Method and Precautions for Grape Planting
This article introduces the methods and precautions for grape planting, as well as sharing personal experiences in green plant care. Below, the editor provides a detailed explanation.
When to plant grape seedlings? How to plant them? The grape planting team at Daily Learning is here to tell you! This includes preparation before planting, precautions during planting, as well as the first year's pruning, fertilization, watering, and comprehensive management of pests and diseases, to help everyone better understand these daily management tasks, achieve early fruiting and high yield, and hope it is helpful to both new and experienced grape growers.
When to Plant Grape Seedlings?
Grape seedlings require a minimum temperature of around 14 degrees Celsius during their growth, which is sensitive to temperature, climate, and rainfall. Therefore, planting is generally done in spring. If planting in spring, March is a good time, and a shelter should be set up for outdoor planting to protect against wind and rain. In autumn, the planting period is from mid-July to August, which is longer than in spring. Grape seedlings planted in autumn usually fruit earlier, possibly in the second year. Generally, it takes 2-3 years for grape seedlings to bear fruit, and there are also some variations among different varieties.
Recent research has found that if grape seedlings are larger, autumn planting can yield better results than spring planting. The temperature changes in autumn are more stable and less variable than in spring, and the humidity of the air and soil is also higher. Compared to spring, autumn is more conducive to wound healing and new root growth. Therefore, the survival rate of grape seedlings planted in autumn can normally reach over 90%, much higher than that of spring planting.
Autumn planting can also bring an end to the high yield period earlier. Grape seedlings planted in autumn do not need to acclimate, and the development time of germination and growth is about one month earlier than spring planting. Some grape seedlings can bloom and bear fruit in the same year, and the following year, they can mature and bear fruit. This is much faster than spring planted seedlings, which usually start to bloom and bear fruit in the second year, and only a few plants will have fruit in the second year after autumn planting, usually reaching the fruiting period in the third year, which is one year later than autumn planting.
Planting grape seedlings in autumn can also avoid competition with other crops for fertilizer and water. Autumn planting of grape seedlings is done after other crops have been watered and fertilized. This can effectively prevent other crops from competing with grape seedlings for nutrients, which is beneficial for meeting the nutritional needs of autumn planted grape seedlings and ensuring their growth quality.
In the Yellow Sea region of our country, if the planting period of grape seedlings starts in the second half of October, it ends by the end of November, lasting about 50 days, which is about 10 days longer than the spring planting period. This can help extend the acclimatization period of grape seedlings, effectively advancing the planting by one year. Grape seedlings are prone to injury in spring due to higher temperatures, and compared to autumn, the acclimatization period is one year later, so autumn planting is better.
Seedling Planting Method
Before planting, the seedlings should be pruned appropriately, removing withered stumps and leaving at least 3 tender buds. The long lateral roots should be shortened, and the roots should be left about 15 centimeters long. After pruning, the seedlings should be soaked in clean water for a day or soaked in a liquid mixture of decomposed manure. The purpose of soaking is to replenish moisture, which the seedlings lack during transportation, allowing them to adapt to the environment faster and improve the survival rate of the grapes.
When planting, dig shallow holes 30 centimeters deep every 0.5 meters, place the prepared seedlings with dipped roots or soaked into the planting holes, spread the roots around on a circular soil pile, avoid circling the roots, ensure the roots are tightly connected with the soil, and fill the soil around while tamping it down. Cover the grafting site with soil 1 centimeter below and the cutting seedlings should be level with the surface of the planting groove. Water thoroughly after planting, then cover with soil after the water has infiltrated to prevent the roots from being exposed. Do not place farm manure or chemical fertilizers in the planting holes to prevent scorching of the seedlings.
After planting, use black plastic mulch to maintain soil moisture, prevent water loss, reduce weed growth, maintain ground temperature, and accelerate grape growth. In dry areas, cover the seedlings with sandy loam soil to a height of 2 centimeters above the top bud eye to prevent the buds from drying out, and water again after 5 days to ensure the survival of the seedlings. It is best to use plastic mulch, which is beneficial for raising ground temperature and moisture retention, promoting root growth.
After the grape seedlings emerge, top dressing should begin, with nitrogenous fertilizers mainly used during the seedling stage to promote root growth, repair root damage, and shape the plant. After fertilizing, water promptly to keep the soil moist. Generally, in the later growth stage, the amount and frequency of watering should be reduced, and drainage should be observed during the rainy season.
Grape seedlings are very susceptible to black spot and white rot diseases, and later they may be affected by downy mildew. Before germination, alternately spray lime sulfur mixture 6-7 times. When the seedlings have grown to 8 leaves, spray once with bactericidal agent. It is also necessary to clean the orchard regularly, cut off diseased branches and fruits, and reduce the occurrence of diseases.
Management Techniques for Seedlings in the First Year
Pruning of suckers and branches is important after planting. When the buds germinate, the suckers below the grafting joint should be removed in time to avoid nutrient consumption and affect the germination of the grafting buds and the growth of new shoots. When the height reaches 20 centimeters, according to the planting density and shaping requirements, excessive branches should be removed, leaving only strong branches to集中养分 supply for plant growth.
Early high yield cultivation techniques rely on fertilizer and water management. When the new shoots grow to about 30-35 centimeters, dig a circular trench 30 centimeters away from the seedlings to apply nitrogen fertilizer (urea) at a rate of 15-20 kilograms per 667 square meters, water immediately after fertilization, and then loosen the soil. Since the roots of newly planted seedlings are small, the amount of nutrients absorbed is also small, so it is necessary to apply fertilizers frequently but in small amounts, 2-3 times a year, with intervals of 20-30 days. Nitrogen fertilizers can be used in the early stage, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizers in the later stage. As the seedlings grow, the trench should be moved outward appropriately, and the amount can be increased slightly based on the growth of the seedlings. After top dressing, water promptly, loosen the soil, and control weeds.
When the seedlings have 10-12 leaves (when tendrils begin to appear), start binding the vines as they grow.
When the seedlings reach 1 meter in height, the main shoot should be pinched and the lateral shoots managed. First, remove the lateral shoots below 30 centimeters from the ground, leaving 1-2 leaves on the upper lateral shoots for repeated pinching, and for stronger lateral shoots, leave 4-5 leaves for repeated pinching. When the main shoot reaches 1.5 meters, pinch again. In Beijing, with good seedling management, the plants can reach about 2 meters by mid-September and the last main shoot pinching should be done. Multiple pinching can promote thicker stems, lignification of branches, and flower bud differentiation.
The main pests are green stink bugs, grape phylloxera (eriophyid mite), and golden beetles; the main diseases include black spot, white rot, anthracnose, powdery mildew, and downy mildew. It is necessary to use agents appropriately according to the occurrence of pests and diseases. It is essential to use various chemical agents scientifically.
When pruning in winter, cut at a fully matured diameter of about 0.8-1 centimeters (determined by the shaping requirements). On the main shoot, lateral shoots with a diameter of 0.5 centimeters can be left with 1-2 buds for shortening as the resultant mother branches. Remove fallen leaves, withered branches, and weeds, and cut branches with bacteria during winter pruning.
In northern regions with severe winter cold, it is necessary to cover the seedlings with soil for winter protection, with the thickness of the covering soil varying by region. In Beijing, it should not be less than 20-25 centimeters, and sufficient water should be applied for winter protection.
The detailed explanation of grape planting methods, precautions, and personal grape planting experience shared above is for reference only!