Grapes are a fast growing plant and if not properly cared for they will devote all their internal resources to producing fresh vines. Thus, in order to achieve a plentiful and tasty harvest, the gardener needs to “adjust the priorities” of this horticultural crop, directing its forces not to growth, but to the formation of new clusters. For these purposes, grapes are pruned in the summer. The article provides a description of this procedure with all the small nuances, indicates the time frame in which it is necessary to carry out certain manipulations, and also gives recommendations for caring for grape bushes after they have been pruned.
What is it for?
Pruning grapes in the summer is one of the necessary components in caring for this plant. If it is not done, the bushes will grow uncontrollably, while giving a meager harvest of small and sour fruits. In general, this procedure leads to the following results:
bountiful harvest;
large and sweet berries;
fast fruit ripening;
high ventilation of the plant;
resistance to various diseases;
simplification of bush care;
free access of sunlight to stems and clusters;
high rate of nutrient circulation within the plant;
improving the aesthetic appearance of the vineyard.
It may seem to a novice gardener that having a large number of fruit-bearing arrows automatically eliminates the need for pruning grapes. Indeed, in this case, the harvest will be plentiful, but the very taste and size of the berries will leave much to be desired, because all the nutrients that the bush receives from the soil go into growth, and not into the formation of fruits.
Another possible option is the complete absence of fruits in the presence of a large number of leaves, high density and branching of the plant.
From this it follows that the main task of pruning grapes is to maintain a balance between empty and fruitful vines during the active life of the plant.
The advantage of this procedure is the possibility of carrying it out both with the help of garden tools and without them (we will discuss this in more detail below). Also, the availability of temporary resources should be attributed to the positive aspects. – pruning of grapes is carried out from June to August, which allows the gardener to easily allocate time for certain procedures.
In general, caring for grapes in the summer requires daily effort and attention. If this garden culture is not taken seriously, then the primary consequences will be a meager harvest (or its complete absence) and a neglected appearance of the garden plot itself. At the same time, the efforts and time invested by the gardener are more than paid off – thanks to pruning and proper care in the summer from August to November, grape bushes will be strewn with large clusters with large and sweet berries.
Deadlines
In summer, grape bushes should be pruned both before and after flowering, as well as during the appearance of brushes (in case of unnecessary shoots). In other words, you need to cut the grapes all three months – in June, in July and in August.
June pruning consists of the following manipulations – breaking off young shoots and tying up a fruitful stem. Thanks to these actions, the load of the brushes with the ovary and empty processes is evenly distributed. And also in this month, replacement processes are laid, in place of which, after 1 year, fruitful branches are formed.
In the middle of summer, when the grapes have faded, experts advise removing extra stepchildren, treating the plant from pests, and fertilizing the soil. As a result, such care leads to a sweet and bountiful harvest.
August pruning of young shoots occurs by chasing. In addition, experienced gardeners recommend removing a few upper roots at the end of summer to improve the functioning of the lower rhizome.
At the discretion of gardeners, the question of removing grape tendrils remains – if the bush is tied to a support, you can get rid of the mustache.
Types
First of all, it should be noted that within two years after planting this horticultural crop, regardless of the variety, the plant is pruned according to one algorithm, which includes the following features:
preliminary planning of the future form of the grape bush;
when planning to shelter a bush for the winter, the maximum shortening of the stem of the plant;
removing a vine that has overwintered for two seasons, as it will no longer produce berries;
preservation of 8 eyes or more during the cutting of fruitful arrows.
Formally, the process of summer pruning of grapes is divided into 4 stages: removal of stepchildren, pinching, clarification and chasing. Below is a step-by-step description of how to carry out these procedures. These tips can be useful for both beginner gardeners and those with experience in this field.
Removal of stepchildren
Experts advise getting rid of unnecessary shoots in July after the bushes have faded. As a result of this procedure, the plant gets access to the required amount of sunlight, due to which the berries acquire sweetness, and the bush itself becomes more resistant to various diseases.
It is not recommended to cut the stepchildren to the very base – it is better to leave a process about 15-20 mm from the first sheet.
Since grapes are a fast-growing plant, the bushes must be inspected every week to make it easier and more convenient to thin out stepchildren that appear within 2-3 days after pruning.
Prishchip
Pinching is carried out in order to improve the fruitful qualities of the plant. This pruning method slows down the growth of the shoots, due to which the nutrients that previously helped the plant form new taps go into the growth of future brushes.
Pinching is carried out before the grapes begin to bloom – the upper part of the young shoot (9,5-10,5 cm to the beginning of the stiff section of the stem) is pinched with two fingers.
This procedure should be carried out every 10-12 days.
Lightening
This type of pruning is carried out, as a rule, during the maturation of the brushes and consists in thinning the foliage, as a result of which the airflow of the plant, as well as the clusters, increases, thereby improving the quality of the crop. Experienced gardeners recommend leaving a maximum of three clusters on strong shoots, and one on weak shoots.
For many beginners, it is typical to leave cut leaves on the ground near the roots of the bush – this is wrong, as clusters of bacteria can form on the foliage, which can later infect the vine.
Embossing
The minting procedure has common steps with pinching, however, in this case, the top of the shoot should be removed by about 40 cm. As a rule, minting is carried out in August in order to speed up the process of ripening berries.
Features of chasing a grape bush:
an average of 14 leaves must be left on the plant;
it is not recommended to shorten the shoots too much, as well as carry out the procedure itself until August, otherwise this will lead to intensive formation of stepchildren and delayed maturation of the brushes;
it is impossible to carry out circumcision on diseased bushes, in dry and hot weather, as well as in areas with a close location of groundwater.
Before cutting the bush, working tools (knives, secateurs) must first be disinfected and sharpened. Withit should be remembered that the cuts must be on the inside of the shoot and be smooth – otherwise, a sharp decrease in yield is possible due to poor circulation of the plant’s internal juices containing various nutrients. As well as pruning grapes can be done with bare hands by breaking off unnecessary shoots.
Aftercare
In the summer, after pruning, the plant should be looked after:
water abundantly (1 bucket of water per 1 grape bush);
fertilize (ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate);
loosen the ground around the plant after watering and introducing liquid fertilizers;
mulch the ground;
if necessary, tie to vertical supports.
Pruning grapes is a necessary procedure, but it can lead to a weakening of the plant and reduce its resistance to various diseases, in particular, to fungal infections. To avoid this, the bush should be treated with fungicides. When an initial lesion with gray rot is detected, the plant should be sprayed with a manganese solution, and the clusters should be sprayed with ordinary baking soda.
