Soil for grapes

The primary task of a gardener who decides to place grape planting on the territory of his site is the question of finding a location for grape bushes. Despite the unpretentious nature of this climbing crop, the composition and quality of the soil affects the quantity of the crop and its flavor characteristics. In turn, an unfriendly soil for grapes can slow down the growth and development of grapes, which will inevitably affect the fruiting process. This article will focus on the selection of the most suitable soils for the placement of the vineyard, as well as the methods of fertilizing them in order to increase the yield.

Soil for grapes: selection criteria

soil for grapes

When planning to place grape bushes on your site and collect a rich harvest from them, you should take care of the quality characteristics of the soil in the area allocated for the vineyard.

Root system grape bushes take root well on light and loose soils, which provide good air circulation and an even distribution of water and nutrients.

This will allow the roots of the plant to receive the elements necessary for its life in full. The grapes prefers chernozem soils, loams, as well as sandy and sandy loamy rocks.

What soil does grapes like in composition

A mixed soil composition can provide an optimal environment for successful cultivation of grapes. It should include a certain amount of sand, clay substance, pebbles, organics and minerals.

It is recommended to avoid placing vineyards on soils with a heavy clay composition due to their poor air and water permeability, which are vital for plants with normal vegetation processes and fruiting period.

A completely sandy soil, which quickly evaporates water, and also tends to freeze quickly during winter cold weather, which can harm immature grape seedlings and even lead to their death, would not be the best choice.

All the vital processes of grapes are directly influenced by the chemical elements that make up the soil. Each of them performs a specific function, and a deficiency of one or more components can have a detrimental effect on plant health. As well as their excess content in the soil.

At the stage of rapid growth, a young plant needs nitrogenaffecting the production of vegetable protein. With a deficiency of this element, plants slow down their growth rates. And with an excess, they build up a powerful green mass, which takes away nutrition from the fruiting parts of the grapes and thereby negatively affects the yield of the bushes.

One of the substances that regulate the process of plant nutrition is chlorophyll - responsible for its production iron.

The resistance of grapes to low temperatures and the acceleration of its metabolism directly depend on potassium... This element allows grapes to accumulate sugar and starch. Therefore, its deficiency is expressed in the too sour taste of the fruit.

A healthy and strong grape root system plays a fundamental role in the development of the entire plant. Its safe functioning depends on calcium... Too much concentration of this substance leads to a disease such as chlorosis.

The foliage of the vines requires a sufficient supply magnesiumthrough which chlorophyll is formed. The lack of this element leads to a change in the color of the leaves from healthy green to yellow, and then to their death.

Fruiting grapes is impossible without such an important element as phosphorus... However, its excess creates an imbalance between the duration of the growing process and the period of fruit ripening.

Soil for grapes - acidity level

Soil acidity is fundamental to the success of an entire grape business. Its indicator is pH, it can be neutral, acidic or alkaline.

Traditionally, it is believed that the most favorable level of acidity for growing plants ranges between 4.0 and 8.0. A higher degree of acidity negatively affects the ability of grapes to absorb nutrients from the soil. The situation can be corrected by introducing fertilizers.

Preparing the soil for planting cuttings

soil for grapes

It is recommended to prepare the soil for planting grape cuttings and seedlings in advance. It is best to carry out all the necessary procedures in the fall.

First of all, the site must be dug up. And then dig out the planting holes or furrows. This will allow the land to settle before the start of the new season.

To grow cuttings in seedling containers, a soil mixture with a special composition is required. For example, a combination of equal proportions of humus and peat is suitable.

Another effective recipe for a seedling mixture involves the inclusion of peat, as well as sand and sod land. Moreover, it is optimal that the share of each of the last two components is half of the volume of peat.

It is best to water the soil in containers with cuttings with a solution prepared from ammonium nitrate (1.5 g), mixed with superphosphate (3 g) and dissolved in 1 liter of water. Cuttings can be transplanted into open ground after their length reaches 0.3 m.

It is recommended to wait for the arrival of stable spring heat in order to exclude the threat of return frosts, which are detrimental to young seedlings.

Soil for grapes: the dependence of the choice on the grape variety

The choice of a plot for a vineyard also depends on which grape variety the owner decides to cultivate. So, soils rich in gravel and sand are optimal for growing table varieties that are good for fresh consumption.

This soil composition has a positive effect on the growth and development of grape bushes. Also for ripening fruits and saturating them with sugar, which makes them sweet and aromatic.

Technical varieties of grapes, intended for the production of wines, have their own requirements for soil characteristics. For example, the varieties "Gamay" and "Cabernet SauvignonPrefer clay soils, while Pinot Fran, Pinot Chardonnay and Folle Blanche thrive on calcareous calcareous soil.

As a rule, wines made from raw materials grown on light soils with coarse fractions acquire a delicate taste with sourness. An increase in the concentration of grape must is facilitated by the cultivation of bushes on heavy loamy soils.

Choosing a place for a vineyard

The favorable location of the site is an important factor of influence on the process of growing grapes. It allows not only to speed up the growing processes, but also simplifies the care of plants.

When choosing where to place grape plantings, it is recommended to take into account the following indicators:

• the lighting regime must meet the needs of the photophilous plant. Therefore, it is best to locate the vineyard on the southern slopes, which are illuminated by the sun for most of the daylight hours;
• the through wind, especially from the north, negatively affects the vine plantations.Therefore, a good solution would be to place the vineyard under the protection of a building whose walls accumulate heat during the day. And then they give it back, thereby creating a microclimate favorable for grapes;
• the presence of other trees in the vicinity of the vineyard can reduce the amount of food supplied to the roots. Since neighboring plants can draw water and nutrients from the soil, thereby exposing the grapes to the threat of nutritional deficiencies;
• the groundwater level should not exceed 2 m. Otherwise, there is a danger of decay of the roots of grapes due to the accumulation of moisture in the soil;
• a negative factor of influence is the proximity to highways, which pollute the air and the plants themselves, covering them with a layer of dust. In the case of the forced placement of the vineyard in the roadside zone, it is recommended to plant protective tree and shrub strips between it and the roadside, observing an interval of 3 m.

Soil for grapes. Preparatory processing on site

Before planting grape bushes in the ground, you should take care of the preparatory procedures aimed at improving its quality.

In order to fully supply them with the necessary nutrition and help them form viable roots, not only nutritious, but also a fairly light, well-heated soil is required.

Oxygen and moisture should circulate freely in it, forming an ideal environment for the development of microorganisms that contribute to the life of the plant.

Before you start planting, you should dig up the ground on the site to a depth of 60 cm to a meter in the fall. It is important that the deep and surface layers of the soil are reversed. The former moved closer to the surface, the latter took their place in the depths of the soil.

The following way of moving layers is effective: a 0.7 m by 0.7 m furrow is dug, the top layer of soil, the most fertile, is placed in it. The second furrow should be located 250 cm from the first, the top layer is removed from it and moved into the first furrow.

Then the bottom layer of soil is poured over the fertile layer. In this way, you can dig up the entire area set aside for the vineyard. If the area of ​​the territory does not allow digging long furrows, you can limit yourself to more compact pits with the same dimensions of 0.7 m.

Throughout the winter, the furrows must remain open, this will allow the earth to sink in them, be saturated with moisture and freeze through. In the spring, you can start planting seedlings. It will not hurt to take care of the drainage layer ahead of time and lay a layer of broken brick, small stones and gravel on the bottom of the planting furrows.

This will increase the permeability of the soil, provide it with the required amount of air, and also prevent moisture stagnation. To increase the nutritional value of the soil, organic fertilizers such as humus or manure can be added to it.

Fertilization

The nutritional properties of the soil can be maintained at the proper level by making various dressings, as well as regularly carrying out procedures to keep the site tidy.

It is necessary to remove weeds in a timely manner, loosen the soil, water the plantings and carry out treatment from pests and diseases. At different stages of their development, grape bushes need certain sets of care measures.

- Spring

At the very beginning of the season, it is necessary to dig up the area (5 cm deep is enough) and then level its surface. It is important to provide nutrition to the root system of the grapes and help it build up green mass, therefore, fertilizing containing nitrogen should be added.

A good way to feed the vines during the growing season is to water them with an ash solution. It is very easy to prepare it. It is enough to pour 50 g of wood ash in a bucket of water. This mixture has a fungicidal effect, helps to protect plants from pests.

- Summer

During the summer, the soil in the vineyard must be weeded, loosened and watered regularly. Removing weeds is especially important as they take away nutrients from the vines and create a damp root environment that can lead to disease.

- Autumn

soil for grapes

At the end of the harvest, it is necessary to dig the soil to a depth of 0.25 m, and remove all plant residues from the site - fallen leaves, cuttings of shoots, weeds. Large clods of earth do not need to be separated during the digging process. This will keep moisture in the soil for the winter.

Potash fertilization is also shown. Iron deficiency can be prevented by placing small metal objects such as nails or cans on the bottom of the planting furrows or pits.

How to avoid mistakes when choosing soil for growing grapes

One of the common misconceptions is the opinion about the benefits of a homogeneous soil for growing grapes.

In fact, the complex composition of the soil is more favorable for this crop. Therefore, it is recommended to take care in advance to enrich the soil available on the site with additional components.

Another mistake is reusing the site to grow the same grape variety. The soil needs rest for a couple of years. It must be cleaned of harmful insects and nourished with useful substances, replenishing their supply used up in the previous season.

For these purposes, fertilizing of organic origin and mineral complexes are suitable. When applying fertilizers, it should be borne in mind that their excessive concentration can harm the plant.

Mineral fertilizers are always accompanied by instructions for use and safety precautions that must be followed. Despite their natural origin, organic fertilizing can also be hazardous if the dosage is exceeded.

For example, in a concentrated form, they can cause a chemical burn of the roots, therefore, they should be mixed with earth before application.

What kind of care does soil require for grapes - useful tips

In vineyards with clay soils, poor soil permeability to air and water is a frequent problem. The reason is the high density of the soil. It is possible to lighten it and make it looser with such additives as crushed stone, gravel, sand, brick fragments.

The complex application of organic fertilizers and gravel in equal proportions will help to improve the quality of the soil. Typically, there is a bucket of each component per square meter of vineyard area.

An unacceptable variant of vineyard placement is clay soil without impurities. Due to its density, it is extremely weakly permeable to air and moisture. Such soil also cannot retain water.

Therefore, in this case, it is recommended to refrain from placing the vineyard. Often there are difficulties in determining the composition of the soil in the vineyard. Traditional methods will help to determine it.

For example, you can pour a soil sample into a container, filling it to 30%, and fill the remaining volume with water. When mixing, the earth will delaminate depending on the gravity and density of the constituent parts. Sand will sink to the bottom, followed by a layer of silt, then clay.

Thus, if 3⁄4 of the land has settled to the bottom, the soil is sandy. If most of it is concentrated in the middle, the soil is silty. The concentration of earth in the upper layer indicates the predominance of clay.

If the acidity of the soil in the vineyard does not meet the requirements of this crop, it can be adjusted. When the pH value is less than 6.0, the application of lime fertilizer is indicated. In the case when the indicators exceed 8.0, adding gypsum will help.

Compliance with the recommendations for growing and caring for the vineyard will allow you to grow lush bushes without any problems and collect a bountiful harvest of sweet and aromatic berries from them. The main thing is not to neglect procedures aimed at improving the nutritional properties of the soil and to carry them out in a timely manner.