Growing grapes and caring for them in the open ground is largely dependent on weather conditions. And if the summer turned out to be too arid or rainy, as well as with frequent hail and strong winds, then you will not wait for a good harvest of berries. In order not to depend on the vicissitudes of the weather, cultivate the plant in a greenhouse. And this material will tell you about the basic rules of such grape growing for beginners.
Benefits
Greenhouse grapes are grown in Russia not only in regions with difficult climatic conditions, but also in the Caucasus and in the southern regions. After all, the installation of a shelter for culture is an effective way to avoid the vicissitudes of the weather: rains, hail, gusts of wind, cold summers. In addition, the method of growing grapes in a greenhouse has other advantages:
- the vine under the shelter is easier to care for;
- the quality of the berries is not worse than those that grow in the open ground;
- grapes do not crack, since raindrops do not fall on them;
- under shelter, plants are more protected from birds, diseases and pests, so such crops need less processing with chemicals;
- in the greenhouse, the vine is protected from frost and severe frost in winter;
- berries ripen much faster, which makes it possible to obtain high profits due to the early harvest.
In addition, in the aisles you can plant strawberries, onions, garlic, herbs and other early ripe crops. And their sale will quickly pay back the costs of building a greenhouse and buying equipment.
How to choose a greenhouse?
It is most convenient to grow grapes in a greenhouse made of arched polycarbonate. They are suitable for year-round use. In addition, supporting structures and air vents are installed in them. You can buy such a greenhouse in specialized stores, and each of them is accompanied by detailed instructions for assembly and operation. Some manufacturers even offer assembly services for such premises.
Ready-made greenhouses made of polycarbonate are very expensive. Therefore, if you want to save money, you can build such a shelter yourself from improvised means. But keep in mind that it should be at least 5 meters wide and 2.5-3 meters high.
Install the greenhouse on a solid strip foundation. Make a frame from a metal profile or pipes, and use polycarbonate for coating. If you live in regions with little snow and a warm climate, you can cover the greenhouse with a durable multi-year film in 1-2 layers.
In any case, position the greenhouse from north to south. Then the vine will receive maximum light. To protect the grapes from burns, pull the support wire system indoors at intervals of 20â30 cm. Position the upper protection 35 cm from the ridge and ceiling of the structure.
Optional equipment
For growing grapes in a greenhouse, it is important to create the right conditions. It is warm, light and optimal humidity. The following equipment will help you with this:
- Drip irrigation system. Thanks to this device, you will ensure the optimal level of watering the soil for the crop. In addition, you can supply the vine with nutrients. For this, the soluble components are mixed with irrigation water, so that they evenly flow to each plant.
- Heating. To ensure the optimum temperature will help infrared heaters, which can be dug into the ground or suspended on the wall. Some gardeners connect the greenhouse to the steam heating of the house. But this method is suitable for those who have such an opportunity.
- Ventilation. End doors allow high-quality ventilation of greenhouses with a length of not more than 4-5 meters. If you have a longer room, then install side windows in the longitudinal walls. Better yet, purchase special automatic airing units.
Such devices and devices are very expensive. Nevertheless, they greatly facilitate the care of the vine. In addition, they pay off in 4-5 years, so do not save on their installation.
Grape varieties
Greenhouse cultivation is not suitable for all varieties of crops. The following varieties manifest themselves best under cover:
- "Bulgaria is sustainable." This early amber-yellow grape bears fruit and ripens in 115â120 days. It is resistant to disease and does not require chemical pollination.
- "Song". An early yellow-green variety ripens in 105â110 days. It is appreciated for the large size of clusters and the sugar sweetness of berries, a nutmeg aftertaste.
- "Laura." The variety is appreciated for its high yield, juiciness of berries and nutmeg flavor. With proper care, the bunch reaches a weight of 2-2.5 kg. Ripens in 105â110 days.
- "Arcadia". Yellow-green table grapes are appreciated for their unpretentious nature, sweetness and juiciness of berries, as well as the large size of the clusters. Matures on 110â115 days.
- "Michurinsky." Table blue grapes are valued for their pleasant aroma, sweetness and nutmeg aftertaste. Matures in 120â125 days. Bunches of medium size reach a mass of 200-300 g.
But the popular varieties "December" or "delight" to plant in a greenhouse is not recommended. These varieties feel better in open ground conditions, and under cover their productivity is significantly reduced.
Preparation for landing
If your site is close to groundwater, then be sure to make drainage ditches around the structure. Before planting, dig trenches for grapes 1 meter deep and 35-35 cm wide. Between each pit, keep a distance of 1-1.5 meters.
Prepare a suitable substrate. To do this, mix in equal amounts:
- garden land;
- sand;
- loam;
- peat.
Add 45 grams of crushed chalk and mineral fertilizers to each bucket. Fill the prepared trenches with the resulting soil halfway, that is, 0.5 meters.
Step away from the side walls 40-50 cm, pull the horizontal trellis of durable wire. Between the rows, install such structures at a distance of 30 cm. They are necessary for the formation of bushes of culture.
Landing
It is better to plant a vine at the end of February, but if you want to save on heating and lighting of the greenhouse, you can start work a little later. How to land:
- Place the seedling vertically in the center and spread its roots.
- Keep a distance of 50â65 cm between each plant.
- The distance between seedlings and walls should reach 70â75 cm.
At the end, fill the voids with prepared soil, lightly tamp the soil and water abundantly.
Grape growing technology
In the greenhouse, it is important to maintain optimal temperature conditions at different stages of the growing season of the crop:
- During the rest period from January to April, the temperature under the shelter should fluctuate between 0 and +5 ° C.
- In February, when the plant grows, if you have a heated greenhouse and want to get an early crop, raise the temperature to +8 ° C.
- When the buds open, maintain a range of 10â14 ° C during the day and 8â10 ° C at night.
- During flowering, the temperature should be 24â26 ° C during the day. At night, it should be lowered to 10-14 ° C.
- When ripening, maintain the temperature between 28â30 ° C during the day and 18â20 ° C at night.
Technology for growing grapes in a greenhouse also includes regular irrigation and top dressing, pruning and preparing the plant for winter. You will learn more about all of these rules in the following chapters.
Features of watering
Regular and proper irrigation is the key to a plentiful harvest. When growing grapes in a greenhouse, water young bushes every 6â7 days. During flowering and during the formation of berries, suspend irrigation, as excessive moisture at this point leads to cracking of grapes and a deterioration in yield.
For watering, use warm, sun-heated water. Irrigate in the morning, and never moisten the soil in the evening.
Pollination
The main feature of growing grapes in a greenhouse is the manual pollination of the crop. Indeed, under the shelter of a bee, insects rarely fly. So that the buds receive pollen and later bear fruit, during flowering, hit the vine sharply daily. Hold this event in the afternoon.
If you grow varieties with a female type of flower, then gently tap the buds with your palm so that the pollen collects on your hand. And also you can use a fur puff. Then transfer it to the pestles. You can clearly see how to perform pollination from the next video.
Top dressing
To get a plentiful harvest, fertilize the grapes four times per season:
- In the spring during the growing season, make a groove around each plant and add 40 g of superphosphate, 50 g of nitrogen and 30 g of potash fertilizers to it.
- Dilute a bucket of slurry with water in a ratio of 1 to 2. Leave this solution for 10 days in a closed barrel for fermentation. Dilute the finished product with water in a ratio of 1 to 6 and pour it over each bush two weeks before flowering begins.
- When the berries have grown to the size of a pea, dilute in a bucket of water 20 g of potash fertilizers and 10 g of superphosphate. Pour each plant with this liquid.
- During the ripening of berries, mix 50 g of potash and phosphorus fertilizers in a bucket of water and feed each plant with this liquid.
Thanks to this scheme of fertilizer application, you will achieve a 2-fold increase in yield. In addition, the berries will acquire a chic appearance and extraordinary sweetness.
Pruning
After planting the seedlings, conduct stepsoning. To do this, cut weak shoots so that the plant does not waste strength on their development. As the culture grows, remove inflorescences with unripe buds. If some stems are barren, then cut them to level 5 of the leaf. Shorten the shoots of the second order to the first leaf.
Every fall, trim the long shoots to the level of the initial bud. And also shorten all stems by two-thirds of the length.
Wintering culture
In order for the plant to calmly endure even severe frosts, prepare it for adverse conditions. To do this, in the autumn before cooling, remove the vine from the trellis and bend to the ground. Be sure to fix the plants with arcs.
Cover the cults with a heater, for example, old blankets, reed mats, spruce branches. Tighten everything with plastic wrap and drop the structure with a 30-cm layer of soil. At the same time, make sure that the polyethylene does not come into contact with the kidneys, as this will provoke aging.
Remember that in the greenhouse the main enemy of the vine is not frost, but an excess of moisture and a sharp fluctuation in temperature. Therefore, during warm winters, do not forget to regularly ventilate the room.
To protect young shoots from frost, use car tires. To do this, bury one tire near the roots, and install the second on top. Place the flexible shoots inside the tire, and then cover the structure with foil. Make some holes in it for ventilation and sprinkle with soil. If you remove the roof from the greenhouse, be sure to protect the vine from the ingress of excess moisture. To do this, put a sheet of slate or a piece of roofing material on top of the structure.
Leaving and growing grapes in greenhouse conditions is not as complicated as it seems. It is enough to provide the culture with comfortable conditions, and it will certainly thank the harvest of delicious and healthy berries. All the costs of installing such a design will quickly pay off.