Viticulture is gaining momentum in our country. Now almost everyone in the summer cottage has at least a couple of vine bushes, and some allot the main area under it. However, just planting this plant is not enough, you still need to properly care for it, in particular, pruning.
Why prune grapes?
Recognized masters of viticulture are the French. They own the opinion that the vine must suffer: it is planted on sandy soils with a minimum amount of water, it grows in the sun, its roots are forced to grow very deep to reach the water. However, her suffering does not end there. The vine is also pruned.
Pruning grapes in August contributes to the early ripening of fruits. In addition, these manipulations can not only increase yield in the future, but also improve the taste of your crop. And caring for a trimmed bush is much easier than for overgrown.
Summer pruning of grapes
Grape pruning in August-September is carried out with the aim that plant forces are not wasted in vain to form fresh shoots. After all, the grape itself is a fast-growing plant, and if you do not care for it, then it will devote all its efforts to growing a new vine. But the berries in this case, if they grow, they will be small and in taste far from ideal. For this purpose, extra shoots must be removed in a timely manner.
The ratio of fruitful and empty arrows
Cutting grapes in August makes it possible not only to adjust the growth of your bush, but also to trace the desired balance of fruitful and empty shoots. If the number of fruiting vines significantly exceeds the number of empty ones, then you can get a fairly abundant crop, but the size and taste of berries can disappoint you. They will lack the nutrients that are needed for a normal, full-fledged formation.
For this, empty branches are needed that compensate for the lack of nutrients. However, if there are too many of them left, the bush will be excessively thick, which again will negatively affect the crop. That is why grape pruning in August is designed to make the balance of empty and fruit-bearing shoots optimal, and the crop to be of the highest quality.
Features of summer pruning of grapes
Pruning grapes in August is not difficult for beginners. Basically, they only need to break out and pinch the young shoots. This procedure can be carried out not only in August, you can start right from June. However, this procedure can take a lot of time, depending on how many bushes grow on your site. If grapes are not trimmed in August, then the chances of getting a decent harvest in the next season are minimized.
In addition to trimming the upper part of the plant, gardeners during this period also practice removing the upper part of the root to stimulate the growth of new roots in depth.
As for the antennae, they can not be removed at all or completely removed. They do not play a special role, their main purpose is fastening during weaving. If you artificially tie up branches, then the antennae is not required for your plant, and you can safely get rid of them.
Proper minting of grapes
Pruning in August, otherwise called coining, is designed to accelerate the ripening of fruits. At the same time, the tip of the shoot can be removed about forty centimeters. Too much pruning is not worth it, as is pruning too early. In this case, the plant can begin to intensively create stepsons and spend much more energy on it. With a strong pruning of the vine, photosynthesis slows down and the fruits ripen longer, so instead of the desired acceleration, the opposite effect may occur.
When chasing, about 14 leaves should be left on each shoot. This amount is optimal for the normal functioning of the plant.
Features pruning young bushes
As for young and not yet fruiting bushes, it is worth noting that they also need care. Pruning of young grapes in August boils down to first removing basal shoots. This is done using pruning shears or scissors.
In the next couple of years, it will be necessary to trim and pluck the extra young shoots, which will take power from the plant and prevent it from fully developing. As soon as the grapes begin to bear fruit, care for it should be done as a full-fledged bush, taking into account the above rules.
Regional features of grape pruning
Despite the fact that summer pruning of vineyards is almost the same everywhere, there are still some features of this event that apply to a particular region. Pruning grapes in August in the suburbs involves not only removing excess shoots, but also inspecting the bush. The fact is that the moist and cool climate of this region can contribute to the development of fungal diseases. If affected shoots are found, it is worthwhile to immediately remove them and treat the plant with an antifungal drug.
Grape pruning in August in the Kuban is, in fact, a continuation of spring and the beginning of winter pruning, since this region belongs to the zone of uncultivated cultivation. In warm winters, these works can be carried out here almost all year round, the only exception is the period when the temperature drops below -3 degrees and the vine becomes very fragile.
Pruning of grapes in August in the Urals is almost the final, pre-winter stage. The fact is that the region has a very short summer, and viticulture here for a long time had no chance of success. Only recently have varieties adapted to this climate and yielding high yields in this area have been bred.
Some interesting points when pruning grapes to consider
Young bushes of grapes in the first couple of years of their life are cut almost identically. However, before you begin pruning, you need to plan ahead not only your actions, but also the shape of the future bush. This is precisely what will be the key point from which subsequent actions will be planned.
If pruning of grapes in August is carried out using garden tools, then it must be ensured that it is clean and sharp. Slices should be tried to make as smooth and even as possible, and also try to place them on the inside of the vine. This will contribute to the speedy tightening of the wounds and not very injure the bush.
It should be noted that the August pruning will also be followed by the final, pre-winter, so you should not cut the bush very much. In the first year of life, the bushes in the summer can not be pruned, it all depends on the intensity of their growth.
After the summer pruning, the bush may weaken slightly, and it may well be affected by the fungus. For this purpose, preventive treatment with fungicide can be carried out. If, in the process of carrying out these works, you also noticed the first signs of the appearance of gray rot, then do not be too lazy to spray the bushes with a solution of potassium permanganate, and the clusters themselves need to be treated with a solution of baking soda. If these diseases are started and not given importance in the initial stages, then the fight against them can be very difficult, and part of the crop will be lost.
If during the pruning process you notice that it is difficult for the branches to keep the weight of the brushes, then they should be tied up and fixed immediately. It is undesirable that the fruits touch the ground, so the chance of their damage increases. Also, due to the very large weight of the brushes, the vine can break down and part of the crop will disappear without reaching maturity. In order to avoid such troubles during the August pruning, you need to carefully examine your bushes and attach importance to the little things, and also respond to threats in time.