Is it possible and necessary to cover the grapes

It is believed that primitive people began to domesticate grapes. But not for the purpose of obtaining sweet berries, and even more so for making wine or something stronger (at that time, alcohol had not yet been “invented”). And it is unlikely that anyone would have liked the taste of that grape – the small fruits were very sour. It’s just that our ancestors also got sick, and in order to somehow help themselves, by trial and error, they tried what was available to them – herbs, roots, berries. It was then that the healing properties of grapes were discovered. People began to plant it near their dwellings, selecting those bushes that had a better taste of berries. Perhaps this was the first selection selection.

Now only in the territory of the former Soviet Union grow more than 3 thousand varieties of grapes. Every year their number is growing, and the emphasis is on increasing frost resistance. There is nothing to be surprised here, not only in most of Our Country, but in Belarus and Ukraine, with the exception of a few southern regions, the sunny berry feels uncomfortable in winter. Perhaps the breeders will someday solve this problem. Today we will tell you how to cover the grapes for the winter.

Why cover the grapes

In order to save the vine from the grapes, it is covered for the winter. If this is not done, at best, next year you will simply be left without a crop, as an extreme case, the whole plant will die. But, most likely, the vineyards will freeze, and the vines will have to be shortened or cut to the root.

Do not flatter yourself that varieties with high frost resistance (up to -26 degrees) have already been created. Without shelter, these grapes can withstand a drop in temperature, but the icing of the vine is definitely not. Kidneys deprived of oxygen will die in 2-3 days.

On ordinary grape varieties, if the vines are not sheltered for the winter, when the temperature drops below 15 degrees below zero, up to 70% of the buds will die in four days. If the thermometer drops below 20, all eyes will freeze.

Grape roots are even more sensitive to cold than the vine, some of them will die at -6 degrees. The freezing of the above-ground part is fraught only with a loss of crop, perhaps even for several years. But the death of the roots can mean the loss of a valuable variety. So it’s better not to be lazy, and build a shelter over the grapes.

Is it possible not to cover the grapes

This issue requires separate consideration. There are a number of non-covering varieties. But!

• Firstly, you can neglect their shelter only in certain regions.
• Secondly, there is also no guarantee that the vine will not freeze in a particularly harsh winter.
• Thirdly, covering grape varieties are still, as a rule, tastier.

In any case, you need to protect the root from the cold, at least by making a mandatory moisture charge, loosening and mulching the soil under the bush. And of course, you need to make a shelter over young grapes, no matter what variety it belongs to.

Frost resistance of grapes

All grape varieties can be divided into 5 groups according to their frost resistance.

This division is very conditional. Before sheltering for the winter, you need to know the following:

• Some varieties of grapes for frost resistance are transitional from one group to another.
• Old vines always endure winter better than young ones.
• The main buds are the most vulnerable to freezing, the most resistant are the dormant buds.
• Vine roots can withstand the cold worse than the vine.
• In an area where the thermometer drops below 21 degrees, you need to cover the grapes for the winter all and always.
• Vines located under the protection of buildings freeze less than those growing in open areas.
• Frost-resistant grape varieties can be left uncovered only when the temperature almost never drops below -20 degrees.

When to cover grapes

Even among experienced gardeners, there is no consensus on when to cover the grapes. The only thing they are unanimous about is that at a temperature of 8 degrees below zero, a winter shelter should already be erected.

Proponents of early sheltering believe that it should be done immediately after leaf fall or at the slightest threat of frost. Other gardeners wait a few days after the temperature drops to -5 degrees, claiming that in this way the vine can be hardened and it will overwinter better.

Without taking sides, we note:

• A well-ripened vine, even of the most tender varieties of grapes, can withstand temperatures down to -14 degrees below zero.
• The first (low) frosts really harden the plant and increase winter hardiness.
• Unripe grape vines cannot overwinter normally. They will definitely freeze or fall out. It is better to listen to the recommendations of experienced gardeners and remove parts of the shoots that have not had time to get stronger.

Preparing grapes for shelter

Before covering the grapes, prepare them for the winter. This should be done about a month before the onset of stable frosts.

1. Starting in early August, stop using nitrogen-containing fertilizers. They stimulate growth processes, and the vineyard vines simply do not have time to mature properly.
2. During the harvest, the bushes stop watering. There is hardly anything more dangerous to the existence of any plant than dry, frozen ground. Definitely needs to be hydrated. For each adult grape bush, at least 20 buckets of water will be required. Be prepared that you do not complete this procedure at one time, and calculate the time correctly. Moisture charging is best done in stages, starting in September.
3. Remove all the vines from the trellises in the vineyard, remove the unripened tops and the shoots that bear fruit in the summer. Simply put, fellow gardeners, don’t forget to prune in the fall!
4. Remove all fallen grape leaves from the site, as they have an increased infectious background.
5. Tie the vines into bunches (fascines) with a rope or wire and lay them along the rows, fixing them with iron staples.

   

6. Dilute 400 g of iron sulfate and process the shoots and soil in the vineyard.

   

For example, copper-containing preparations stop working if the thermometer drops below 5-6 degrees Celsius. For iron oxides, on the contrary, stable low temperatures are needed, otherwise they will simply burn the plant.

Grapes shelter for the winter

Now let’s properly cover the grapes. There are so many ways to do this that only the list will take up a lot of space, there is no single right one among them. Choose the best, from your point of view, in accordance with the climatic conditions of the region and the varietal characteristics of the grapes.

We will give several ways to cover the vine. You can supplement, combine or modify them in the right direction at your discretion.

Covering grapes with earth

This is one of the most popular winter shelters for grapes, despite its laboriousness. The soil is taken from the row spacing and the connected vines are covered with a layer of 10 to 30 cm, depending on the variety and expected winter temperatures.

There are significant drawbacks here:

1. The eyes of grapes can rot under a wet layer of earth. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to cover the vine with slate, plastic bags or other material that can protect wetting.
2. Digging up vine shoots in the spring is even more difficult than covering them in the fall. You can make life easier for gardeners. To do this, it is again necessary to place additional material on the grapes, and in the spring simply remove it along with the ground.
3. Some gardeners feel that soil-covered vines should be opened later, as the earthen cover will give them protection from recurring frosts. Perhaps this is true for the north. But in the southern regions, delay is fraught with the fact that the buds on the vines will open even under cover. They are very fragile and break easily.

As you can see, everything is solvable, we not only talked about possible problems, but also outlined ways to solve them.

Watch a video showing how to cover grapes with earth:

Tunnel shelter grapes

Spread the vines along the rows and pin to the ground in the same way as described in the previous method. Install arcs of wood or metal above them, cover with a film on top and fix the edges by laying bricks on them, or sprinkling them with earth. Everything seems simple, but this method is also imperfect. Let’s consider what dangers lie in wait for the grapes covered in this way.

1. During thaws under the film, the vine can sweat. This is solved simply – leave a gap in the sheltered structure through which air can enter. In severe frosts, you can simply cover it.
2. In the north, with low winter temperatures in the absence of snow cover, one film may not be enough to protect the grapes from freezing. It will be necessary to put spruce branches or old blankets on top of the tunnel shelter. Agree, this is not very convenient, and in a large vineyard it is unrealistic.
3. Mice can start under the film, which will not refuse to eat a vine in a hungry time.

Important! If we cover the grapes in a tunnel way, the owner must always be on the site in order to open and close the vent, if necessary, or remove and add additional insulation.

Air dry shelter

This is the best way if the site has the necessary materials. The vine is tied up and laid in the aisles, as in the previous paragraphs, and a shelter is built from the top of spruce branches, dry leaves, straw, corn stalks. The resulting structure is covered:

• agrofibre;
• spanbondom;
• fiberglass;
• film;
• bags;
• boxes;
• boxes;
• slate;
• roofing felt;
• foam, etc.

Shelter is fixed with earth, stones or bricks.

By and large, this is a variation of the tunnel method of sewing the vines.

Shelter of young grapes

The designs described above are perfect for young grapes. He is very sensitive to frost, and you need to cover him earlier than an adult – as soon as the temperature drops to -2 degrees.

Conclusion

Do not neglect our advice, build a shelter over the grapes and it will winter well. Have a good harvest!