Grafting in autumn. Technology of grafting grapes

Growing grapes on your own garden plot is a fascinating and useful activity, but it requires a lot of effort and attention. In addition, from time to time, it is necessary to perform a procedure such as grafting, which is used to restore a bush or replace one variety with another. In this article, we will look at how grapes are grafted in autumn and winter.

What is an Inoculation?

Vaccination is a method of propagation of grapes, in which part of one plant is transferred to the shoot or the trunk of the other. The part that is planted is called a graft. The plant on which the vaccine is produced is a stock.

An old variety with its qualities always remains from the bottom, and from above - a new variety that retains its own characteristics. As a result, a single organism with features inherent in different varieties is obtained. Often, several varieties of grapes are planted in one bush, which have different maturity and color of berries. The resulting bush is called a bouquet.

Why are grapes planted?

This question is of interest to many novice wine growers. We can note some advantages of grafting grapes :

- The grafted plants are much fruited earlier. Thanks to this procedure, the first bunch of a new grape variety appears already the next year after planting.

- Inoculated bushes increased yield. Sometimes such grapes give larger clusters and fruits.

- Inoculation allows to accelerate the ripening time of some varieties of grapes.

- Another plus of such an operation: this is an excellent way for the rapid reproduction of difficult in cultivation, rare and scarce varieties.
In addition, much depends on the region in which the acquired seedling will grow.

In the south, grapes are grafted so that the root system is resistant to the phylloxera. This aphid, which lives on the roots of grapes and feeds on its juice, while it can damage not only the root system, but also leaves. Because of this, the bush withers and dies. Grafting in the southern regions is also used to increase the fruitfulness and drought resistance of the plant.

In the middle band, where the soil is poorly drained, such a procedure is necessary to combat high humidity and acidity.

In the north, grapes are inoculated to increase the periods of its active growth and development.

Preparing cuttings for grafting

In order to graft grapes in autumn or winter was successful, care must be taken to prepare cuttings. For their cutting, only the ripened vine is used, which has a yellow-brown color. The bark must be firm and dry. The most suitable for harvesting cuttings are shoots that grew on a fruit vine.

The diameter and length of the cuttings are very important. The standard is a length of about 55 cm, diameter - 6-12 mm. Cuttings must be cleaned from the antennae and stepsons, while trying not to damage the kidneys. Then two cuts are made - the first one is 0.5 cm below the node, the second one is 2-3 cm higher. The vine, sprinkled with sand, is stored in a pit that has a depth of about 60 cm. With the arrival of frosts, it must be insulated.

What is needed for grapes in autumn

Grafting in the fall begins with the preparation of the instrument. Care should be taken to ensure that the pruner and knife are sharpened. To keep the tools dull, it's best to keep them in cases. Before vaccination, they must be disinfected with alcohol and not put on the ground during work.

The grapevine is removed from the vault one week before the procedure. Cuttings for the autumn grafting in advance do not cut in advance, it is done immediately before the operation itself. To the place of the procedure, they are brought wrapped wet sacking.

How does the vaccine work?

Autumn vaccination of grapes occurs in this way. First, around the old root dig a hole. Then it is necessary to cut down all of its aboveground part, the cut is made at a distance of 10 cm from the ground. The cut location must be level, unaffected by pests and diseases. The stub is cleaned of the old bark and treated with a 3% solution of copper sulfate. Then it is necessary to split it and insert a stalk, sharpened with a wedge, into the hole. It is better to use cuttings with two kidneys. After the graft is inserted into the notch, the joint must be wrapped with strips cut from the polyethylene film and secured with twine. Then you need to loosen the space around the stem, moisten and cover it with earth, cover it with a single-hole film. To preserve moisture and protect it from frosts, it is possible to additionally impose a vaccine site with clay. Grafting of grapes in autumn from spring or summer differs in that the plant in this period should be sheltered from the cold.

Grafting in winter

Winter, or table, vaccination of grapes is made in the period from February to April. Such an operation can be carried out directly at the desk, hence the name.
First you need to get the seedlings from the vault and update the slices on the roots. Cuttings should be soaked in water at room temperature. They are soaked in this way: the logs - three days, the coniferous - the day. After soaking, cuttings are disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate. In order to activate the vital processes, it is necessary to warm the upper parts of the rootstock in water for 1 minute, which has a temperature of 50-60 degrees.

For grafting it is necessary to pick up the stock and the graft of one diameter and make slanting slices on them. With the help of tongues, cut on them, the graft joins with the stock. In the place of inoculation, the plant must be wrapped with a film, then place the seedling in wet sawdust. Capacity put in a warm place. If the winter graft vaccination was carried out correctly, then after 15-20 days a seedling can be transplanted.

If for some reason you do not like the grape variety growing on your site or the plant is damaged, do not rush it up. Carried out according to the technology, winter or autumn grafting will allow you to replace one of its varieties with another, restore the damaged plant, and also multiply valuable, but rare species.