There is a widespread belief among winegrowers that this plant can only reproduce by cuttings and layering. Beginning summer residents do not even know how to properly grow grapes from seeds so that they produce a rich and tasty harvest. But it is precisely this technique that is sometimes necessary, although it requires a lot of time and effort.
Is it possible to grow grapes from seeds?
As practice shows, it is possible to grow grapes from seeds. But in this case there is no guarantee that the resulting seedling will retain the varietal characteristics of the mother plant.This technique is often used:
- breeders with the aim of developing new hybrids or varieties with improved performance;
- for growing seedlings;
- for the purpose of further use of the plant for decorative purposes;
- for growing rootstock.
Not every fruit-bearing grape variety can be propagated by seeds. Most early hybrids are best suited for such purposes. Since grown seedlings do not always retain the species characteristics of the mother variety, experienced gardeners recommend sowing several seeds. After this, the properties of the grown grape bushes are compared and those that best satisfy expectations and requests are left. It should be noted that plants grown from seeds at home are inferior in terms of yield and taste characteristics of berries to those obtained from layering or rooted cuttings.
Preparing for landing
To collect seed, large and well-ripened berries are selected that do not have external defects or signs of any disease. The pulp from the grape fruit is removed, and the extracted seeds are washed under running water. After this, those that have a brown or beige color and the largest sizes are selected.
To increase the germination of grape seeds, it is recommended to stratify them. You should start no later than December and continue for several months. In this case, by the beginning of the summer season, the grown seedling can be planted in open ground. Stratification involves placing the grains in a damp cloth and cellophane and then storing them in the refrigerator for 2 months.
Acceptable air temperature is from +3 to 0 °C. Once a week, grape seeds are taken out and thoroughly examined.Stratification ends when the shell on the grains begins to crack. After this, the grains are placed in a warm place, spread out on a damp cloth. After a few days, small roots should appear, which signals that the time has come to sow the grapes in the ground.
Sowing grapes at home
Before planting grape seeds, you need to prepare the soil. Use a ready-made substrate purchased in a store, or a mixture in equal proportions of the following components:
- river sand;
- any humus;
- garden soil.
It is preferable to grow each seedling separately in a pot. A drainage hole is made in the bottom, and then several pebbles of expanded clay are poured. Only after this, add a nutritious soil mixture, plant the seed in it to a depth of 1.5 cm and water it thoroughly. Place the pot in a well-lit place, preferably on a windowsill on the south side of the house, and wait for the seedlings to appear.
To prevent excess moisture from evaporating, the sowing is covered with cellophane until the sprout appears.
In order for the seeds to germinate, it is necessary to provide them with a comfortable temperature regime. The optimal temperature for growing grapes from seeds is considered to be about +20 °C during the day, and at least +15 °C in the evening. Under such conditions, sprouts should appear within a week after sowing.
Ripening time
Grapes grown from seed grow rather slowly and require special care. It will bear fruit only 4-5 years after germination, and the first harvest, as a rule, turns out to be meager. In the first year of fruiting, the berries grow sour or have a weakly expressed taste and aroma. The time of ripening depends entirely on the variety and the characteristics that the young plant inherited from the mother plant.It will be possible to accurately recognize them only after several years of observing the planted bush.
Features of plant care
It is not enough to simply germinate a grape seed; young shoots require careful care. A strong and healthy plant can only be obtained by properly organizing watering and providing the required amount of light. Daylight hours should be at least 8 hours. It will also be necessary to regularly fertilize and loosen the soil. Every 1.5 weeks, the grapes are fed with phosphorus and nitrogen-containing fertilizers.
Immediately after emergence, it is better to irrigate with a spray bottle so that the fragile roots are not damaged. The main enemy of young grapes at this stage is the spider mite, which can completely destroy the plantings. It is required to conduct a daily inspection of the bushes, and if a pest is detected, take preventive measures immediately.
If in the future you plan to use grapes as a decorative houseplant, then after they reach a height of 10 cm, the plant is moved into a pot with a volume of up to 4 liters. The seedlings are planted in open ground approximately in early June. It is first necessary to harden the young bush. To do this, it is exposed to the open air for a week.
The place should be protected from drafts and direct sunlight. Such measures will help prevent the occurrence of sunburn in the future.
Transplantation into open ground
The grown grape seedling is transplanted into open ground as soon as it reaches a height of 30 cm. At the same time, the weather should already be warm outside and there should be no threat of night frosts. A place for planting is selected that is well-lit and protected from the cold northern wind. Planting grapes It is preferable to produce in light soil with good breathability and drainage. The location of the site in a lowland, high humidity or the proximity of groundwater can provoke freezing of the bushes.
To plant young grapes, holes are dug at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from each other. A nutritious soil mixture prepared from equal parts of river sand, any type of humus and earth is poured there. Before planting the plants, the hole is well moistened. If clay soil predominates on the site, it is recommended to add compost, sand or other material for drainage.
It is also recommended to slightly raise the grape bed.
At the same time, the soil is examined for acidity. Different grape varieties have different preferences in this regard. For example, plants of American origin feel best at a pH level of 5.5-6, European plants - 6.5-7, and hybrids - 6.0-6.5. If the parameters do not correspond to the recommended ones, then measures must be taken to normalize them.
A warm and sunny day is chosen for planting grapes. Each shoot is fixed on an installed support. In the first year, the main care consists of organizing timely watering, loosening the soil and weeding out emerging weeds. If everything is done correctly, the plant will take root well and its height will reach 1-2 meters.
Formative pruning is carried out only in the third year of life of the grape bush. If the variety is chosen successfully, it will bear fruit 3-4 years after planting, but there have been cases when the plant produced its first harvest after 2 years.
When growing grapes for making wine, you need to know that the quality of the soil has a significant influence on the taste. The first feeding of the bushes is carried out a couple of weeks after planting on the site. In the future, fertilizers are applied once a year, usually in the spring. Support is organized by any available and preferred methods:
- gazebo option;
- wall method;
- trellis method.
If you have decided to grow grapes using the wall method, then you should step back at least 1 meter from the wall so that the bush has the opportunity to receive the dose of sunlight it needs and be well ventilated. While the grapes are still small, you can attach them to pegs driven into the ground. Their height is selected in such a way that the vine does not have the opportunity to fall to the ground.
As the grape bush grows, the pegs are removed and the branches are fixed on a trellis or arbor, later forming them into a beautiful green frame. Weak or damaged shoots must be removed in a timely manner so that the bush does not waste energy and nutrients on them. You also need to ensure that the grapes do not grow too thick, as this leads not only to their depletion, but also to the development of fungal diseases.
