When to open grapes in spring
Almost all novice winegrowers are worried about when to open grapes in the spring after hibernation. This primarily depends on the temperature of a particular region. In the Volga region and in the middle lane, grapes are usually opened at the end of April or at the beginning of May, and in the southern regions - from April 1 to April 10. Some growers are wary of this business and remove shelters a little later.
Some covering grape varieties are able to withstand frosts down to -20 ° C.
After opening the grapes in the spring, it must be treated with a three percent so-called beard's liquid or five percent iron vitriol. This procedure is performed in order to remove fungal diseases, mold, and also to delay the opening of the kidneys.
Some gardeners open grape bushes very early and dry the vines. The litter is not removed from the bottom. On sunny days, the vines are dried by opening the bushes in the morning, and at night they are covered.
The litter is usually removed in early May, then soil is dug around the grapes to the depth of a pitchfork and fertilized with nitrogen minerals. If the bush was not cut in the fall, then it is cut off in the spring before sap flow. For airing and further growth, the vine is fixed on a trellis.
Thus, when to open grapes, sooner or later, depends on the professional skills and long-term observations of a particular person in this matter. You shouldn't really listen to the opinion of experienced neighbors. The right way would be to invent your own technology, which will later become the key to success.
That's the number! I have never watered grapes with iron vitriol, although otherwise I try to take care of it as it is written. With so many maintenance measures, I did not observe any mold. And why delay the opening of the kidneys?
I always open the grapes somewhere in the middle of April, when the weather is stable, I spray it first of all with Bordeaux mixture, after which I start the garter rows. Since my grapes do not always have time to ripen, I try to open it and process it as early as possible. But I apply nitrogen fertilizers in the winter, and not as described here. Can someone explain how to deal with them correctly?
They also always opened grapes in mid-April, but that year, due to temperature changes, it froze. Now we do not open new plantings before mid-May. We apply top dressing twice in spring and autumn.
In recent years, we have very warm winters, we cover grapes, but it can easily withstand frost up to -16 degrees. C. Therefore, we always open the grapes at the beginning of April and it never froze.