How to properly grow grapes in open ground in the middle zone and tips on planting and care for beginners

Many gardeners living in the middle zone grow grapes. In such areas, only suitable varieties should be grown that can easily withstand temperature changes and other climatic changes. Before you start planting fruit, you should familiarize yourself with the features of growing grapes in the middle zone for beginners.

The best varieties

Over the past years, breeders involved in creating new varieties of plants have developed many grape varieties. Many of them are distinguished not only by their large fruits, but also by their resistance to low temperatures. They are the best varieties for central Russia. It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the features of each of them in advance in order to choose the best variety in the future.

Samara Yantar

Breeders obtained this variety back in 1949 by crossing Muscat and Madeleine grapes. The plant has medium-sized bushes, the height of which reaches two meters. In spring, each planted bush is covered with large leaves, the tips of which have straight triangular teeth.

The berries of Samara Yantar are large and grow up to 20 mm. The weight of each of them reaches five grams. Ripe fruits are covered with a thin golden skin.

Delight

Such technical varieties grapes like Delight Excellent for growing in the middle zone. The advantages of the variety include its large and tasty grape berries. Their surface is covered with a crispy and dense skin, under which there is a sweetish pulp. Their diameter reaches 30 mm, and their weight is 7-8 grams.

Experienced gardeners who have been growing Delight for many years note its frost resistance. Even at temperatures below 25 degrees below zero, the bushes do not lose their ability to bear fruit and grow normally.

Crystal

Gardeners who prefer to grow very early grape varieties should turn their attention to Crystal. Its fruits have time to ripen within 100 days, thanks to which it is possible to harvest in early August.

Ripe oval grape berries are golden in color with a light tint. They are covered with a thin layer of waxy coating, which protects them from dangerous microorganisms. The advantages of Crystal include its taste. Grapes are sweet, and therefore, when creating compote and jam, some housewives do not even add sugar.

Laura

In the middle zone, many grow Laura grapes, which copes well with severe winter frosts. The bushes of the plant are large and grow up to 2-3 meters. In spring, they are covered with five-lobed green leaves.

In mid-summer, fruit clusters form on the bushes, which grow to 35-40 cm in length. The weight of each bunch reaches one kilogram. When grown in a greenhouse, you can increase the weight of fruit clusters up to three kilograms.

When to buy planting material?

It is recommended to familiarize yourself in advance with the specifics of purchasing planting material in order to buy the best seedlings. It is better to purchase in the spring, a few days before planting the grapes in the garden. However, before doing this, you should familiarize yourself with the following recommendations:

• You cannot buy grape seedlings rashly. When choosing a plant, you should not take the first seedling you come across, as it may turn out to be spoiled. It is better to carefully examine it and compare it with other seedlings that are sold in the store.
• Purchases are made only in stores that sell seeds and seedlings. In such places there is always a good choice, which allows you to select the best grape varieties for planting in the middle zone.
• Seedlings that are planted in the fall are best suited for planting. They are hardier than spring ones, and therefore gardeners advise buying them.However, if they will grow grapes in July and not in the autumn, then it is better to buy seedlings for spring planting.
• Purchased seedlings are not stored for a long time. They must be planted in the garden the day after purchase.

Timing and selection of site for planting

Before planting seedlings, you should decide on the optimal timing and choose a place for the grapes.

Deadlines

You can plant grape seedlings in spring and autumn. Experienced gardeners advise planting them in the fall, as this will allow the grapes to quickly get used to new climatic conditions. In addition, bushes planted in autumn strengthen their immunity to pests and diseases.

The best time for planting grapes in the middle zone in the fall is considered to be the end of September and the first half of October.

Selecting a location

When choosing a site for a vineyard, the soil is taken into account. It cannot be planted on swampy soils and areas where groundwater lies close to the upper layers of the soil. The landing site must be reliably protected from gusts of wind and illuminated by sunlight. Without enough light, the bushes will grow slowly and bear fruit poorly.

How to plant grapes in the middle zone?

Inexperienced gardeners may have difficulty planting grapes in central Russia. To do everything right, you need to familiarize yourself in advance with how to plant grape seedlings yourself. When disembarking, adhere to the following recommendations:

• Purchased seedlings are pre-soaked in cool water and trimmed. When pruning, the root system is trimmed and the shoot is shortened by three buds. Gardeners also advise immediately getting rid of side shoots, which can significantly slow down the growth of planted bushes.
• The trimmed plant is placed in a container with a clay solution for half an hour, after which it is planted in open ground. For planting, a shallow hole is made in the area, into which several bushes can be planted at once.
• Organic matter or mineral fertilizers are added to the dug hole for planting, which promote the growth of grapes.
• When planting, seedlings are lowered into the soil to a depth of 7-10 cm so that the root system is in the ground.
• When the planting of grape seedlings in the fall is completed, a low mound is made around the grape sprout to protect it from frost.

Tips for care and cultivation

Not everyone knows how to properly grow grapes in the middle zone. To understand this, you should familiarize yourself with the features of caring for grape seedlings.

When caring for grapes in the middle zone, watering is carried out. The soil is moistened in the summer or spring season. At the same time, at least 10-15 liters of liquid are consumed for each planted bush.

If rainy weather prevails in summer, the grapes are watered 1-2 times per season. In dry weather, the number of waterings is increased to 4-5 times. It is impossible to water the plant more often, since increased humidity activates pests and increases the likelihood of infection with mildew or late blight.

Propagation of grapes in central Russia

Gardeners want not only to grow grapes, but also to propagate them. The most common way to propagate such a plant is by covering the vine with soil. This method is best used only in the middle zone and southern regions. Experienced gardeners advise carrying out the procedure in mid-summer or late spring if the bushes are already woody.

When powdering the vine, make sure that its upper part remains on the surface of the soil. After a few months, the part of the plant that is covered with soil will begin to germinate. In October, all the resulting sprouts are carefully separated and transferred indoors. In the spring, when the air temperature warms up to 15-20 degrees, the seedlings can be planted in the garden.

When to prune?

In order for grape bushes to grow and bear fruit better, you will have to trim them periodically. Maintenance pruning will have to be done at least twice in the fall. In this case, excess shoots are removed several days before the winter shelter of the plant. To begin with, you need to trim only large stems that do not have tassels. All cut branches are carefully placed near the base of the seedlings.

Grape stems are pruned not only in autumn, but also in spring. When pruning in spring, dried branches that are missing leaves are removed. Also in spring they practice pinching stems, which promotes proper grape formation.

Gardeners with many years of experience in growing grapes recommend pinching immediately after planting. This will allow the bush to form correctly and increase productivity.

The procedure for covering grapes for the winter

It is necessary to cover the grapes for the winter, since without special shelter they may die. To do this, in the fall, all the bushes are carefully dug in so that the roots do not freeze. Sometimes plants are not buried, but covered with dried leaves, straw or branches. The covering material can be sprinkled with soil on top or covered with oilcloth to prevent the soil from freezing.

The created shelter is removed only in the spring, when the night frosts have ended and the air temperature will always be above zero.

Conclusion

Some gardeners in the middle zone plan to plant grapes in the garden. Before doing this, you should familiarize yourself with the best varieties for this region, as well as the features of planting and caring for planted seedlings.