Key Techniques for Grape Growing and a Detailed Guide to Daily Management
The soil for growing grapes is best as loam and fine sandy loam. Planting is generally done from March to May after the soil thaws. When planting, set the grape seedlings along the rows at a spacing of 0.7 m between plants, planted at a slant toward the north; after planting, water heavily, then cover with 5 cm of wet straw and place plastic film over the straw. During the growing period, maintain a suitable temperature and a certain intensity of light, strictly control water, fertilize reasonably, and do a good job of trellising, intertillage, weeding, tying the vines, removing tendrils, thinning flowers and thinning fruit.
1. Soil: loam and fine sandy loam are best. After choosing the plot, broadcast fermented manure, then deep plow about 40 cm, and form ridges along the rows at a row spacing of 1.8-2 m, oriented north-south.
2. Planting: generally from March to May, after the soil thaws and after budding. Set the grape seedlings along the rows at a spacing of 0.7 m between plants, planted at a slant toward the north; after planting, water heavily, then cover with 5 cm of wet straw and place plastic film over the straw.
3. Temperature: the minimum air temperature needed during growth is about 12°C-15°C, the minimum soil temperature is about 10°C-13°C, the optimum temperature at flowering is about 20°C, and the optimum temperature during the fruit-swelling stage is 20°C-30°C. If the day-night temperature difference is large, coloring and sugar content are better.
4. Light: there must be a certain intensity of light, but it must not be too strong. If light is insufficient, it causes poor plant growth, no fruiting or parthenocarpic fruit, and poor quality, etc.; if light is too strong, sunscald is likely, and bagging or leaving leaves on the plant can be used to shade the fruit.
5. Watering: grapes have relatively high water requirements, but water must be strictly controlled, and rain and dew are taboo. Water demand is greater in the early growth stage or vegetative growth period, and less in the late growth stage or fruiting period. In water-scarce and drought-prone areas, appropriately spread straw mulch to maintain soil moisture.
6. Fertilizing: use 3 methods: base fertilizer, topdressing, and foliar feeding. Base fertilizer is applied during winter dormancy or after harvest; topdressing is applied after flowering by broadcasting chemical fertilizer after rain or after watering.
7. Management: grapes are vines, so a trellis must be set up for them; during the growing period, do a good job of intertillage and weeding, and also do a good job of tying the vines, removing tendrils, thinning flowers, and thinning fruit.