How To Fertilize Grapes In Spring? How To Feed Copper Sulfate For A Good Big Harvest? Spring Feeding In Early Spring

2024 Author: Beatrice Philips | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 05:33

Top dressing of grapes in spring is very important for the full growth and development of the vine and obtaining a rich harvest. The fact is that the fertilizers applied to the planting hole of the seedlings are enough for no more than 3 years, after which the substrate is depleted. In our review, we will focus on the most effective fertilizers and popular folk remedies for vineyard care.

The need for a procedure

Every year grapes send a lot of energy and nutrients to the growth and ripening of fruits. To do this, it absorbs all useful micro- and macroelements from the soil, without which it will not be able to fully develop and bear fruit in future periods. With a lack of nutrients, the bush weakens, becoming vulnerable to infection and insect pests . As a result, the ovaries crumble, and the fruits ripen poorly.

The annual spring feeding plays a special role . After winter, all plants come out of dormancy, the grapes are actively growing and gaining nutrition from the soil.

If the land is depleted, it will most adversely affect the vegetation of the vineyard.

Thus, feeding in the spring performs a number of important functions:

• when a sufficient amount of nutrition is received, the fruits grow large and have high taste characteristics;
• top dressing allows you to preserve inflorescences and formed brushes to the maximum;
• spring feeding improves the condition of plants that are weak after the winter period;
• fertilization strengthens the immunity of plants, therefore it acts as a preventive measure against fungal infections and parasites;
• with the correct feeding, its cumulative effect can persist throughout the year.

It is very easy to determine that a plant is deficient in certain trace elements by looking at the green parts. This allows you to adjust the volume and composition of useful dressings. So, with a deficit:

• nitrogen - the growth of the vine stops, the leaves change color to pale green;
• potassium - a brown border appears along the edge of the leaf plate;
• phosphorus - late flowering, brown-brown spots are noticeable on the dark green leaf blades;
• iron - the leaves turn yellow, but the veins at the same time retain a bright saturated color;
• sulfur - the growth point dies off.

What fertilizers should be applied?

The basic solution for spring fertilization of the vineyard is a mixture of 2 tbsp. l. superphosphate and 1 tbsp. l. ammonium nitrate with the addition of 1 tsp. potassium sulfate . The dry components are mixed and dissolved in a bucket of warm water heated to 20-25 degrees. Cold use is not recommended. This volume of the nutrient mixture is enough to fertilize one grape bush; it is poured into a special trench or pipe.

This solution is used for the first two dressings . When introducing the third, it is necessary to exclude nitrogen-containing components - urea and ammonium nitrate.

An excess of this trace element at the fruiting stage causes an active growth of the green mass to the detriment of the growth of bunches and ripening of fruits.

For feeding grape bushes in spring, you can use ready-made complex fertilizers, you can buy them at any store. They contain all macro- and microelements necessary for culture in optimal proportions. Experienced winegrowers use "Aquarin", "Solution" or "Novofert ". These products are dissolved in water according to the instructions. Any change in dosage can lead to the most unfavorable consequences, since an excess of nutrients for a plant is as dangerous as a lack of it.

In spring, grapes respond well to the introduction of organic matter into the ground . Such fertilizers can be used as a base dressing or as part of a complex together with mineral supplements. However, it should be borne in mind that organic fertilizing is applied exclusively in the spring, before flowering. Working with organic matter is simple, convenient and profitable; natural and at the same time available substances can be used as fertilizer.

Manure

An effective fertilizer for the vineyard that can replace all other fertilizers. It contains nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and many other minerals. Fertilization of the vine is produced according to the following scheme:

• the top layer of the earth is removed in the aisles;
• rotted manure is placed in the resulting trench;
• fertilizer is sprinkled with earth;
• the earth in the near-trunk circle is carefully spilled.

This "sandwich" will act as the main nutrient supplier throughout the growing season.

Compost

A good top dressing in spring for grapes will be rotted plant matter, it is prepared for 6-8 months. This will require unnecessary plant residues, earth, peat, manure, a little lime and water.

To prepare a compost heap in a remote area of the garden, it is necessary to lay out a layer of organic waste 20-30 cm thick. Sprinkle it with earth or manure on top, then lay another layer of compost and cover it with soil again. This "cake" is formed until the height of the heap is 1.5-2 m.

Every third layer in the process is sprinkled with lime and thoroughly spilled with water. On the sides and on top, the pile is covered with garden soil or peat. If you do this in early autumn, then next spring you can get a nutritious top dressing for the vineyard.

Chicken droppings

It is considered one of the most effective folk remedies for enhanced growth and development of the vine. Its chemical composition corresponds to the level of manure, so it is in demand when carrying out the first spring feeding.

Important. It should be borne in mind that unprepared bird droppings are highly toxic and can burn the roots and green parts of the plant.

Therefore, before fertilizing the vineyard, the droppings must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 2 and the resulting slurry must be left for 2 weeks . After that, it is again diluted with water, increasing the total amount of liquid by 5 times. Only then can the vineyard fertilizer be used. The nutrient composition is applied at a distance of 40-60 cm from the trunk.

Herbal infusion

Green fertilizers will be a good alternative to organic compounds. In this capacity, you can use annual lupines, peas, alfalfa, clover or nettle . The plant mass is stuffed into a bucket by 2⁄3, poured with water and left to ferment in a warm place for 5-7 days, at the end of this period an unpleasant odor should appear. The resulting solution is decanted, diluted with a bucket of water and brought under the vines during watering.

Any root dressing must be supplemented with foliar . This is due to the fact that grape leaves have the ability to assimilate micro- and macroelements in liquid form. The nutrient solution for spraying is prepared from the same substances as for root fertilization, usually ammonium nitrate, urea, potassium sulfate, superphosphates and minerals are used. Copper, boron, zinc, selenium and other minerals must be added to the nutrient mixture.

To prevent evaporation, sugar is introduced into the resulting solution before use at the rate of 50 g per bucket of the drug. As a root top dressing, you can use ready-made complex products "Master", "Florovit", as well as "Biopon ". In this case, it is important to observe the dosage, the manufacturer indicates it in the instructions.

Of the folk remedies for spraying, the most popular are herbal infusions with the addition of ash powder.

To prepare the nutrient mixture, the barrel is half filled with cut grass, filled with water to the top and left to ferment for 2 weeks . After this time, 500 g of ash are added to each liter of fermented infusion.

Application methods

Let us dwell in more detail on the rules for introducing root dressings.

Root

Experienced growers, when planting young seedlings, usually dig a pipe into the hole, through which they subsequently water and feed their vineyard. For this, plastic or asbestos pipes with a diameter of 15-20 mm are suitable. They need to be placed at a distance of 50-80 cm from the bush and deepened by 40-50 cm.

If this has not been done, another technique can be used. To do this, a trench 40-60 cm deep is dug over the entire diameter of the vineyard at a distance of 50-60 cm from the bushes. It is there from time to time that useful solutions are poured, and then sprinkled with soil.

Advice. It is important to keep in mind that before each feeding, the vineyard must be abundantly moistened, otherwise the roots will receive a chemical burn.

The recommended fertilization depth must be observed exactly . The nutrient mixture should be placed at the level of the main part of the roots - this is the basic rule of feeding the vineyard. Only in this case, all introduced micro- and macroelements will be absorbed in full and will benefit the bush. If top dressing is superficial, it stimulates the active growth of additional shoots, which, in turn, slows down the development of grapes, impairs the growth and ripening of fruits.

Foliar

The first foliar treatment is carried out before the buds appear; in the Moscow region and other central regions, this period falls on the beginning of May. The second top dressing is performed after flowering, most often it corresponds to the first half of June, but in the Kuban and other southern territories, spraying is done at the end of spring . It is necessary to carry out the treatment in cloudy, but not rainy weather, on sunny days it is better to do this in the morning before sunrise or in the evening after sunset, when there is no aggressive effect of ultraviolet radiation.

For that to maximize the effect of the nutrient solution, the grape bushes are irrigated with water from a spray bottle every day . In this case, the dried solution again takes on a liquid form and is maximally absorbed by the green tissues of the plant. Thus, a prolonged feeding effect is maintained.

Feeding scheme

And finally, consider the fertilization scheme that allows you to maximize the yield of the vineyard.

Mid april

The first portion of spring fertilizers is applied in early spring before the start of the active growing season, until the buds open on the shoots. In the central part of Russia, this time falls in April - the first ten days of May . The greatest efficiency during this period is given by compositions based on phosphate fertilizers (50 g), nitrogen (40-50 g) and potassium (30-40 g).

The dry mixture is introduced into holes dug around the bush at a distance of 50-60 cm . After that, top dressing is added with earth. Thus, through the roots, plants will be able to absorb the maximum of nutrients necessary for active vegetation.

At the same time, prophylactic spraying of the vine with solutions of copper or iron sulfate is carried out. Such treatment will prevent the defeat of plants by fungal infections.

The greatest result is obtained by the joint use of the processing of the surface part and the spillage of soil.

Before flowering

The second feeding is carried out 3-4 days before the flowers open. In the southern regions of our country, this period corresponds to the end of May, in the northern regions it falls on the beginning of summer. At this time, top dressing should include a mixture of mineral and organic components:

• a solution of bird droppings or mullein is used as natural formulations;
• mineral complexes are prepared on the basis of potassium preparations (30 g), nitrogen (40-50 g) and phosphates (50-60 g).

After fruit set

The third time the grapes need to be fed after the fruit ovary, when berries the size of a pea appear en masse on the vine. At this stage, the greatest effect is given by complex preparations, they are diluted at the rate of 30 g per 10 liters of liquid . Such nutrition helps to maximize the grape yield. Experienced winegrowers argue that if you correctly carry out complex feeding and comply with all recommended dosages, you can achieve an increase in yield by two or even three times.

At the initial stage of fruit ripening, the plant needs phosphorus and potassium . For those who prefer folk remedies, we can recommend wood ash - it will become an alternative to potash preparations. It is obtained by burning branches of grapes or fruit trees.