Grapes in the greenhouse.

Grapes grown independently, and even in regions with a temperate climate, are a matter of special pride for the gardener. The harvest of large, sun-saturated berries never lingers on the table. The grapes are eaten fresh with pleasure, the craftsmen make aromatic wine from it, and the surplus always quickly goes to relatives and friends. How to grow a good harvest of grapes in the middle lane or more northern regions, where summer ends before it has begun? Alternatively, grow grapes in a greenhouse.

Grapes in the greenhouse - the advantages of the option.

In addition to the fact that for gardeners in the middle lane and temperate regions, this option is the only way to preserve the vine and get a harvest of berries, growing grapes in a greenhouse has a number of other advantages.

The air and soil temperature in the greenhouse is several degrees higher and without the installation of any heating equipment. Perhaps, for a person, a difference of 2-5 degrees is not important, and the plant will react to such temperature fluctuations. If you provide optimal conditions for grapes and follow the agrotechnology of its cultivation, then the harvest can be obtained almost a month earlier than in open field conditions. This is very important for late varieties, which may simply not have enough heat for ripening.

Wasps, which often damage grape berries, hardly appear in the greenhouse. In addition, gardeners who cultivate grapes in a greenhouse, note the extremely rare damage to the vine by such common fungal diseases as mildew or powdery mildew. As a result, the environmental friendliness and safety of fruits are increased, since there is no need to treat plants with chemicals. A large amount of precipitation, significantly impairing the taste of the grapes, as well as causing the berries to crack, do not threaten the plant in the greenhouse. And if you additionally protect the greenhouse from frost, then the crop can be removed much longer.

You can take care of the vine grown in the greenhouse at any convenient time, because you will not be watered or blown away by a gusty wind.

In addition, growing grapes in a greenhouse does not at all exclude the possibility of occupying the space between the bushes with other crops. Strawberries, garlic and onions, as well as various greens, perfectly coexist with grapes.

At the same time, the realization of the dream of self-grown grapes also implies significant investments, first of all, in the equipment of the greenhouse and the purchase of planting material. In addition, caring for the plant will require a lot of effort, while the first crop can only be harvested after 2.5-3 years.

However, having finally tasted the grown berries, tasty and full of vitamins, you will immediately forget all the difficulties, and you will certainly not regret your decision.

Selection of varieties.

So, first you need to decide on the grape varieties that you plan to grow grapes in the greenhouse, and then find out where and at what time you can purchase planting material. Otherwise, having an erected and fully equipped greenhouse, you simply will have nothing to plant in it.

For beginners, it is recommended to start with early maturing and frost-resistant varieties, which are likely to give a good harvest. Of the rather large variety of such varieties, experts advise stopping at ten, including: Korinka Russkaya, Laura, Foster, Frankenthal, Irinka, Memory Dombkovskaya, Queen of Paris, Arcadia, Moscow sustainableas well as Muscat of Alexandria - one of the oldest and most famous varieties. In the future, having gained experience and having grown the first grape harvest, you can move on to other varieties that are more demanding on heat and sun, recommended for the southern regions.

When growing grapes in a greenhouse in the North-West, the Urals and Siberia, it is better, if possible, in addition to the heating system, to provide additional lighting in order to thus make up for the lack of sunlight.

Features of the arrangement of the greenhouse.

Greenhouses designed for growing grapes differ significantly from those in which tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables are usually grown. It is important to know about these differences even at the stage of construction.

So, the height of the greenhouse depends on the type and height of the trellises, however, in any case, it should be at least 2.6-3 meters. When calculating the total area of ​​the greenhouse intended for growing grapes in the amount of the needs of your family, you need to focus on 26-30 meters. The larger buildings will allow the cultivation of grapes in the greenhouse already for sale or for processing for the production of drinks or wines.

In addition, in order to avoid freezing of the soil and, accordingly, the root system of plants, as well as in order to prevent the penetration of weeds, various insect pests, it is necessary to build a foundation. As a rule, a strip concrete foundation, shallow in depth, is sufficient.

For the manufacture of the frame, it is recommended to use a galvanized steel profiled pipe. According to gardeners, this is the best option. Firstly, it is easy to work with the material, and this is important because the volume of work is significant, and secondly, it is quite durable, which is also of great importance, since the greenhouse should last more than one year.

For greenhouse cladding, it is advised to choose cellular polycarbonate. Many gardeners have already been convinced by their own experience of the good thermal insulation properties of the material and light transmission.

It is important to provide at least a couple of vents to ensure ventilation when erecting the frame and sheathing of the greenhouse. If possible, in order to maintain a microclimate that ensures normal growth and development of grapes, it is better to install thermal cylinders, which, taking into account temperature fluctuations, will open or close the vents

Greenhouse heating can be done using infrared lamps, a special heating cable, which is carried out under the ground, or portable heating devices. Surely, those who are engaged in gardening in the middle lane, regions with a temperate climate, already have experience in heating greenhouses, having determined the best option for themselves.

Another necessity when arranging a greenhouse for grapes is the installation of daylight lighting. For these purposes, sodium, LED and fluorescent types of lamps are suitable.

Grapes are among the crops that do not need frequent watering. Therefore, there is no particular need to establish appropriate systems. When growing grapes for your own needs, you can completely do with manual watering.

Arrangement requires special attention trellis - supports for the vine, necessary for the formation of the bush and its correct growth. There are many varieties of these structures, however, two options are optimal for a greenhouse.

In the first case, a wire is pulled over several stakes, dug in at a certain distance from each other, parallel to the ground. Plastic and metal pipes can be used as stakes. Such a trellis is called a vertical one-plane. Grape shoots are fixed on a wire, and later they are formed in a certain direction. This option for arranging the trellis, as practice shows, allows you to leave more bunches and, accordingly, increases the yield of the bush.

At the same time, the manufacture of such a tapestry does not present any difficulties. For wooden stakes, a 5x5 cm beam is suitable, and if you plan to use pipes that are still more durable, their diameter should be at least 6-9 cm.You need to deepen the stakes into the ground by a meter, one and a half, with the expectation that the height of the trellis from the ground should be at least three meters. The distance between the stakes can be from 2 to 6 meters.

It should be noted that experts do not recommend treating the wooden beam with any protective compounds, since this agent will inevitably get into the soil and, possibly, harm the plant. It is safest to process the stakes with a solution of copper sulfate.

The first row of wire should start at a distance of at least half a meter from the ground. Grape bushes actively sprout and grow rapidly, therefore, in order to hold such powerful plants, a wire of at least 3 mm thick is needed, and it is better to fix it on stakes with staples. The next row of wire is pulled every 30-40 cm. The number of such rows depends on the height of the stakes.

The second option is a horizontal trellis. Actually, such structures are very common in the southern regions and, in fact, form a canopy. This structure is supported by several thick metal pipes, on which a metal or wooden lattice is laid on top, or a wire is also pulled. The advantages of such a trellis are that there is a free area under it, where you can grow other crops. In addition, it is convenient to harvest from such a trellis, simply by cutting off the clusters hanging overhead.

When constructing horizontal trellises, it should be remembered that the minimum distance to the greenhouse sheathing cannot be less than 40 cm, in order to avoid plant burns.

We plant grapes correctly in the greenhouse.

In the greenhouse, grapes are planted in early spring or late winter, taking into account, of course, the frost resistance of the variety.

Healthy seedlings should be planted, which will take root and get stronger much faster. Therefore, before buying planting material, it must be carefully examined. The seedling should not have traces of mechanical damage, as well as damage by various diseases. The root system of a healthy seedling is developed, soft and sluggish roots may indicate their freezing.

When digging a planting hole from the walls of the greenhouse, you need to retreat about half a meter. The distance between the bushes should be at least 1-1.5 meters. When determining this value, one must take into account the characteristics of the variety. The hole should be about 80 cm long and 70 cm deep.

A layer of wood ash is poured at the bottom of the pit, at least 20 cm thick. Then drainage is done using coarse gravel or expanded clay. Next, a tube is installed with a diameter of about 10 cm through which the plant will be watered in the future. The tube is placed so that it rises above the soil by at least 10 cm. At a deeper depth, it will be simply inconvenient to water.

The soil mixture, which will fill the hole, can be made in two ways. In the first case, it will consist of one part of sand, 2 parts of rotted compost and 5 parts of well-fertilized, fertile and loose soil. In another case, two parts of a peat mixture and 4 parts of loamy soil are taken for a part of the sand.

The resulting mixture is poured into the hole with a layer about 20 cm thick and water is poured. After watering, the soil mixture will settle, so the layer will need to be filled up and watering repeated.

Before planting, it is recommended to shorten the main stem by two-thirds, as well as the side branches by one bud.

When planting, the seedling is placed parallel to the greenhouse machines, the root system is carefully straightened, and then the hole is filled with the prepared mixture.

If you are planting plants in late winter, then the seedlings need to be provided with proper cover.Many gardeners make the mistake of covering only the seedling itself with a layer of loose earth and sawdust. As a result, the soil around it freezes, which can lead to damage or death of the root system of a very young plant. Therefore, it is necessary to cover with earth not only the seedling itself, but also the entire perimeter of the planting pit.

Vine care.

Caring for a plant involves observing the temperature regime, providing sufficient light and pruning the bush.

The optimum temperature for the development, growth of grapes, as well as ripening of berries, is regulated by heating the greenhouse with the installed equipment, as well as by timely ventilation.

At each stage of development, the plant requires a certain temperature regime. For example, at the stage of kidney formation, daytime temperatures should be + 11-20 degrees, and nighttime temperatures + 7-8 degrees. When the time for flowering grapes begins, the temperature values ​​should be +25 (during the day) and +15 (at night). And at the most crucial moment, at the stage of ripening of berries, it is necessary to ensure that daytime temperatures are maintained at a level of at least +30 degrees, optimally, even a couple of degrees more, and at night - not lower than +20 degrees. If possible, of course, it is better to ensure compliance with the temperature regimes, since if the plant deviates from the required values, the plant experiences stress, which accordingly affects its growth and development.

Also, it should be noted that the given values ​​are approximate, since different varieties also differ in temperature requirements.

The amount of light required for plants is provided by additional illumination with special lamps. However, in addition to using artificial lighting, it is important to correctly position the trellises so that the plant receives the maximum amount of sunlight. In addition, it is important to ensure that the shoots do not shade each other and timely remove some of the foliage that prevents the penetration of sunlight to ripening fruits.

The pruning and formation of the bush is of great importance for the growth and development of the plant. The result of such procedures should be bushes with several powerful branches and a fruiting vine. Stepsons, as well as weak branches, must be cut off in time at least to the first eye. Otherwise, the plant will waste nutrients on those parts that cannot form fruit ovaries. At the same time, the fruit-bearing vines simply do not have enough food to fully ripen the berries. It should be noted that the formation of the vine requires a clear understanding of the whole process of growth and development of the grape, which, of course, comes with experience. Also, in this matter, one cannot do without studying the literature and consulting specialists.

During the ripening period of the grapes, regular inspections of the bunch should not be neglected. The purpose of such examinations is the timely identification of rot-damaged or diseased berries, as well as their removal. In addition, from time to time it is necessary to remove and too small berries, as well as weak twigs, again in order to "redirect" nutrients to larger berries. This procedure requires accuracy, it is better to use long and thin scissors to carry it out, otherwise, you can do more harm than good.

photo: grapes in a greenhouse

As noted, this crop does not need frequent watering. Waterlogging will have a bad effect both on the plant itself and on the berries, which will begin to crack from excess moisture.

The first watering is carried out at the stage of preparing the planting pit. The volume of introduced moisture is about 20 liters. In this case, the water should be warm. Immediately after planting, the plant is watered in the same volume. Repeat watering no earlier than a week later, accompanying the introduction of moisture by loosening the soil of the trunk circle. In the summer, the grapes in the greenhouse are recommended to be watered every seven days.At the same time, water is either poured into small grooves dug around the perimeter of the planting hole, or through a tube, since the bulk of the moisture should go to the lower roots of the plant. When the grapes begin to ripen actively, the frequency and volume of watering are reduced.

It should be noted that adult bushes are watered as needed. The soil should not dry out too much, however, waterlogging affects the plant much worse than a prolonged lack of moisture.

Grapes, like most plants, need feeding. During the season, fertilization is enough to apply three times: a couple of weeks before flowering; when the berries grow to the size of peas; during the period of active maturation. As a top dressing, nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are used, as well as organic matter. The amount of fertilizers applied must be determined taking into account the characteristics of the cultivated varieties.

Plant care also includes preparing the grapes for the winter period. Grape shoots are carefully removed from the trellises and placed in small, previously dug trenches so that the shoots are below ground level. Then they are covered with spruce branches, special material, straw, etc.

When enough snow falls, snow banks can be built around the greenhouse, which will additionally protect the soil from rapid freezing.

Growing grapes in a greenhouse is undoubtedly a huge work that requires patience and diligence. However, the result of work in the form of a harvest of useful berries will become a source of real pride, and over time, it may also be a source of good income.