicken the plant. Minting is carried out at a time when the growth of branches slows down. Remove underdevelopment shoots with scissors or hands.

About 15 healthy leaves are left on the vine. After the procedure, all the nutrients go into the bunches and roots, the vineyard grows strong and fruitful. Coining is also recommended if the plant is sick. This can be not only in July, but also in other months.

Protection against diseases and pests

Hot weather and humidity are the best friends of grape disease... Powdery mildew, mildew, gray and fruit rot affect young and adult bushes. Improper agrotechnical measures, micronutrient deficiencies, thickening of plantings contribute to the spread of diseases.

As a preventive measure, spraying with a solution of nettle is used (500 g of chopped grass is required per 5 liters) or treatment with an ash solution. Timely weeding of plantings and loosening of the soil also helps prevent the development of diseases.

Attention! Novice gardeners do not know how to treat diseases if the first symptoms have already appeared on the grapes. It is recommended to use Oxyhom or Maxim chemicals. They act quickly, do not wash off with water and are harmless to crops.

Of insects, grapes are attacked by spider mites, leaf rollers, thrips, phylloxera. They enter the vineyards through rain, wind, contaminated soil, animals, and garden tools.

A solution of 1% copper sulfate is used against pests - 100 g of the substance is required for 10 liters of water. The liquid is poured into a spray bottle and sprayed with shoots, fruits and leaves. The drugs "Aliot", "Batrider", "Slizneed", "Sharpei" are also effective in use.

Burn protection

Burns are solar and chemical. The first ones arise due to watering during the day, when the scorching sun is shining in the sky. Water hits the heated leaves and evaporates quickly, leaving a trail behind. Chemical burns appear due to improper use of fertilizers, preventive and protective agents. Damaged leaves darken and curl around the edges, brown spots appear on the fruits.

To protect the vineyard from burns, it is important to comply with the consumption rates of chemicals and the time of the procedure.Homemade perforated paper umbrellas also help protect the grapes from the sun. Paper caps are placed on the tops of the plants.

Features of grape care in July, depending on the region

When growing grapes in the south, summer residents pay special attention to moisture. Drip irrigation system helps maintain proper moisture level in soil... It eliminates leaf burns, saves up to 40% of water, and is used for applying liquid fertilizers. Such a system consists of a storage tank, a pump, and plastic pipes. The best option is a 150 liter container installed at a height of 1 m from the ground.

To obtain a rich harvest in the north of the country, grapes are regularly fed. Mineral and organic fertilizers strengthen the immunity of a heat-loving plant, protect against frost, and prevent infection with diseases. Summer residents use a solution of chicken manure or rotted manure, as well as fertilizing based on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Ammonium nitrate, phosphate rock, Kemira complex, and urea are effective in application.

Tips from experienced winegrowers

Vineyard work is not a hassle if you follow the recommendations of experienced winegrowers. Simple and effective tips will help any novice summer resident get a rich harvest:

• it is recommended to pinch the vine as soon as its length has become more than 1.7 m;
• in mid-July, cut off all the leaves that cover the fruit from the sun's rays:
• inspect plants daily for insects and diseases;
• when processing with chemicals, do not mix several different drugs at once;
• check the expiration date of purchased fertilizers;
• do not feed the grapes with nitrogen during fruiting;
• alternate organic and mineral supplements.

Conclusion

Grapes are grown throughout the country - in the Kuban, in the Moscow region, Nizhny Novgorod and Chelyabinsk regions. Most of the care procedures take place in the summer - at this time, gardeners water, fertilize, mulch the vineyard.

Forming and pruning is mandatory in July, the appearance of the shrub and yield depends on it. Throughout the summer, grapes are treated with chemical and folk remedies to protect against diseases and insect pests. If this is not done, the grapes will turn yellow and fall off.