How to cover grapes for the winter. Preparing grapes for winter - how to protect the vineyard from severe frosts

Many gardeners grow on their plots various varieties grapes. This is a plant that loves warmth and may not tolerate severe frosts. Even more warm winter brings a surprise in the form of severe frosts. Can die from sudden changes in air temperature a large number of shoots. The weakest part of the bush is the young roots, which have just begun to form, and the buds.

When do you need to cover the grapes for the winter?

It doesn’t matter what kind of weather forecasters predict for the winter, in any case, it’s worth playing it safe. Moreover, the whole process does not take much time and effort.

Timely preparation of plants for cold weather is very important. It is known that winter is accompanied by severe frosts, which can harm all plants, including grapes. In addition to weather conditions, the date of its shelter is affected by the grape variety and its location.

To avoid losing a bush, you need to know the basic rules for hiding it on winter period:

1. In the middle of autumn, after the harvest, you need prune the vine: for this, young shoots and the unripened part are removed from both sides of the bush.
2. Late October or early November water the grapes. Dry soil freezes faster than wet soil. An approximate calculation for one bush is 10 buckets of water, in several approaches. The soil must be very well saturated with water. In winter, moisture will come out in the form of steam and thereby warm the roots of the grapes.
3. Water the soil around the bush with fertilizer such as bird droppings, slurry or wood ash.
4. Process the vine .
5. Decompose poison from rodents, if necessary.

The first cold snaps will only strengthen the immunity of the plant. When the temperature drops below -5 degrees, you should cover the bush from frost. Otherwise, the vine will become fragile, which will not allow it to be tilted to the ground without damage, and the buds will freeze - this will lead to loss of crop.

Shelter methods

There are many varieties of shelter, but the main thing is to remember about air circulation, because the grapes must "breathe", otherwise the plant will die in the winter. In a vertical position, leave only frost-resistant varieties, the remaining varieties must be tilted horizontally.

Professionals distinguish the following options:

• Half cover;
• Complete cover;
• Hilling.

Hilling

This is very easy way vineyard shelters for the winter, which will protect the root system and the lower part of the shoots. An earth mound 25 cm high is made around each bush.

Spud usually plants of the first year of planting. This method will not protect the kidneys, and during severe frosts the whole bush will die.

semi-cover

This method will protect only the lower part of the grapes, which is closest to the ground, from frost. The remaining parts are covered with improvised means.

This method does not give the desired effect - part of the grapes remains unprotected, and in severe frosts they threaten the death of the bush.

Full cover

The best and most reliable shelter for grapes in the cold season is complete shelter. To do this, you need to do a number of actions:

1. Wait for the natural fall of the leaves.
2. Cut and form a bush.
3. Tie the shoots together and bend to the ground.

For complete coverage use old clothes or a rag. The grapes are covered with a film, pressed to the soil with iron staples.

The main thing is that the kidneys do not touch the polyethylene, otherwise they may prohibit, and the plant will begin to rot.

If there are thaws in winter, then you need to periodically raise the film, giving fresh air circulate inside the shelter.

What to hide?

• cover the vineyard earth. This is a very simple and one of the most ancient ways. It is necessary to lay the shrub horizontally and cover it with dried leaves. fruit trees or straw by about 10 cm. Pour the same layer of earth on top.
• cover film. Bend out metal wire U-shaped, and stick it into the ground. On top of the inserted arcs, cover the film, sprinkling it around the entire perimeter, and small air holes should be left at the ends.
• cover wooden shields. Stretch the film under the vine, and throw leaves on it. Set shields in the form gable roof and at the junction lubricate with roofing material to avoid water leakage. Sprinkle the sides with earth, close the ends so that at any time you can open them for ventilation.
• shelter bag of rice. They are cut from both sides along the perimeter, then covered with shoots that are tilted to a horizontal position. Earth is poured on top of the bags, you can press them with any available means. The fabric does not interfere with air circulation, thereby protecting the vine from debate.
• After pruning the entire grape the vine is tied together. When the grapes are pressed to the ground, only the lower parts will be in contact with the ground. Therefore, it is not worth tying the bushes tightly to each other - a maximum of 10 cm in a bunch. Tilt the vine to a horizontal position and roll into a ring, placing a few bricks on top, cover with green needles.
• Another way is sawdust. A film is spread under the bush, this is done so that moisture does not evaporate from the soil. Next, you need to tilt the vine to the ground and cover it with sawdust on top, put a few bricks around the perimeter, cover.
• Shelter reed mats convenient in that you can quickly cover and open the vine. It must be laid in a double layer. Inside each reed, the temperature drops much more slowly than outside. The downside is that it is very difficult to make them yourself - this is a long and painstaking work, it is easier to buy them. The approximate service life of such a product is about 3 years.
• Spunbond is a technology nonwoven fabric. It does not allow air, light and moisture to pass through. Because of this, the material has a high resistance to corrosion. Special thermal films are made from spunbond, which cover plants for the winter.

Shelter of young grapes

1. Dig a hole around the young bush.
2. The unripe vine is cut from the edge at a distance of 10–15 cm.
3. Treat the excavated earth with a 3% solution of iron sulphate: for 10 liters of water, approximately 250–300 gr.
4. Wind the bush into a circle and secure with wire.
5. Lay the plant horizontally in the hole.
6. Cover with burlap and cover with earth: layer thickness 15–20 cm.

Young grapes can be covered in other ways:

• plastic container;
• unnecessary buckets;
• thick paper tents;
• fabrics;
• dried grass or straw.

In all these cases, the shelter of the vineyard is sprinkled with earth.

Common mistakes

Gardeners with no experience make the following mistakes:

• throw a very large layer of soil on top of the insulation;
• cover with grape leaves, which cannot be done - they cause rotting and fungus, which can lead to the loss of the bush;
• only vine branches are insulated (in order for the vineyard to successfully endure frosts, you need to cover the soil around the bush, because root system very weak)
• forget about air ventilation;
• tilt the vine on the soil without any insulation;
• do not cut young shoots.

Basic rules to remember

When choosing any method of shelter, you must consider:

• competent landing;
• well-groomed and the absence of diseases of various forms.

Weakened and diseased plants will not be saved by any shelter - they will freeze and lose young shoots.

Subject to all the rules of wintering, grape bushes will please with a good harvest.

" Grape

Each gardener uses his own methods of sheltering grapes to protect them from frost. However, when performing work, many mistakes are made, which leads to freezing of the vine or its overheating. Below in this article we will look at how to prepare grapes for shelter for the winter, what material to choose for this and how to cover young and mature plantings.

Before getting ready young grapes by winter, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of the variety and its features. Among existing varieties There are plants resistant to low temperatures and very sensitive to coolness. Besides an important factor is the climate of the region where the crop is grown. Based on the information collected, a plan of preparatory measures should be built.

The southern regions are characterized by a mild climate, so frost-resistant grape varieties are not wrapped up for the winter.

The winter hardiness of plants indicates their ability to endure unfavorable conditions. weather during the cold season. All varieties are classified according to this indicator into the following types:

• unstable to low temperatures (do not even withstand frost down to -10 °);
• unstable, able to survive the cold down to -15-17 ° (with the preservation of eyes up to 100%);
• moderately resistant (up to -21°), retaining eyes up to 40-60%;
• with increased stability (up to -25-27°) while maintaining eyes 60-80%;
• highly resistant (up to -27-28°) while maintaining eyes up to 80-100%.

Any grape variety should be prepared for winter, only the list of activities will vary in each individual case. When compiling a list of works, it is worth considering that the roots are more susceptible to freezing than the vine. In the same way, the bush itself tolerates cold in different ways: an age plant has increased resistance, unlike young growth.

If the grapes are not prepared for winter, the first frosts can destroy them.

In regions with unfavorable climatic conditions, wrapping bushes is considered a necessity, because the indicators often fall below -30 °. Plants cannot do without warming. It is also worthwhile to provide for the shelter of the root system of crops growing on sandy soils, where there is a high percentage of vine freezing.

How to properly protect a plant

Before we talk about when to harvest grapes for the winter, let's talk about preparation. At the end of the season, a number of activities are carried out aimed at restoring the vitality of the vineyard to ensure survival in conditions of frost and strong winds.

Autumn processing of the vine and preparation for pruning

The first thing that people pay attention to after picking the bunches is the condition of the vine. On a bald shrub, you can easily see all the damage and lesions. plant on this stage must be processed even if no signs of disease or insects were found during the examination. Spraying will help to avoid the development of various infections, as a result of which the bush does not stand the test in winter and dies.

If serious damage to the branches was not found, then it is enough to carry out preventive spraying with a solution blue vitriol, Bordeaux liquid or urea. If signs of the disease are found, more drastic measures should be resorted to - treatment with chemical preparations.

You should not be afraid of chemistry, because by the time of the next season, all toxic components decompose and are completely removed from the soil. The future harvest will be completely safe. But to save the life of the vine without special means it will be extremely difficult, especially when it comes to mildew or oidium. Popular fungicides include:

• Ridomil;
• Amistar;
• Fundazol and others.

Autumn spraying of plants solves several problems at the same time:

• • increases the immunity of the culture;
  • destroys larvae, harmful microorganisms and bacteria hidden under the bark;
  • localizes the focus of infection;
  • replenishes the deficiency of useful microelements.

Pruning before covering

After the leaves fall (after a couple of weeks), they begin to trim the bushes. The autumn procedure for the plant is less traumatic, because the process of movement of juice along the vine is suspended at this stage. In addition, over the winter, the cut will have time to stiffen.

Pruning of young shoots is aimed at the formation of a bush. For this, a certain scheme is selected. From the vines growing from the ground at an angle, 3-8 sleeves are left. If you perform the procedure annually, there will be no problems with pruning. But with an adult plant you will have to tinker, especially if it has not previously been cleaned and thinned. Following simple rules, even the most neglected shrub can be put in order.

• • • • From perennial sleeves, remove young shoots that have appeared at a height of up to half a meter from ground level. This must be done in the first decade of September.
      • Then the level is cut from 50 cm to 1 m from the ground surface. On all young processes, the tip must be removed (up to 10% of the total length). Side stepchildren are also superfluous on the bush, they should be removed.
      • In the middle of October, approximately when all the leaves fall, you need to choose the most developed shoots (2-3) at a height of up to 1 m from the ground.
      • Cut off the lower process formed from the outer sleeve, retaining 3-4 eyes. Thus, a substitution knot will be obtained.
      • The shoot located on the opposite side is cut off with the preservation of 5-12 eyes. This will form a fruit arrow.

After such pruning, only powerful perennial stems and sleeves with buds will remain on the plant, which in the new season will be thrown out by young shoots and brushes.

autumn pruning vineyard in front of shelter

Fertilizing, watering and pruning in the garden

Irrigation after harvest is carried out if necessary. Do not water the bushes during heavy rainfall. If the weather spoils with steady heat and dry weather, then it is simply necessary to saturate the soil with moisture. In October, they do only one thing, but abundant moisture. At this point, irrigation work is stopped until the next season.

At the end of the fruiting period, grape bushes are completely emptied, and top dressing nutrients would be very appropriate. The plant needs to gain strength to survive in the winter. In autumn, a young vine is necessarily enriched with organic matter (compost, humus, a mixture of peat and wood ash), an adult culture is fed 1 time in 3-4 years. In feeding, it is important to observe a sense of proportion, with grapes it is better to underfeed than to oversaturate it with various microelements.

Autumn watering is necessary in case of dry autumn

At what temperature is shelter needed?

Unstable grape varieties must be covered for the winter protective layer. The same procedure is performed with plants grown in harsh climates. If the vine is not insulated and covered, then the first persistent frosts will cause the death of the plant. Annual shoots are especially sensitive to low temperatures, so they are wrapped up, even if the variety is frost-resistant.

Timing to warm the grapes before the cold

Hurry to close the bushes is not worth it. In warm weather, the grapes can resist. A humid environment often provokes the development of the fungus. But at the same time, tightening is also unacceptable, because even small frosts are dangerous for unstable varieties. Optimal time defense structures falls at the end of October. But to a greater extent, it is worth focusing on weather conditions, only they indicate the need to speed up the process.

IN northern regions preparation is planned for the end of September - the beginning of October. And in the southern part of the country and middle lane the period of preparation for winter falls at the end of October - beginning of November. The main thing is to have time to finish everything before the first frost.

Shelter period of grapes - October

Necessary materials

Along with the usual covering materials, it is recommended to use agrofibre. Thin and light tightly perfectly passes moisture, retains ultra-violet rays. When in contact with plants, there are no dangers; agrofibre does not contain toxic substances, which confirms its environmental friendliness.

One of the advantages of the material is the ability to carry out thermoregulation, even when low temperatures under such a shelter, a positive temperature is established.

The insulation will last more than one season, if you fix it correctly and carefully unpack the grape lash in the spring. And the main advantage lies in the ease of use of the canvas, it is enough to cover the vine and sprinkle everything with soil.

Along with agrofibre, a film is used. There are several options for creating a shelter, but they all require constant supervision and presence. During the thaw, the film material must be slightly opened to ensure air circulation. Otherwise, the grapes can rest.

The essence of creating a shelter is to install a small frame made of thick wire and cover it with polyethylene. This method is suitable for regions of the middle zone, where frosts do not exceed 20 °.

Spunbond refers to modern materials, possessing thermal insulation characteristics.It well passes air moisture. It is used both on the frame and as a wrapping fabric (similar to agrofibre).

Ways to cover whips in winter

There are several ways to cover the vine, which makes it possible to choose the best option.

dry shelter

With this method, the whip is tied closer to the root zone and leans towards the ground (an interval of 10-30 cm is observed). With the help of metal brackets, the position of the vine is fixed. The lower part is abundantly covered with sawdust or dry leaves, and the surface is covered with a film. The edges are tightly reinforced with bricks or stones so that the wind does not blow away the shelter.

Partial closure

This method involves hilling the bushes, and partially wrapping the material of that part that is closer to the soil. This approach is more suitable for the middle zone, where frosts do not fall below 25 °.

Earth insulation

This method is used more often than others. The bottom line is digging a trench and immersing a connected whip into it. In order not to damage the vine and avoid freezing, it is recommended to cover the branches first with boards, and then dig in with soil. The layer thickness should be 20 cm.

The method using powdered soil is popular due to its simplicity and the absence of additional costs to carry out work.

House way

Covering the house is not difficult. It is also considered a low-cost measure and is used mainly in small farms. To create protection, you will need to prepare shields (150x30 cm), attach loops to them with inside and cover with roofing felt for waterproofing.

The essence of the method is to place the vine on the shield, the other two are fixed with loops, forming a triangle. The roofing material is attached from the inside, preventing the penetration of precipitation onto the whip. The advantages of the method: the absence of contact between the branches and the soil, the air gap that has arisen between the bush and the house.

The main mistakes of beginners

When sheltering a vine, gardeners often make mistakes that can make protection ineffective or lead to the death of a bush.

• • • • Creating a shelter for the vine, the soil is raked out from under the root system of the grapes. As a result, the roots freeze. If the lash needs to be sprinkled with soil, it must be taken in a free area.
      • When fixing the covering material that wraps the vine, make a weak strapping. At the first gusty winds, the protection flies off the branches, leaving the vine without insulation. Experienced gardeners it is recommended, in addition to reliable tying of the vine, to install snow retention - boards made of wood or iron, installed with a peg around the bush.
      • Carried away by the insulation of the vine, many forget about the roots, and they are most vulnerable to low temperatures. Therefore, you need to rake up the soil under the bush, sprinkle dry leaves or peat.
      • Before creating a shelter, the bush does not undergo processing. Under the covering material, insects and bacteria actively multiply, reducing the chances of the plant surviving.
      • Some gardeners lay out a layer of insulation between the soil and the vine. This is a gross mistake, the earth warms the bush. But on the surface, such protection is simply necessary.
      • If you wrap the grapes ahead of schedule or later, then the protection will create more problems for the plant. The optimal period is considered to be the end of October.

Ways to protect against mice and rodents

The vine, laid close to the ground, can become a delicacy for rodents, so it is important to protect and preserve wintering grapes. Gardeners recommend choosing one of the following options.

• • • • Mechanical traps are installed around the perimeter fruit bushes to catch rodents. These can be ordinary five-liter plastic containers or glass bottles to which a little vegetable oil is added.
      • Poisonous chemicals represent the most effective method pest control. Among the popular: Difenacin, Brodifacoum, Flocumafen.
      • Repellers are humane methods of dealing with rodents. The bottom line is to establish containers with a certain substance along the perimeter of the bush, the aroma of which repels mice and rats. Among the well-known smells: kerosene, Vishnevsky's ointment, naphthalene, liquid smoke, etc., which will help save the vines in the garden.

Judging by the above recommendations, preparatory work is not difficult task even a beginner can handle it. If you have questions, it is better to seek the advice of specialists. They can not only explain, but also help warm young grapes for wintering in the garden.

Characteristics of grapes

Grapes are one of the first crops that man mastered. These berries have been known to people since time immemorial. The color of the grapes depends on the variety. There are berries yellow, black, green, purple, dark blue and others. Grapes have a very useful properties. Each adult, according to scientists, in order to get enough vitamins and microelements, should eat about 70 kg of berries a year, but eats half as much, since grapes are not of low cost. This problem is solved by growing grapes on personal plot. In order to succeed in this business, you need to have certain skills and knowledge. And also have an idea of ​​​​how to cover the grapes for the winter.

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Ways to shelter grapes for the winter

If the temperature is -18 ° C for 5 days, 70% of the eyes may die. If the temperature drops below, all eyes, perennial wood, annual vines die. But the root system is the most sensitive to low temperatures. At a soil temperature of -5 ° C, the fibrous part of the roots is damaged. If the roots freeze, the plant dies. Grapes can not be covered in those areas where the temperature does not fall below -16 ° C. Among the numerous varieties of grapes, there are also frost-resistant varieties. They can not be covered, even if the temperature drops to -20 ° C. All varieties are covered when the temperature drops to -21 ° C - 24 ° C. Before you cover the grapes for the winter, it must be removed from the trellis, pruned, and plant debris removed. After that, the plant must be treated with copper or iron sulfate. If your area is characterized by a large number of rodents, then poisoned baits will have to be put along with the vine.

Do not leave the vines in an upright position or wrap them with any material. This will not save them from frost, since the temperature under the shelter will be the same as in the air. It is more expedient to bend or pin the grapes to the soil. Finished vines are buried with moist soil taken from row spacing. It is impossible to take the earth from under the bushes, as the roots may freeze.

The best way to shelter vines is considered air-dry, because if the winter is warm, then with direct shelter, the eyes will die and die. The essence of this method is as follows: a dark film or plastic burlap is thrown onto the wire arcs or onto the bunches of shoots. After that, the bushes need to be buried with soil.

If the air-dry method is used, then shelters sometimes need to be opened to dry, ventilate and cool the shoots.

Also at this method to cover the vines, you can use dry organic materials, such as sawdust, straw, leaves, and place a film on top, the edges of which must be pressed. There are semi-covering forms of this plant. They are used in areas where harsh winters alternate with warm ones.

In areas where the snow cover is high and stable, grapes can be planted in trenches 45-50 cm deep, and for the winter the shoots can be pressed to the bottom. In these recesses, snow accumulates, which protects the vine from frost. In the southern regions, plants are covered with a layer of soil 20 cm or 25 cm. It is important to know that it is necessary to cover the vines before the onset of frost, as the vine becomes brittle.

As you know, grape buds begin to freeze at temperatures from minus 16 to minus 22 degrees Celsius, depending on the variety. Grape roots are more sensitive to cold and freeze at -5 ... -7 ° C. In central Russia, the middle Volga region, the Urals and Siberia, more than 50 grape varieties are successfully grown, but almost all of these varieties must be covered for the winter. Cover the grapes different ways, but after the aerial parts of the grapes covered with pine spruce branches almost all froze out, when the frost without snow in November was minus 25 degrees, I began to cover the surviving and young grapes more strongly.

The main problems are created not so much by the frost itself as by the frosty wind. It seems to “dry out” the kidney, so any shelter should protect from the frosty wind. The second negative factor is humidity. If the vine lies on the ground, then the problem is excessive wetting of the vine, at the beginning of winter, or at the beginning of spring. Well, vyprevanie eyes, if there is no ventilation. That is, the vine from below should not lie on bare ground, and moisture should not flow from above. By itself, any covering material that meets these requirements is already suitable for shelter.

Basically, it is widely believed that everything needs to be covered with spruce paws. But although this is a good material for shelter, it is still not available to everyone, especially in large quantities. Therefore, there are many things that are easier to get and easier to use. For example: ordinary packaging cardboard, which is not a problem to get, and plastic film, preferably opaque, of course, or roofing material. After pruning, we tilt the vines to the ground (I pulled a wire at the bottom of many trellises at a distance of 15-20 cm from the ground, and tie the vines to it), you can put the same spruce paws under the vines, or the same roofing material. Then cover with cardboard on top, and a film on the cardboard. If the winters are very cold in your area, you can use a couple of layers of cardboard.

Also, as a covering material, you can use foamed polyethylene (substrate for laminate), or straw and roofing material. In this case, it is better to use last year's straw, so that mice do not get into the shelter. In Poland, foam sheets are used; in more northern regions, wooden boxes are used to cover the vine.

In general, the main requirement for shelter is waterproofness, ventilation, and protection from the wind. Yes, one more thing - a transparent film is not used without anything, there must be some kind of opaque shelter under it, otherwise we will get a greenhouse effect under the first rays of the sun. And do not forget to leave vents at the ends of the shelter.

Significant temperature fluctuations in autumn and winter, which are typical for the Moscow region, Volgograd, the Volga region and the Urals, annually destroy a large number of vines. Especially Negative influence negative temperature has on young and annual seedlings. To avoid such disastrous results, the grapes for the winter need not only to be covered, but to do it right.

So when is it not necessary to start sheltering grapes for the winter? It is known that with a relative rest of its above-ground part, grapes without shelter can tolerate a decrease in air temperature to -15. In the event of a further drop in temperature, the plant's eyes die. At this temperature environment in four days, up to 70% of all eyes can die, and at an air temperature of 20 ° C or more, all eyes die (both on an annual seedling and on an adult bush).

But the root system of grapes cannot boast even such frost resistance. Lowering the temperature to -6 degrees Celsius damages the fibrous part of the root system. Damage to the roots is more serious, since the frostbitten ground part can still recover in spring and summer, then frostbite of the root system almost always entails the death of the entire grape bush.

This information is correct, to a greater extent for covering grapes, although they are, in general, reliable for other varieties.

In areas where in winter the air temperature does not drop below -16 degrees, grapes (even covering varieties) can not be covered. And if the temperature drops below -20 ° C - you need to cover only non-frost-resistant varieties.

Knowing temperature regime, which is typical for winter in your area, you will be able to cover the right vines without doing unnecessary and unnecessary work.

In the risky gardening area, we cover with a standard air dry cover all varieties of grapes, even the most frost-resistant. The purpose of this shelter is to create an optimal mode of heat and dryness for grapes, to exclude freezing and damping. Then a harsh or changeable winter will not prevent the vine from waking up safely in the spring.

Preparing grapes for winter. In autumn, the grower must do everything possible so that the vine on the grape bushes ripens well, in particular, this is facilitated by spraying the bush with potassium monophosphate (15 g per 10 liters of water). For hardening grape bushes, you can use this interesting way used by experienced growers. It is necessary to break through the soil with a sharp blow of an ordinary metal scrap about 10-15 cm from the head of the bush and break the integrity of the near-surface roots of the bush. This will start the hardening process of the plant and speed up the maturation of the vine.

By the beginning of October, you need to remove the last bunches of grapes and carry out the mandatory winter watering.

But do not rush to cover an adult vine, it is not afraid of the first frosts, they will only affect green leaves and shoots, and harden the woody vine.

After the first hard frosts and natural leaf fall, remove the vine from the trellis and prune. If leaf fall has not occurred by this time, then carefully, without touching the eyes, remove the leaves from the vine. Remove all weak and fruitful shoots this year, as well as all the green unripened part of the shoots. When pruning by the most common method of fan formation in the North, one of the strongest idle shoots is left on each sleeve, located closer to the head of the bush, shortening it to a length corresponding to the recommendations for a particular variety, on average - by 6–8 eyes. For insurance, you can leave an additional replacement knot for every two vines, cut into 2-3 eyes.

Then loosely tie the vine into bunches (fascines) and gently press them down, connecting the bushes in pairs towards each other about 10–20 cm above the ground. Place prepared boards or dry spruce branches under the vine in advance.

Dry must also be covered vine. These operations are necessarily carried out at a positive temperature so that the fragile vine does not break. Already cut and bound state it is advisable to spray the bushes with iron sulfate at a concentration of 3-5% (300-500 g per 10 liters of water), for "youth" use a lower concentration. inkstone(iron sulphate) - the simplest fungicide used in the fall to protect vines and eyes from mold in winter and to eradicate pathogens of certain diseases from the surface of the vine.

What do you need for an air-dry shelter?
Strong welded mesh 1–1.5 m wide (depending on the depth of the trench). We cut the grid into easy-to-use one and a half meter fragments and bend it with the letter “P” with a crossbar along the width of the trench and “legs” of 30–40 cm so that the “letter” almost does not rise above the trench and in winter the snow does not fall off it.

Non-woven covering material (spunbond 60 or agrospun 60), which can be folded in half in areas with severe frosts. This material provides a dry state of air in the shelter. External humid air does not penetrate into the shelter, because the air temperature and pressure inside the shelter is higher than outside. In frosty weather, this difference is especially large.

Thick durable polyethylene film. We advise winegrowers to buy such materials in rolls based on long-term use, it won't be very expensive. Tunnel shelters from these three components are mounted quite quickly. Instead of a non-woven covering material, you can use straw or reed mats, instead of a film - slate, roofing felt or roofing material. The ends of the tunnels are left open until constant negative temperatures are established. With the onset of constant frost, we close the ends - not tightly and with a bend of the covering material inward.

Do not forget to also put pieces of burnt felt or rags soaked in used engine oil in each tunnel to repel rodents.

Shelter of grapes. On a dry, clear day around the end of October - beginning of November, proceed to cover the grapes. By this time, the first frosts with a temperature of -5 ... -7 ° С usually already pass, but constant frosts have not yet been established negative temperatures. It is necessary to cover the grapes not only under the vine, but, if possible, the entire zone of the horizontal projection of the root system, otherwise the roots may suffer in a snowy winter.

All plants are afraid of severe frosts, so you need to know how to cover the grapes for the winter. The period of the so-called state of rest lasts from one to two quarters, that is, approximately half a year. Grapes do not like severe frosts and sudden thaws, because of which there is a possibility of resuming the movement of juice and starting the life system much earlier than necessary. With the alternation of lowering and raising temperature indicators, there may be a possibility of plant death.

Young shoots are especially afraid of the winter cold, so it is necessary to cover the grapes for the winter. The quality and literacy of timely insulation work have a direct impact on the yield of bushes at the end summer period. How to cover grapes for the winter correctly? You can use a lot of subtleties and interesting technologies, thanks to which the root system of the grapes will be preserved, and the yield of bushes and the size of the berries will pleasantly surprise the gardener.

There are three ways to properly cover the grapes for the winter:

• hilling shelter technique;
• method of sheltering grapes by 50%;
• full cover of bushes.

Based on the characteristics of a particular grape variety, we cover the grapes for the winter. Each shelter option is considered special. It is selected on the basis of data on the climatic situation and the variety of grape bushes. The optimal selection of techniques for sheltering bushes guarantees the absence of frozen plants.

Young cuttings and young vines love hilling cover. The working technique is very simple. Around young bushes, rather dense mounds of soil are made, the height of which can reach 30 cm. This technique involves minimum investment labor and funds, but old bushes cannot be covered by this method.

IN climatic zones, where there is no likelihood of temperature fluctuations and significant frosts, adult plants can be sheltered using this technique, but their tops must be wrapped. When there are no severe frosts, buds are preserved that are poorly protected.

We carry out the shelter of plants by 50%

When using this technology of plant insulation, the crown is covered with earth. In this case, the crown should be placed at a level of 0.2-0.3 m above ground level. The remaining elements of the crown of the plant drape:

• placing the crown in the film;
• covering it with straw;
• warming the plant with a dense cloth.

The thickness of the protective layer should not exceed 50 mm. Such a shelter for the winter is suitable:

• for young shoots;
• for plants living in warm climatic zones;
• for regions where frosts do not destroy the crown of plants.

If frost hits an unprotected area of ​​the bush, the bush is likely to be completely destroyed.

We carry out a complete shelter of the bushes

The vine is completely removed from the supporting structures. Perform the removal of the remaining leaves from the bushes. The shoots remaining on the surface are collected in bunches and pressed to the ground. Tools for hiding can be old things. You can cover the grapes with a film, but when using it, the so-called greenhouse effect may occur.

In the case of not severe frosts, the kidneys can be blocked, and in the spring they can burn out. Therefore, it is better to press down the branches with boards or bricks and cover them with earth.

Shelter of grapes for the winter (video)

We prepare bushes for every season

In the summer, we thin out the vineyards, while the stepchildren need to be eliminated. Frost renders negative impact on young shoots remaining for the winter. Young bushes will experience a lack of moisture and begin to deprive the entire bush of vitality. When it's warm outside, grapes need light. Ripe berries need to be collected quickly.

You need to cover the grapes on time, but you should not start warming the bush at the first drop in temperature. The first frosts will harden the grapes, as a result of which the bush will ripen much better. If the temperature readings have fallen below -2 ° C, then the shelter of the plant must be completed in the near future. For the vine, the maximum level of frost, at which its vital activity is not disturbed, is -23 ° C, and the roots of the plant will die when the temperature drops even at the level of -10 ° C.

At first glance, it may seem that there is no need to rush, because the root system of the plant is completely immersed in the ground, and nothing threatens it. In fact, frost penetrates the roots through the juice that passes through the vine. Early shelter of vine bushes during late autumn or during the first frost will save the bushes and prevent the roots from freezing.

IN autumn period you need to collect all the berries. After this, we water the plants well with water, to which it is recommended to add potassium permanganate. Bushes need to be treated with fertilizers of organic and mineral origin, while you need to use boric acid, superphosphates, ash, and humus. At the last stage of preparation, pruning of bushes is performed. On this preparatory work are considered complete and you can begin to cover the grapes for the winter.

To shelter the grapes for the cold, you can use a white film that acts as a kind of fur coat for the bushes. In such clothes, grapes will warm up 1.5 degrees more efficiently.

Snow cover must be present on the surface of the earth, preventing freezing of the soil and freezing of the root system of grapes. Wind currents should not blow away the snow cover from the earth's surface, therefore special shields are installed, the height of which should be approximately 500 mm.