The coming cooling down tells all lovers of gardening that it's time to come, when in autumn it is necessary to cover the grapes for the winter. In different regions this time does not come at a time, and you need to navigate both the calendar and the indicators of the thermometer.
Do you always need to cover the grapes for the winter?
Everyone knows that there are frost-resistant grape varieties that do not require winter shelter. But it is rather a beautiful name, rather than the practical quality of a particular variety. Yes, indeed, there are grapes that can withstand up to minus 25 ° C, but not many know that it is only a short-term drop in temperature. And if she keeps for about a week, then all eyes and kidneys will freeze without proper shelter.
That is why, if in the region winter temperatures regularly drop below minus 20 ° C, then shelter, and good, for vineyards is a prerequisite.
When to start harboring grapes for the winter?
Young and inexperienced gardeners probably do not know at what temperature it is necessary to cover the grapes for the winter. But this is important, since during the freezing of the vine it quickly loses its flexibility, becoming very fragile and fragile. This is a big problem when removing the vine from the support, because without losses it will be difficult to do.
When October comes (and in some regions November), it's time to cover the grapes for the winter. Do not wait for frost. It is necessary to work on shelter at an air temperature above 0 ° C before the snow falls, because it must cover the structure in which the vine will winter. This natural barrier best protects the root system and wood from freezing.
Knowing in which month to start harboring grapes for the winter, you can plan its removal from the supports in advance. If in the region where the grapes grows, the snow cover is always installed at about the same time, and it has a depth of more than 50 cm, then, in addition to prikopki shoots, no more shelter vines will not be required.
How to cover a vine in the fall?
In practice, the shelter of grapes is much easier than it seems. It is enough to work for several hours (depending on the size of plantings) and the vine will be reliably "packaged". This sequence of actions is required:
- As already mentioned, first you need to carefully remove the vine from the support.
- Further, depending on the size of the above-ground part (wood), it is necessary to dig the cover trenches in the aisles (or around the grape bush ). Do this carefully, so as not to damage the root system, located close to the surface.
- After the trench is ready, you can proceed to its equipment. At the bottom, you can put a bit of lapnik or sawdust, so that the wood is less in contact with wet ground.
- Over the soft litter, the vine is laid. When the plant is small it can be located radially (in a circle), and if the vine is long, then in length. If the plant is bristling, it is better to pin it with metal staples to the ground. Putting it can be wrapped in lutrasil or spunbond, or without anything - it all depends on the temperature in the area.
- Above the wood is covered with dry soil, can be humus (reparted manure). It is imperative that the trunk are well covered with earth, because the roots close to the surface are damaged by the frost no less than the aboveground part, and no longer "leave" as it happens with shoots in the spring.
- After the trench is buried, you can put lapnik on top or pour a small mound of earth on top.
Here such simple actions save grape plantings from winter freezing. And so that in the warm shelter mice do not start, even at the stage of laying the vines, a poison is placed in the groove for the rodents.