Why grapes don’t bloom or bear fruit and what to do, preventive measures

Through the efforts of breeders, grape varieties have been developed that grow in the northern and southern regions and are unpretentious in care. Gardeners periodically face the problem of why grapes do not bear fruit. There are many reasons, ranging from improper care to vine disease. To find a mistake in caring for a plant, you need to analyze all stages and eliminate all unfavorable factors.

When the grapes begin to bear fruit

Each variety has its own fruiting time. Experienced gardeners allow the bush to grow for the first 2-3 years, cutting off all the clusters that have formed. When the plant is well established, it will produce a rich harvest.

In theory, if all the flowers are pollinated in the brush, all the berries set and ripen, then its weight will be 5-7 kilograms. In real conditions, some flowers and weaker berries fall off to make room for stronger ones.

According to the rules of gardening, all flowers for grapes are pinched in the 2nd year; 3-year-old grapes can bear fruit. For some varieties, it is advisable to also remove the flowers in the 3rd year and only allow the first harvest to ripen in the 4th year. The duration of fruiting depends on the quality of care. It ranges from 12 to 50 years on average.

What does productivity depend on?

A lot of grapes will ripen on a well-groomed bush. The plant requires:

• planting location and quality of bush formation;
• feeding;
• treatment for diseases;
• timely pruning;
• weather conditions.

Emerging problems

Beginners and experienced gardeners, when growing grapes of one or several varieties, are faced with a problem when one or more bushes may not produce a harvest, but still bloom profusely. And in some cases, the grapes not only do not ripen, but also do not bloom.

Doesn't bloom or bear fruit

Grapes are a heat-loving crop, and their flowering will depend on the planting location. Until the vine reaches the sun, there will be no berries on it. Another reason is excess fertilizer.Then the bush begins to grow: there are many new shoots and leaves, but no color.

It is worth making sure that the bush is not frozen, and the eyes that produce the harvest are not cut off. Lack of flowering is sometimes due to special requirements of the variety.

Blooms but doesn't bear fruit

The gardener evaluates the possible harvest based on the quality of flowering. If it is significantly less than expected or is not there at all, they look for the reason. Perhaps the vine was not properly cared for or this particular variety is not famous for its rich harvest.

Infertility after flowering in grapes is associated with the type of pollination:

1. Female type. Pollination is only possible from another male grape variety. The vine is tested by transferring pollen from another flowering and fruiting bush to it. If the ovary appears, it means that a pollinator needs to be planted closer to this grape or a rootstock should be made.
2. Male type of pollination. The peculiarity of the varieties is that they never produce a rich harvest, but act as a rootstock for others.
3. Female and male vines are planted next to each other. The lack of harvest lies in the flowering time - it may not coincide.

Reasons for the lack of ovary formation

Caring for the plant is the key to the harvest. Sometimes novice gardeners make mistakes that prevent the grapes from blooming and ripening in large quantities. Although grooming is not difficult, there are a few common mistakes.

Excess of organic matter

Excess nitrogen fertilizers and organic matter directly at the grape rhizome provokes abundant growth of the bush. It throws out new shoots and leaf buds open. The grapes please with a dense green crown, but do not bloom or bear fruit. Summer residents talk about this bush “fatten”.

Excess fertilizer stimulates plant growth until frost. Young immature shoots die even from slight cold.The plant loses immunity to some diseases.

Incorrect pruning

Fruitful shoots grow from “eyes” on annual branches in spring. In autumn, it is customary to prune young growth. Illiterate gardeners may cut off all fruiting shoots or leave them too short. Depending on the variety, 4-8 or 8-12 eyes bloom.

With shorter pruning, additional buds open, which produce only foliage. Before you start pruning, you need to familiarize yourself with the flowering characteristics of each individual variety.

Poor pollination

Weather is important for pollination. High humidity and plenty of rain prevent the berries from setting, and in such a year, without additional artificial pollination, the harvest is meager.

Another reason for poor pollination is the female type of inflorescence. Unlike bisexual varieties, such a bush requires either artificial transfer of pollen to it, or planting of pollinating grapes next to it. All varieties of raisins are considered a universal variety.

Freezing of the vine in winter

Insufficient shelter, severe frosts or spring frosts damage, first of all, annual shoots on which fruit-bearing buds are preserved. You can assess the condition of the bush by cutting the peephole. If there is a green main and replacement bud inside it, the branch is alive. Brown color is a sign of death of the shoot. The bush can be restored by pruning all the affected parts; this stimulates the growth of replacement buds, but the harvest for this year will be small.

Inappropriate landing site

Sufficient sunlight and warmth help to grow large clusters. Grapes growing near buildings, on northern slopes or under other trees will never produce a good harvest. Ideally, the soil should not be very wet, warmed to 28-32 degrees.

Planting young and old plants mixed together does not allow the new variety to take root; it is oppressed by its neighbors. When choosing a rootstock, they look for compatible grape varieties.

Pests and diseases

Pests and diseases interfere with the growth of grape bushes. The shoots are attacked by spider mites and aphids. They are destroyed with systemic insecticides. The most common diseases are gray rot and mildew. The first disease affects any area and is distinguished by a gray coating. Mildew is dangerous for young shoots and berries; it appears as oily spots. The affected plant, without special treatment, slowly dies. Regular inspection of leaves and shoots will help to identify a disease or pest in time.

How to ensure full fruiting of a crop

Before purchasing and planting grape seedlings, study the peculiarities of growing the crop as a whole and individual varieties. Caring for the plant is not difficult, but it has its own characteristics. Knowing what to do with young grapes, you can achieve high yields.

Choosing the right variety

Depending on the climatic conditions, the grape variety is chosen. There are heat-loving, drought-resistant, frost-resistant plants. The berry can be round, elongated, of different colors and sizes, with or without seeds. According to the type of flowering, female, male and bisexual varieties are distinguished.

For the first planting, it is better to choose the grapes that are most often found on your neighbors’ summer cottages. Experienced gardeners can experiment with more capricious and productive bushes.

Fertilizer dosage

Professionals recommend the following feeding scheme:

• autumn is the time for organic fertilizers, and spring for nitrogen fertilizers, and first take 50% of the recommended dose;
• complex preparations are applied before flowering and after ovary;
• ammonium nitrate is added during the ripening of the berries;
• Potassium is added in the fall, before harvest. It increases frost resistance and helps prepare the bush for winter.

Fertilizers are applied under the bush, to the roots, to a depth of 0.5 meters. To do this, use pipes dug into the ground.

Regular watering

Watering is important during ripening and filling of berries. A lack of moisture will prevent the bunch from filling, and too much will cause the skin to crack. It is adjusted depending on the weather. If it is dry, then increase it. The main thing is to avoid sudden changes in moisture levels.

Stimulation of greater pollination

Pollination can be natural or artificial. In the first case, caring for flowering grapes consists of:

• correct planting scheme: alternation of male and female, selection of varieties according to height (tall and short ones should not shade each other);
• thinning out shoots and dense foliage to facilitate pollination;
• if a variety often drops flowers, pinch it;
• sprinkling in hot weather and low humidity.

Artificial pollination can increase yield by 40%. To do this, pollen from a flowering bush is transferred to another or distributed over it with a down brush. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times at the beginning, middle and end of flowering. The best time is morning or mid-afternoon in cloudy weather.

Correct bush formation

The experience of professionals has shown that the ideal grape bush consists of 1-3 main branches. In autumn or early spring, before the sap begins to flow, one-year-old shoots are pruned. 4-12 buds are counted from the trunk, depending on the variety, and 4 more buds are added to them. The rest is cut off. This is how weak grapes are weeded out.

As the greenery grows in the spring and during the summer, the bush is thinned out, the shoots are normalized and the clusters are combed out with a paint brush, removing weak berries and flowers. Varieties that shed berries and flowers are pinched.

Timely processing

Diseases and pests can not only reduce the yield, but also destroy the entire bush. The grapes are constantly inspected for the presence of insects, black spots, wilted leaves and other signs. Every disease has its own chemical.

Some varieties are particularly prone to certain diseases and require preventative treatment.

Sheltering grapes for the winter

The frost resistance of each grape is different. Pay attention to this when choosing planting material. If necessary, preparations for wintering begin in the fall.

The harvest for the next year depends on the quality of the shelter. When frosts occur, the shoots and buds that will bloom are the first to suffer. In addition to shelter, it is important not to miss the moment of opening after spring frosts.