How to grow grapes from cuttings?

Many gardeners, in order to grow the desired grape variety, resort to its propagation by cuttings. In this article, you will learn how to properly grow grapes from cuttings, and you can also find out everything about their rooting in spring and autumn at home.

Pros and cons of growing

Growing grapes from cuttings is not so difficult, but the process has its own specifics. Reproduction in this way has several advantages and disadvantages. Let’s start with the first.

• Confidence. You do not doubt the state of health of the plant, choosing one or another site on it yourself. When buying cuttings in a store, you can never tell for sure whether they are healthy or not. Moreover, chibouks are able to fully preserve their pedigree.
• Viability. By rooting cuttings, you can get a strong seedling at the very beginning of summer, but when bred in open ground, such a result can be obtained only in the first months of autumn. This happens because when rooting, the cutting (it is also called a chubuk) goes through a two-year cycle in one season, so you can expect fruiting from it a year earlier.
• Volumes. You can propagate the bush for as many plants as you need with your own hands absolutely free of charge. The largest number of mature vines, ideal for propagation, can be obtained after autumn pruning.
• Independence. Growing grapes on your own, you do not depend on the manufacturer and the time frame for the supply of cuttings from his side.
• Convenience. Seedlings are not capricious in terms of growing conditions. It is enough to follow all the rules.

The disadvantages include the following.

• Time. You need to be patient enough as the process takes quite a long time.
• Immunizations. Another important condition for cuttings to take root well in the future.
• Space. Not to say that they take up a lot of it, but if you grow grapes in large quantities, you should take a suitable place in advance.

How to prepare and save cuttings?

Cuttings are prepared and stored since autumn. The success of the future harvest depends on the quality of the selected cuttings and the care provided. Experienced gardeners recommend taking lignified shoots from a large, strong and properly developed vine. Having given roots after two to four weeks, the plant becomes more capable of good adaptation. Such a plant avoids the stage of intermediate planting (the cutting is planted immediately in open ground), which reduces the risk of injury to the roots.

The preparation of chibouks itself consists of several stages.

• Slicing. The material should be cut from the vine mainly in October, before the first frost. At this time, the plant is resting, so cuttings taken in the fall tolerate separation from the main plant more calmly and have better viability in winter storage conditions. You need to cut at a slight angle, ideally with a knife.
• Storage. Harvested chibouks are distributed by grade, tied with a rope, applying a label with the name. Seedlings are usually stored in a cellar or basement, placed in wet sand or a refrigerator, wrapped in a bag or rag beforehand.
• Workpiece. Before planting the cuttings, it is necessary to carry out certain manipulations in order for them to achieve a full-fledged state that has woken up from the “winter hibernation”. The procedure is simple and will be described below.

Prepare

February is coming, spring is approaching, gardeners are beginning to prepare material for the approaching moment of planting. Chubuks that overwintered in a cold space need to be rooted. Let’s analyze the process step by step.

• The cuttings are taken out of storage and inspected for rot, black spots, and disease. The ends are cut with secateurs by one centimeter.
• Next, 1-2 days the cuttings stand in melted or spring water. It needs to be changed periodically. If neither one nor the other is available, tap water is taken, but it needs to stand for at least a day (for the release of chlorine and other components).
• If necessary (for a good harvest), they are treated with growth stimulants. Epin, Kornevin, sodium humate are popular.

Some gardeners additionally sweeten the water with a little honey.

Rooting methods

Germination and rooting methods in the spring at home are a bit similar to each other. Consider several ways on how to root future grapes easily and correctly.

In water

One of the most common and at the same time simple methods suitable for beginners is cuttings in water.. More precisely, in a jar or bottle of water. A container with a volume of 1 liter is taken, water at room temperature is poured into it (you can warm it up a little, there will be nothing wrong with it). It is enough that the height of the liquid reaches 5 cm from the bottom. Next, put a bunch of cuttings. The water needs to be changed from time to time.

The jar is placed on the windowsill, as the water evaporates from it, the liquid is added to the previous level. The first roots appear in about a month. Landing occurs when they reach a length of at least three millimeters.

In filler

Rooting can take place and is hidden from us: in the ground or other fillers. Planting chubukov in this case is often carried out in plastic bottles or cups. The following options are considered good substrates for germination.

• Peat tablets. Sold in specialized stores, they require constant moistening after swelling in water and planting cuttings.
• Coniferous sawdust. Pour into a container up to 3-4 cm and moisten. The planting of chibouks pre-soaked in water occurs with sprinkling the top layer with drier sawdust. The bottom level should be wet.
• Fertile soil. There should be enough humus and sand in the ground. Ideally, if it is a little loose.

On the wardrobe

One of the convenient methods for placing cuttings at home is the germination technique of Natalia Puzenko. Her method is recognized as effective: excellent seedlings are achieved with minimal cost and effort.

Fabric or any linen material is soaked in water and squeezed out (you can pre-rinse). Next, the canvas needs to be spread on the table. Chubuki are wrapped in fabric like in a diaper. “Roll” is placed in a plastic bag and left for three weeks. During this time, roots are formed.

Cultivation

All preparation for rooting, as well as processing, is carried out in the winter months. Preliminary disembarkation takes place in late February or early March. Before planting, cuttings with newly formed roots are grown. Strengthening is necessary so that in the summer the planting material is more likely to “wake up”. The process usually takes two to three weeks. Plants after the formation of 2-3 mm white roots on them are placed in an elongated container filled with light soil. Sometimes there are tips to plant in boxes or pots, but we will analyze simpler and less expensive options.

If you are using a bottle, you must:

• cut off the top of the bottle with a knife;
• make holes in the bottom area;
• pour drainage first, you can expanded clay, then loose soil;
• obliquely stick the cuttings;
• make a polyethylene cap on top.

Periodically, the plants are ventilated, the soil is moistened. Watering is necessary three times a week, and after the formation of good long roots, watering is reduced to two. Rooting takes 3, sometimes 4 weeks. If you are planting in cups, the procedure will be as follows.

• Holes are also made at the bottom, cups are placed on a tray or similar structure and filled with earth (can be mixed with turf, sawdust and fertilizers like crushed foliage or humus).
• seedlings are inserted, as in the previous version, obliquely.
• To prevent rapid evaporation of moisture chubuki can be covered with a plastic bag.
• Watering is carried out no more than three times a week, but only after the sun leaves the balcony or window sill.
• After the appearance of the first 4-5 leaves, watering is reduced to two times every seven days.. Next, the chibouks are planted in another container or in already prepared shkolki.

Thus, the chibouks become small vegetative seedlings, and the first leaves appear from green buds. The process takes 3-5 weeks. Landing can be done in early spring.

The nuances of the landing

Being in a state without or with roots, plants require certain conditions during harvesting or rooting. Remembering to follow the instructions, you will be able to masterfully grow good seedlings and plant them correctly. Grapes require a minimum of care. Therefore, further recommendations should be followed moderately.

• The plant, like all its southern relatives, belongs to heat-loving. Gardeners note that the most suitable places are a window sill and a radiator.
• The plant is not placed close to the glass: cold air currents inhibit development processes and make them unbalanced.
• Watering should be moderate. This is almost the most important rule. It is not always possible to accurately guess how much water a plant needs at one stage or another. The tray is extremely convenient in such a situation: the water poured into it is taken by the plant in such quantities as it needs.
• For watering the roots (especially during the rooting period), it is recommended to use melted or spring water. It is important that it is not cold.
• In the process of planting by the type of rooting, experienced gardeners feed seedlings with fertilizer dissolved in water. The best options are “Master”, “Kemira”. For one teaspoon of funds take 2 liters of water. The first time top dressing is carried out 2 weeks after rooting, the next – at intervals of two weeks.
• Loosening. The process contributes to a good saturation of the earth with oxygen, the normal development and growth of the root system. This is the second most important rule after watering.
• In case of planting in sawdust (rooting), it is necessary to retain moisture. For this, mulching will help you a lot.
• Regarding fertilizers: grapes are especially in dire need of top dressing at the stage of root formation. Well the vine assimilates superphosphate. If you add it to the cuttings before the root formation phase, then only in dissolved form. Mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium are also suitable. Each type is taken on average no more than two grams and dissolved in five liters of water. The procedure is carried out every half a month.

Planting cuttings in open ground is carried out in the spring, when the return frosts are definitely gone. The site is sprinkled with urea and plentifully irrigated. After a couple of hours, seedlings are planted at a distance of one and a half meters from each other.