The soil under the grapes is fertilized every three years. Additionally, throughout growth and fruiting, grape bushes require a complex of mineral and organic mixtures. Fertilizing supplies plants with nutrients when needed. The material will discuss what is best to feed grapes in July and what types of fertilizers there are.
The benefits of fertilizers when growing grapes
The crop takes nutrients from the soil.But often she lacks this amount. The lack of nutrients must be supplemented with fertilizing. In July, at the height of fruiting, this is simply irreplaceable. Nutrients enhance crop growth. The berries become large, juicy, and sweet. The grapes develop high immunity, thanks to which diseases and pests become less of a threat. Gardeners, to get a better harvest, advise applying mixtures in the summer season in July. When applying fertilizers, an increase in yield and soil fertility is expected. Let's look at what grapes need below.
What are the types of fertilizers?
Compositions are divided into 2 types:
- organic;
- mineral.
Mineral - inorganic balanced compositions with a high concentration of substances necessary for the culture in the form of mineral salts. They provide the bushes with elements that are important for growth and fruiting. But you cannot overdo it with the quantity, otherwise the soil balance of substances will be destroyed. Organic compounds - peat, manure, litter. They are healthier because they increase soil fertility.
What is the best way to feed grapes in July?
If the crop is located on an area with depleted, poor soil, then young bushes, along with adults, need substances and elements useful for development.
Potassium and phosphorus increase the sugar content of berries and accelerate their ripening. In the first 3 weeks, they are fed with potassium-phosphorus compounds in combination with microelements - boron, cobalt, manganese, sulfur. Substances increase the amount of sugar in berries, increase the absorption of phosphates, promote the growth of ovaries, and have a beneficial effect on the yield of grape bushes.
In summer, several options are used as top dressing:
- Prepare a solution - mix 10 liters of water, 10 grams of Calimagnesia, 20 grams of ammonium nitrate.Then the bushes are watered.
- Feed with infusion of wood ash.
- A week before the berries ripen, add a mixture: 10 liters of warm water, 20 grams of potassium compound, 20 grams of superphosphate. After complete dissolution of the substances, fertilize using the root method.
- As foliar feeding, take 100 grams of superphosphate, 50 grams of potassium sulfate, 10 liters of warm water. The process is carried out until the ovaries appear.
Important: to achieve maximum effect during the ripening period, root and foliar feeding is carried out.
Complex and compound fertilizers
Treatment with boric acid is extremely necessary for grapes. The deficiency is reflected on the leaves - white spots appear between the veins. This type of feeding is especially important in the first year of planting the crop. The bushes are treated with an acid solution with zinc salt. Proportions: 5 grams of boron and salt, 10 liters of water. This method helps the plant to develop and grow properly.
Fertilization with potassium monophosphate has a positive effect on the sugar content of fruits. This is a concentrated preparation consisting of potassium and phosphorus.
Superphosphate is used to feed any soil. It contains phosphorus, sulfur, magnesium. The substance increases resistance to fungi and frost, and increases productivity. How to prepare the solution - dissolve 100 grams of superphosphate in 10 liters of water.
Grapes are treated with humate to improve the quality of the berries, strengthen the roots, and increase resistance to frost. Complex and complex fertilizers help grape fruits grow healthy, juicy, and sweet.
Organic fertilizers
There are three varieties: potassium, phosphorus, nitrogen. Nitrogen is:
- Ammonium nitrate quickly absorbs water and acidifies the soil. It must be neutralized with slaked lime. A convenient form is granules.
- Ammonium sulfate performs better on neutral soil than on acidic soil, since it has increased acidity. Liming will help reduce it.
- Ammonium chloride contains 25% nitrogen. Used on calcareous soils or in combination with alkaline phosphorus compounds.
- Urea is one of the safest types of fertilizers. It dissolves well in water. In crystal form it does not cake well and dissipates if stored for a long time. Urea in granules cakes well. To reduce acidity, add 800 grams of honey per 1 kilogram of the substance.
Potassium fertilizers for grapes include:
- Potassium chloride – used on all soils. Can be combined with any type of fertilizer, with the exception of urea. Acidic soils are limed or lime is applied in advance.
- Sylvinite contains 18% potassium oxide.
- Monopotassium phosphate contains potassium and phosphorus. It dissolves well in water.
- Calimagnesia. It contains potassium and magnesium in equal proportions.
The phosphorus composition includes:
- Superphosphate in powder form is used almost everywhere. The exception is acidic soils, where it is first mixed with humus and chalk. The composition contains gypsum. It is indicated for most plants.
- Double superphosphate - does not have gypsum.
- Phosphorite flour is added in a larger volume than superphosphate. Shows excellent results only on acidic soil.
Microfertilizers
Plants require microelements in much smaller quantities than potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen compounds. But without them they cannot develop normally. The most important microelements are zinc, manganese, boron, iodine, magnesium, sulfur. All substances are contained in many preparations that are produced for feeding bushes and trees.
Potassium magnesium contains 28% potassium and 18% magnesium. One tablespoon dissolves in a bucket of water. Leaves are sprayed with copper sulfate once every 3-5 years at a rate of 1 gram per bush.
Zinc sulfate is effective for alkaline soils. 5 grams of the substance are dissolved in a bucket of water.
Long-acting capsules are easy to use. Capsules with mineral fertilizers contain microelements and macroelements in equal quantities. The granule is placed in the ground. Then moisture penetrates into it and begins to slowly draw out microfertilizers. The action is extended over time - from 3 months to 3 years.
Folk remedies
It is necessary to fertilize grapes with ash, since it has a beneficial effect on acidic soils. The fertilizer contains potassium, phosphorus, and microelements. Ash is used in combination with superphosphate. Bushes consume large amounts of potassium. Baked or fire ash is its source. The soil around the plants is covered with it and the leaves are treated with an infusion of ash.
The soil is also fertilized with yeast, which regulates the soil microflora. The best are bakery ones. Step-by-step steps for preparing fertilizing:
- 100 grams of live yeast are dissolved in one bucket of warm water and left for 12 hours.
- The nutrient solution is poured under the root in a volume of 2 liters.
Chicken manure is a fast-acting, powerful fertilizer. It contains a lot of magnesium oxide and sulfur, which are so necessary for grapes.
Boron prevents the ovaries from falling off, increases the amount of sugar in berries, and increases immunity to unfavorable climatic conditions.
Fertilizing with urea carried out both root and foliar methods. If you process correctly and follow the proportions, the risk of burning the plant is minimized.It contains 46% nitrogen in the form of amide, water, and biuret. Fertilizing with humus is the most common way to feed plants. Organic matter is used in its pure form or compost is prepared from it. It helps restore soil balance and structure.
Fertilizer application calendar
The compositions are used as fertilizing throughout the entire period of fruiting and crop growth. Let's consider the scheme for adding mixtures:
- Pre-planting compounds are added in large quantities to the hole in preparation for planting the bush. They play an important role - they supply the plant with food for several years.
- The main feeding is carried out in autumn or early spring. A hole is dug next to the plants to a depth of up to half a meter and the mixture is placed in it.
- In autumn, sometimes organic matter is used - manure, peat. Ash and superphosphate are added to them. In the spring they fertilize with different compounds, including nitrogen.
- Additional feeding is carried out at different periods in the summer. Fertilizers are applied in the form of solutions into the depressions near the bushes. Foliar feeding is also carried out - the leaves of the bushes are sprayed. Gardeners also use green fertilizer - they plant oats and peas next to the crop.
Southern culture needs regular feeding. Alone organic fertilizers will help little. It is additionally fed for a better harvest. You need to add substances wisely and competently. If you follow all the rules and regulations, tasty, juicy, sugary berries will grow on the vine.
