Grape bushes cope well with drought due to their powerful root system. But without water they grow worse, bear less fruit, and the harvest is poorer. Irrigation has a beneficial effect on the crop, increases crop endurance and improves frost resistance. Watering the grapes in the summer, during their ripening, is extremely necessary for the plants if there is a need to get good berries every year.
The benefits of summer watering grapes
Let's find out whether the bushes need to be moistened in the summer. Summer irrigation is more focused on the evaporation of excess liquid contained in the leaves.At high above-zero temperatures, air humidity is greatly reduced, which leads to an increase in the internal temperature of the grape bushes. If you moisten the bushes during such a period, evaporation will occur faster. Breathing inside the cells will be restored, and metabolism will normalize. This type of irrigation is called vegetative irrigation.
In dry summers, watering is necessary for timely cooling of the crop so that the bushes are not subject to thermal stress. The necessary water is always retained in the soil and helps the crop grow and develop normally. Watering is completed when the berries acquire the characteristic color of the variety.
When is the best time to water?
Despite the fact that the plant is drought-resistant, watering is necessary - it is part of the care. The crop needs the optimal amount of moisture. When climatic conditions are favorable and precipitation falls regularly, then frequent irrigation cannot be done. If the summer is dry, with low humidity, then moisturizing is necessary.
It is worth knowing how many times a day you need to irrigate. Feeding the bushes is impossible without irrigation, since water helps absorb the nutrients in the compost.
The best time for watering is in the evening. Irrigate with rain and settled water. It is pre-poured into 200 liter barrels. The next day after irrigation, the soil needs to be loosened so that oxygen can penetrate to the rhizome.
You cannot water the bushes before or during flowering, otherwise the ovaries will fall off and pollinate poorly. The plant consumes water most actively during the ripening period of the berries. During this time, the plant needs half the amount of liquid for the entire season. Moisten until the berries are soft.
Efficiency will be higher when watered at the time of coloring of the fruits.All varieties have their own distinctive features, but there are well-established requirements for how to properly water. Scroll:
- acceptable water temperature - in the spring it should be warm, and in the summer - a little cool;
- watering in the evening;
- 1-2 buckets for 1 event;
- Fruiting bushes are moistened 4 times per season, seedlings – once a week.
How much should you water?
There are no clear instructions indicating the volume of water, irrigation time, how and often to water. Requirements depend on many factors:
- Features of the climate zone. In arid regions, watering is carried out much more often.
- Soil composition. Light sandy soil with plants is watered more often, but the volumes of water are larger. Chernozem and clay soils are watered abundantly, but not so often.
- Weather. Even within the same region, the amount of water for irrigation can vary from year to year depending on temperature and precipitation.
- Variety of culture. Plants with a late ripening period need more moisture.
- Number of bunches, age and size of plants. In summer, mature bushes require more watering than two-year-old grapes.
What are the watering methods?
In spring, each plant can absorb up to 250 milliliters of water. Let's look at how to water grape bushes in the summer. The same amount of liquid is needed during the dry season and during the main summer irrigation. The plant also consumes a lot of moisture when the fruits ripen. During the growing season, plants absorb 50 liters per 1 square meter.
How to properly irrigate sandy and sandy loam areas with grapes? They are watered 1.5 times more. The depth is at least 40 centimeters so that the crop does not form surface roots.
Signs of overwatering:
- increased growth of seedlings, a large number of stepsons;
- watery fruits with an unsweetened taste;
- unusual coloring of berries for the variety.
There are 2 irrigation methods:
- superficial;
- underground.
In the first option, water is poured into single holes or grooves created near the base of several bushes. The grooves are dug to a depth of 20 centimeters. This method is not very effective for large varieties with deep roots. If they are at a depth of more than half a meter, the moisture does not reach them.
Drip irrigation is a good choice. The tape is placed 20 centimeters from the trunks of the bush. In this case, each vine gets the required amount of water.
The best irrigation option is underground irrigation. Thanks to it, the soil is perfectly moistened at depth. The grapes will not be damaged during severe frosts. The risk of contracting fungus will be minimized.
To organize drainage irrigation, you need to dig metal pipes with a diameter of 15 centimeters 50 centimeters deep along a row of bushes. A part of the pipe of 15 centimeters is left above the ground. 15 holes are made at the bottom of the structure. A drainage layer of crushed bricks is created under the pipe. To prevent dirt from entering, keep the top closed.
Irrigation through a durable drainage pipe is an economical method. The water consumption is less, and more bushes are moistened.
Features of watering grapes in the first year
There are some nuances to irrigating young bushes. Grapes love water very much, but it is better to underwater than to overwater. Excessive irrigation causes shallow roots to form. In summer they often lack moisture, and at low temperatures they freeze.
When the shoots gain growth, irrigate in a smaller volume.If development suddenly stops, it is necessary to moisten the soil and feed it.
In order for the shoots to take root better, their root system needs a lot of moisture. Therefore, in the first year of the growing season, you need to pay special attention to the sprouts and irrigate them in a timely manner.
Since the rhizome is located in the ground, you need to form a small depression next to each shoot or dig in a bottle with a cut. It is necessary to regularly pour water into these places and observe how quickly it is absorbed.
After each event, wet soil is sprinkled with dry soil. This helps the bushes not become chapped and retain moisture for a longer time. It is better to carry out procedures in the evening, when the sun is not too hot. During the day you can pour water and let it heat up. Before watering, add useful substances with calcium, iodine, zinc.
A lot of liquid will be consumed, since a young seedling consumes up to 15 liters. As they grow, volumes decrease. From mid-summer, the bushes are moistened twice a month.
Regular irrigation is an essential condition for growing healthy grapes. Timely and correct watering is a guarantee of an excellent harvest and long life of the perennial.
