How Do Grape Trellises Survive Winter? A Detailed Guide to Winter Cold Protection and Warmth

Grapes are a common fruit in our country, not only with many varieties but also sweet in taste, very popular in the market, so how do grape trellises survive winter?

1. How do grape trellises survive winter?

When a grape trellis overwinters, based on the actual situation, you can keep one main trunk that can send out 2-3 new branches the following year. Then press it down at the roots and bury it with soil all the way along, about 30cm deep. After spring arrives the next year, dig it out and tie it to the trellis.

2. How do you manage grapevines through the winter?

1. Grapevines differ from other fruit trees. Ordinary fruit trees can basically overwinter safely by watering once before the freeze and whitewashing the main trunk. Grapevines are sensitive to cold and lose water especially quickly. If they are not managed properly before winter, they may be damaged by freezing in the cold winter. So if grapes are to overwinter safely, you can follow the methods below.

2. Reasonable pruning: Grapevines should be pruned starting two weeks after leaf fall in autumn. During autumn pruning, keep thick, strong branches and cut off weak branches, diseased branches, pest-damaged branches and overly dense branches, leaving buds according to their purpose on the mother vine. Generally, long canes keep 7-10 buds, medium canes keep 4-7 buds, and short canes keep 2-3 buds. Autumn pruning can effectively preserve nutrients in the branches and thus achieve cold protection.

3. Watering with freezing water: Grapevines are generally watered with freezing water 10 days before burying soil for cold protection. This antifreeze watering can effectively prevent freezing damage to the grape roots in winter and avoid drought in early spring. Be sure to water thoroughly when applying antifreeze water, and once the ground dries slightly, you can proceed with burying soil.

4. Burying soil: After autumn pruning, slowly take the canes down from the grape trellis, tie the canes together with straw rope and press them down. Bury soil once before Frost's Descent; the first soil burial does not need much, just covering the canes is enough. Complete the second soil burial before the freeze-up. The second soil burial should be deeper, generally with a thickness of no less than 60 cm and a width of no less than 1.8 m. The cold-protection soil can be buried to a depth of 80 cm, and some corn stalks can also be placed on top, which can help protect against the cold. Small grapevines should be buried earlier, while large grapevines can be buried later.

Notes on burying soil: For cold protection of grapevines, generally doing the above three steps well is enough. What needs attention is that when burying soil, the soil-taking location must not be too close to the roots, as this can freeze and damage the grape roots. After winter begins, if cracks appear in the cold-protection soil, promptly cover the cracks tightly with new soil. In especially cold times, you can also cover the cold-protection soil with corn stalks to prevent freezing damage to the grapes.