Determine the timing: when the fall pruned grapes?

Grapes are a valuable and useful berry. Thanks to the breeding of new, winter-hardy varieties, it has become a fairly common culture not only in the south, but also in the middle belt. Even in the north, gardeners successfully grow some zoned varieties and hybrids.

The grapevine needs the right care: fertilizing, forming a bush and annually removing a part of the shoots are required. How correctly to cut grapes, in the autumn or in the spring to remove shoots, on what length to cut?

In the north it is cut off in the spring, in other regions - in the autumn. Before the onset of cold weather, the movement of substances inside the shoots slows down, and juice will not be released at the cuts. Autumn pruning is preferable, as it is less painful for the bush.

Why cut grapes?

Do you need to cut grapes in autumn, why is it important not to let the bush calmly grow in all directions? Grapes have a special feature: the grapes are formed only on the shoots of the current year. These shoots come out of the kidneys on last year's young vine.
Advantages of using this agrotechnical technique:

• The maturation period is shortened;
• Clusters grow larger, berries - larger;
• Frost resistance increases;
• Formed bushes are easier to cover for the winter.

Consider varietal features

Fruitful eyes are laid at the beginning of this year, in June.

Features of the variety and weather conditions have a great influence on this process.

If it was warm, even the first 3-5 eyes bear fruit, if cold - fruit shoots grew from 10-12 eyes.

Proceeding from this, when grapes are cut in autumn, different types are used for different varieties: long, medium, short or combined pruning.

Heat-loving varieties of Central Asian origin ("Negruhl's memory", "cardinal", "aivaz", "rizamat") and hybrids based on them are cut as long as possible, leaving 14-16 eyes. Usually their first shoots are fruitless, yield yield those that grew from 6 and further ocelli.

More resistant species ("Muromets", "Strashensky", "Agate Don", "Pleven", "Delight", "Sashenka") are subjected to medium pruning (7-9 eyes).

Resistant to frost and disease varieties ("zarif", "alden", "codrians", "beige", "arcade") are cut into 2-4 eyes.

The general condition of the bush is also taken into account. When the grapes are cut in autumn, young, weak, damaged plants are unloaded, removing shoots shortly.

Before you proceed

In order to remove the shoots did not weaken the plant, it is necessary to observe simple rules:

1. To work on a dry, sunny day;
2. Prepare sharp clean tools;
3. Know exactly where and what to cut.

Cutting times

In this issue, there is no unity of opinion. Different climate, different varieties - all must be considered. However, there are general recommendations that are suitable for all gardeners.

• Haste is not needed. If you cut off immediately after harvesting, the bush will be deprived of the opportunity to regain strength after fruiting and will not receive the nutrients necessary for successful wintering. If after collection of bunches to give the vine to recover, in the winter the grapes will leave strong and prepared.
• The best time, when the grapes are cut in autumn, comes immediately after the fall and lasts until the first frost. Inside the vine begins a strong outflow of nutrients to the roots and boles. It is also impossible to delay too: when the temperature drops to -3 ⁰ C, the liquid in the shoots freezes, when pruning, they begin to crack and break.

When the grapes are cut in autumn, this is done in two steps.

1. First cut out tops, otplodosivshie links, old and damaged sleeves, the worst shoots.
2. Just before the shelter, the upper part of the fruit vine is removed.

Many practice combined pruning, when the formation of the bush is carried out in both autumn and spring.