Proper pruning of three-year-old grapes in the fall. Rules, types and scheme for pruning grapes by year
The health, growth rate and yield of the plant largely depend on the correct pruning of grapes. Most experts believe that autumn pruning is the most important. Let's find out how to prune grapes in autumn to get best result.
In the first year, the vine is usually not pruned, unless it is clearly deformed. A strongly stretched shoot is better to just tie it up. Crown formation begins in the second year.
There are two trimming methods: fan and standard. Fan makes it easy to cover the crown for the winter, so it is more often used in northern and temperate latitudes Russia and Belarus. It consists in the formation of several branches growing vertically relative to the main trunk, and forming a fan.
Standard involves the creation of a strong and high main trunk. It is suitable for southern regions in arched and uncovered vineyards. The question "How to prune grapes?" may seem complicated for beginner farmers. However, any trimming scheme is on the Internet, and in pictures, where all the stages are clearly shown.
How to choose the right time
Pruning grapes for the winter by experienced growers is carried out in two stages. The first, sanitary, is carried out after harvesting, when the leaves begin to turn yellow. At the same time, old shoots that have completed the fruiting period, tops, weak and diseased shoots are removed. The second stage, which forms or maintains the necessary shape of the crown, is carried out on average 2 weeks after leaf fall.
When using the covering method, pruning in the fall and shelter for the winter should go almost immediately after each other. It is desirable that the weather be relatively warm - at temperatures below -5 ° C, the vine may break. Some experts recommend pruning after the first frost. The latter will reveal weak shoots, which will still be destroyed by the winter cold.
Step-by-step instruction
Much depends on how to cut grapes for the winter: yield, size of berries, and even frost resistance of the plant.
At first glance, pruning grapes in the fall for beginners can be difficult, but following the chosen scheme and following the rules, you can get an excellent result. Pruning young grapes is to remove excess shoots according to the chosen growing scheme. Consider the most popular fan method.
In the second year of cultivation, inspect the seedling and determine the 2 strongest shoots. The one below should be cut so that at least 2 buds remain. Another 1-3 can be made reserve.
If everyone survives, the 2 largest ones are left in the spring, the rest are pinched. On the second (upper) shoot, 3-5 eyes should remain, plus a few in reserve. All other shoots are removed completely.
In the third year, shoots form sleeves. They are cut off, leaving 2 of the strongest processes on each, while again the lower sprout is shortened to the 2nd eye (the so-called replacement knot), and the upper one to the 7th or 8th eye. A replacement knot always contains at least 2 buds: from one, a fruit shoot develops, which will give a vine with a harvest; from the second - a substitute, which will give strong sprouts. In autumn, the fruit shoots are cut off completely, and again 2 strong shoots are left on the replacement shoots, of which one will bear fruit, and the second, cut into 2 buds, will become a new replacement knot. The cycle repeats over and over.
Depending on the variety, the size of the vineyard and a number of other conditions, the number of sprouts left may be greater. In any case, the kidneys must be left with a margin. By pruning, you can rejuvenate the plant in case of a sharp decrease in yield.
To do this, you need to completely cut off the crown and dig a trunk to a depth of 15 cm. After that, the trunk is cut at a depth of 10 cm, and several notches are made on the remaining 5 cm. The cut points are covered with clay, after which they are sprinkled with earth. In spring, the plant will produce young vines from which a new bush can be formed.
If you got an uncircumcised vineyard, it must be put in order as follows: in early September, cut off all the young shoots growing on old sleeves at a height of up to 50 cm from the soil level, and shorten the rest by 10% and clean from side stepchildren. After the end of leaf fall, select the two most developed shoots at a height of 50–80 cm, from which, according to the standard scheme, form a replacement knot (on which 2 to 4 buds should remain) and a fruit vine (from 5 to 12 buds). Further pruning is carried out according to the general system.
Pruning grapes in the fall is carried out using a pruner (if the vine is thinner than 3 cm) or a hacksaw with fine teeth (if it is thicker). Tools should be sharp, as torn or crushed cuts can lead to infection or weaken the plant.
Sections are recommended to be beveled at 45 ° to the inside of the bush. Finally, the plant needs to be covered: after removing the remaining branches from the trellis, lay them in the direction of the growth of the vine and fix them on the ground. To protect from the cold, they are covered with a tarpaulin or a thick film.
Pros and cons of pruning in the fall
Pruning grapes in the fall has a number of advantages. Firstly, it greatly facilitates the wintering of the plant - without it, the crown may simply not fit under certain types of shelters. Secondly, a stem cut in spring can bleed a lot of juice, which sometimes leads to a decrease in yield and even death of the plant.
IN summer period for the same reason, grapes can only be pinched, pinched and minted. True pruning is not allowed at this time. In autumn, the movement of the juice stops and the cuts heal much faster. Third, autumn pruning encourages early bud break the following spring. Accordingly, this accelerates the ripening of the crop, which is especially important for cold regions.
The disadvantages include the possible freezing of the cut point if pruning is carried out late autumn. This leads to drying of the upper part of the shoot. In addition, in the case of return frosts, a problem can also become early development kidneys.
Video "Autumn pruning of grapes"
From this video you will learn how to prune grapes in the fall.
Irina K.
Proper pruning grapes - the key to normal growth and good harvest. Some beginner gardeners don't know how to start this important process, but it's time to fix it.
Since you are reading this text, we believe that you have no doubts about whether you need to cut the grapes. If, nevertheless, you do not fully understand why to perform this procedure, then we will clarify the situation. Grapes are pruned in order to regulate the growth and fruiting of the bush. This plant is in force natural features forms more shoots and clusters than it can provide good nutrition. If the grapes are not pruned, the vines will lengthen and the berries will shrink.
How to prune grapes in spring
As for when it is better to prune grapes, the opinions of gardeners are divided. Opponents of spring pruning say that vines cut in spring begin to "weep" (there is even such a thing as "weeping vines"), and this can kill the plant. The sap will flow down the vine and "flood" the eyes. In fact, this problem can be avoided if, when cutting, cuts are made in the direction from the eye. Argument against autumn pruning: outflow occurs at rest nutrients to the roots, which means that by cutting the vine in the fall, we deprive the plant of part of the nutrition and weaken it before wintering.
The best option is this: if you plan to cover the bush for the winter, then trim in the fall, 2-3 weeks after leaf fall (cut grapes are easier to cover). If the grapes will winter without shelter, cut the vine in the spring before the buds swell.
In order for the pruning of the grape vine to go according to all the rules, you need to know the intricacies of this process. We offer you to watch a video in which an experienced winegrower Alexander Mchedlidze shares useful tips on how to prune grapes from unwanted shoots:
- pruner must be sharp;
- the shoot is cut in the direction from the eye;
- the fruit arrow should be above the replacement knot;
- the vine must always be cut on one side.
Now let's talk about the features of pruning grapes in the spring. Regardless of the type of formation (standard or non-standard), remove frozen, badly damaged and diseased branches. Also, do not spare fattening shoots (more than 12 mm thick) and vice versa, too thin (less than 5 mm in diameter) and weak. Shoots should not be too long - leave no more than 10-15 eyes.
Traditionally, during spring pruning, 1-2 knots are left on the shoot. The scheme for pruning grapes depends on the method of formation and the age of the bush. Useful tips from detailed diagrams by years are given in our material:
How to prune grapes in summer
Summer pruning of grapes consists of several simple procedures. The first one is pinching. Stepsons are called shoots of the second order. They grow from summer buds in leaf axils throughout the growing season. Stepchildren weaken the bush, taking away nutrients and shading the ovaries. Experienced growers recommend letting the shoot grow a little, and then cut it off, leaving 1-2 lower leaves on each stepson.
Circumcised stepchildren should not be left on the ground. This can contribute to the spread of diseases.
Pruning grapes in August involves the so-called coinage. Its purpose is to redirect nutrients to give the bush more strength to ripen the bunches. When the "crowns" of the shoots bloom, the vines stop growing, which means it's time to mint the bushes. The tops of the shoots pinch (break off) by 15-20 cm.
Chasing is not carried out on bushes damaged by diseases, as well as in areas with close groundwater. Dry hot weather is another contraindication for minting grapes.
Among other things, in summer the bushes are necessary thin out. To do this, after flowering, you need to cut the leaves of the grapes in the lower part of the shoots on which the clusters grow (5-10 leaves from the shoot). The heroes of the following video tell in detail and clearly about the summer "green operations":
How to prune grapes in autumn
Autumn pruning of grapes should be carried out at least 1-2 weeks after harvest, so that the bush has time to recover a little. If by this time there is a lot of foliage left on the bushes, you need to arrange artificial leaf fall to make it more convenient to cut the grapes. General recommendations for pruning grapes for the winter:
- The vine is cut to living wood (on the cut it has a light green color).
- When pruning, you need to ensure that 1-2 cm of the shoot remains above the living kidney.
You will learn how to properly prune an adult vine bush in the fall so that it winters well, you will learn from the video:
Pruning grapes in autumn means that a certain number of eyes should be left on each fruit arrow. This number depends on the growth rate of the bush and the thickness of the shoot:
- diameter 5 mm - 5 eyes;
- diameter 6 mm - 5-6 eyes;
- diameter 7 mm - 7-8 eyes;
- diameter 8 mm - 8-9 eyes;
- diameter 9 mm - 9-11 eyes;
- diameter 10 mm - 11-13 eyes;
- diameter 11 mm - 12-14 eyes;
- diameter 12 mm - 13-15 eyes.
Often the first 2-3 eyes from the base are barren. To know for sure how much to leave, proceed from the average weight of a bunch from a bush:
- a bunch weighing more than 500 g - a minimum of eyes (in accordance with our list),
- bunch less than 500 g - leave the maximum number of eyes.
For example: if the average weight of a bunch is 400 g, then 13 eyes should be left on a shoot with a diameter of 10 mm.
More useful information about how to cut grapes for the winter and how to prepare a vineyard for the cold, you will find in our material:
How to prune young grapes
Novice gardeners are wondering how to properly prune young shoots of grapes in the first years of bush growth.
How to prune grapes after planting
At the beginning " life path"vine bush, the main task of the gardener is to grow strong shoots. By autumn, the diameter of the branches should be at least 5-7 mm on average, so there is no need to cut the grapes in the first weeks after planting.
How to prune 1st year grapes
The first pruning of grapes is carried out in the summer. Around June, inspect the shoots and leave 1-2 of the strongest out of 3-4. At the very beginning of autumn, chasing can be carried out so that the vine ripens better. In autumn, to prepare the bush for wintering, you need to cut the grapes of the first year. To do this, measure 2-3 eyes from the soil level and cut the shoots above the bud.
Some gardeners do not prune first-year bushes in the fall, believing that it is better not to injure the plant before wintering. Do grapes need to be pruned in their first fall? The choice is yours.
How to prune 2nd year grapes
If you did not prune the young bush in the fall, do it in the spring of the second year before the start of the growing season. It is necessary to cut the grape vine so that 2 shoots remain on the bush with 3-5 eyes on each (in the third spring, leave 4 shoots per bush).
Pruning of young grapes in the autumn of the second year begins with the fact that 2 shoots that have grown from the eyes left earlier are cut into a replacement knot and a fruiting arrow. To do this, 2-3 eyes are left on the future replacement knot, and 6-10 on the fruit vine.
When the grapes begin to bear fruit, cut the fruit vine completely in the fall, and the shoots that have grown from the replacement knot will remain on the bush, which will bear fruit next year.
As you can see, pruning vines is a serious matter, but not that difficult. Our advice and recommendations from the authors of the videos will help you at the beginning of the viticultural path, and in the future you will gain experience and (we believe!) achieve success in gardening.
The rules for pruning grapes are not known to all beginners. Moreover, few are looking for information on how to properly cut grapes. But the grape bush should be cleaned strictly at certain times and according to the rules in order to give the bush the opportunity to recover.
Every novice grower should learn the rules of pruning
Many beginners make mistakes in pruning grapes. The process is time consuming and finding out how to properly prune grapes can only be done through trial and error. On this moment there are many practical advice, thanks to which it is possible to eliminate the emerging problems in the care of planting material.
The sequence of cleaning the vine depends on what we expect appearance plants.
There are two known methods:
- In the form of a fan, it can be directed to one side or two with the formation of short sleeves or long, depending on the height and width of the support.
- With a base on the trunk: they grow short or tall.
Sleeve shaping: grapes before pruning on the left, after pruning on the right
There are no particular difficulties in creating a form for a young seedling, it is enough to choose the form that you want to get and, by successive pruning, bring a bush to it. In the process of its growth, reaching the age of two or three years, the grapes form two additional shoots to form new sleeves. Sleeves grow up to eight pieces.
Difficult pruning if you plan to prune an old shrub that has never been cleaned before. During the growing season of the bush, the grapes should be cleaned from the resulting new shoots. This event is carried out throughout the life of the grapes.
If the sleeves give several processes, then they should be directed in the direction you need. Keep in mind that if you didn’t clean the planting material in the summer, then in the fall you need to thoroughly cut off the entire bush from excess shoots and dry branches.
The parts to be pruned can be identified by spring flowering. If tendrils formed in spring, earlier than inflorescences, then these shoots should be removed. Since they will not form inflorescences.
Vine pruning terminology: fruit vine and replacement knot
What is the best way to cut
Each arrow will give different shoots, on which, as a result, you can leave a different number of eyes. Their number can be determined based on the diameter of the shoot. When the diameter is five millimeters, five eyes are left and further, respectively. When a bunch of grapes grows weighing about five hundred grams, the eye is made smaller. Pruning is a small fraction of the part of the care that is necessary for the care of grapes. After trimming, you need to insulate the planting material.
Before you start trimming autumn period time, inspect the bush and make sure that all the buds are ripe and new shoots have formed. To prevent damage to planting material, and to trim correctly. Otherwise, you can reduce the yield of grapes and remove those shoots and shoots that are still capable of producing fruits.
The first pruning is done after the harvesting process is completed. The vine is cleaned of shoots and withered shoots, and old branches are also removed. The beginning of pruning is recommended to be done at the end of the leaf fall process.
Grapes should not be made if the temperature outside has dropped below five degrees below zero. The remaining vines, if they endure frost, will not adversely affect the development of the vine, but will only strengthen it and make it more resilient.
Before pruning, you need to check the grapes for the presence of all components. Green shoots that have completed the growth process must be cut off immediately. At the same time, remove all foliage on the grapes, after which you can find the remaining non-removed shoots. Young seedlings are easier to clean from unnecessary shoots. Cleaning perennial grapes is troublesome, especially if the grapes have not been cut before. This should be done in the following way:
In the first month of autumn, shoots should be removed at a height of fifty centimeters. Regulate the growth of the shoots by cutting them to the same level. When the leaves fall, you can leave a few strong shoots. Those processes that form from the outer part of the sleeve should be removed and four eyes should be left there. To start forming an arrow for the fruits, with reverse side leave when cutting ten eyes.
Cuts must be done carefully, trying not to damage the plant and help it in the further formation of shoots and processes and avoid the formation of juice and decay at the sites of cuts.
Grape pruning technology, from left to right: 1) pruning of an annual vine along internodes; 2) Trim sleeves; 3) Longitudinal cutting; 4) The vine can break off at a weak point
Care after pruning
Pruning of neglected grapes in spring and autumn was carried out, it remains to insulate the plant for wintering, protecting it from freezing. All care for planting material in the autumn period of time is aimed at keeping the plant from the cold and enabling it to bear fruit in future periods. At the end of the fruiting process, the plant loses a lot of strength, and it will already be a burden to endure the cold on its own. In order to help the grapes, you need to insulate the material in the fall.
Grape care in spring and autumn includes the following steps:
- Proper watering.
- Soil digging.
- Treatment and fertilizer for the winter.
- Pruning.
If everything was figured out with pruning and the grape pruning scheme is understandable, then the rest of the care needs to be sorted out. Watering helps the plant to be ready for the upcoming cold weather. In mid-autumn, you need to carefully water the plant and soil, no matter what the weather is outside the window.
Full watering will allow the grapes and its root system to be sufficiently moistened before the upcoming cold weather. In order for water to enter the root system, you need to make ditches around the root circle or insert tubes. This will help the root get enough water. It is recommended to control the structure of the soil and loosen it in a timely manner. This will help increase the term of soil moisture and give everything planting material wholesome nutrition Processing a plant from pests and diseases is an inevitable step in caring for a plant, which makes the grapes more resilient and protects it from undesirable external influences.
After processing, you need to cut the plant, after which the grapes are insulated. So that the insulation process is not laborious, you need to plant the plant in the place where it will be most protected from external influences and receive a sufficient amount of light and heat.
For beginners, the process of caring for a young plant in spring, summer and autumn will be something that is not feasible. There is a popular way of pruning in the spring on a black head, it will not be difficult for beginners. After pruning in the spring on a black head, the cut point is smeared with clay mixed with organic fertilizers. This allows spring to speed up the healing process.
Cleaning a young plant for beginners on a black head in the spring is no different from regular pruning. In this pruning, in the spring, the entire part that is above the ground is removed, after which the sections are smeared with resin and organic matter and sprinkled with sand. This is what such a capital pruning in the spring consists of. Pruning is best done in spring and autumn, and in summer it is preferable to take care of the plant and remove dried shoots in a timely manner.
- When is pruning done
- Covering grape varieties
- Uncovered grape varieties
- The correct technique for pruning grapes for the fall
Pruning grapes in the fall, performed in compliance with all the rules, is one of the main conditions for obtaining high crop yields and maintaining the good condition of the bushes. It is produced to suppress the intensity of shoots, regulate the growth and fruitfulness of the bush, and provide the necessary level of crown illumination. Ultimately, all this affects the condition of the vineyard and palatability ah fruit. Understanding the reasons for the need for this procedure contributes to the development of a competent approach to its implementation.
Without regular pruning, the vineyard produces many extra shoots and inflorescences that interfere with growth.
The need for pruning young bushes up to five years old arises from the first year of planting and is primarily due to the need to give them the correct shape. Trimming adult fruiting bushes is required to maintain their shape and produce a crop. High Quality. Autumn pruning of grapes is carried out in order to increase the productive age of the bush, that is, to extend the fruiting period.
It is known that the flowering and strength of the bush, the rate of bud swelling and, most importantly, the fruiting and quality of the grapes depend on the timing of grape pruning.
What gives the correct pruning of two-year-old young grapes of grapes in the fall:
- fruits ripen faster;
- the volume of the crop and the size of the berries increase;
- there is an improvement in the taste of grapes;
- the process of harvesting and caring for the vineyard is facilitated.
When is pruning done
Covering grape varieties are pruned in two stages:
- Preliminary stage - the bushes are pruned in late autumn, a few weeks (usually 2-3) after the completion of leaf fall, before sheltering them for the winter. By this time, carbohydrates from the shoots of grapes have time to pass into the perennial part of the plant. The pruning procedure consists in removing from the vine all underdeveloped, poorly ripened shoots that interfere with the further development of the bush.
- The final stage - the bushes are cut in the spring, after opening, but before the start of the process of blooming eyes.
Non-covering varieties are also pruned a few weeks (2-3) after shedding the leaves and throughout the winter, except for frosty days. The air temperature should not be below -3 °C. Under the influence of cold, the vine becomes brittle and can be injured during pruning.
In the southern regions, the standard scheme for the formation of vine bushes is more convenient, in which horizontal arms carrying a fruitful vine are located on a vertically located vine trunk (stem). Due to the fact that unpruned vines are less sensitive to the effects of cold, pruning of uncovered crops is carried out taking into account the frost resistance of the variety. Bushes of frost-resistant varieties are cut first, then medium-resistant ones, and varieties with low frost resistance are cut last. How to cut?
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Covering grape varieties
In the northern regions, where cold winters prevail, the fan-shaped formation of bushes is used in viticulture. It allows you to cover the vineyards with the onset of cold weather and thereby save the bushes from freezing. According to this scheme, a certain number of perennial sleeves are formed at the base of the bush, which carry the fruit vine. Exist different types fan formations. They may differ in the number and length of sleeves, but the principles of formation and trimming methods are the same for all types. Consider the process for each year of the existence of a grape bush:
- 1st year. The task is to grow two shoots, which will become the future sleeves of the bush. To achieve this, in the fall, the seedling is cut into 2-3 eyes for reverse growth. The third kidney is left in case of freezing. If all three eyes give a sprout, choose those two of them that are located on different sides of the main shoot, and pinch the third.
- 2nd year. It is necessary to obtain already four (for a four-arm fan formation) or more shoots of a grape bush. To do this, in the fall, two already existing young shoots are cut off according to the scheme of the 1st year - leaving 3-4 buds.
- 3rd year. The task is to form sleeves, that is, perennial parts of the bush. To do this, in the spring, two young shoots are left on each of the two shoots of the first year. In this case, the sprout from the lower kidney should be on the outside of the bush. In autumn, 0.5 m of the length of each sleeve is left and tied to a wire stretched about 30 cm above the ground. You need to cut the shoots so that the outer sleeves of the fan are longer and the inner ones are shorter.
- 4th year. This year, the process of forming a bush is completed. To do this, in the spring, only 2-3 sprouts (upper) are kept on the shoot, which will form a fruitful vine. The remaining annual shoots are removed. The vine must be tied vertically to the trellis. In autumn, the upper process (fruit arrow) is cut to 7-8 eyes, and the lower one, which is a replacement knot, to 2-3 eyes. After pruning, a bush remains, having four sleeves and four fruit links.
- Each one next year in autumn, it is necessary to repeat the procedure of the 4th year - to prune the fruiting vine with the formation of a new fruit link from young sprouts that have emerged from the replacement knot.
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Uncovered grape varieties
How is the correct pruning of grapes of this formation:
- 1st year. In the spring, the seedling is cut off with the preservation of two buds, from which two young shoots appear by the fall of the 1st year.
- 2nd year. In the spring, of the two grown shoots, it is necessary to choose the strongest one - a bush stem will form from it - and cut it off, keeping three buds. The second shoot should be left as a backup and cut into a replacement knot so that two eyes remain. If there are other shoots, they should be removed. At the end of summer, the main shoot is pinched at the point of growth for better ripening. In autumn, only two upper shoots are left on the trunk, which will become the sleeves of the bush. They are bred to the sides and tied to a stretched wire. The stem is cut at the required height (not lower than 50 cm). You need to cut off the backup shoot so that 3-5 eyes remain.
- 3rd year. With the onset of spring, the two stem shoots left are cut into two buds. If sprouts appeared on last year's trunk cut, they must be removed. All eyes below the left sleeves are also cut off. By autumn, four shoots should appear from the abandoned buds - two on both shoulders. The lower shoots are cut to two buds. The two strongest shoots should be left on the reserve shoot, one of which (replacement knot) must be cut to two, and the other to 4-6 buds.
- 4th year. In the spring, the process of formation of the fruit link begins. To do this, the upper sleeves of the bush are cut to 6-7 eyes - they will form a fruit vine. The lower sleeves are cut to 2-3 eyes (replacement knot). This procedure completes the process of forming a bush according to the standard scheme.
- Each subsequent year in the fall, it is necessary to prune the fruitful vine and form a fruit link from a replacement knot according to the 4th year scheme.