How to Grow Grapes? A Detailed Guide to Planting Methods and Key Techniques
The soil for growing grapes is best as loam and fine sandy loam. Generally, planting is done after the soil thaws from March to May. When planting, set the grape vines along the rows at a spacing of 0.7 m, slanting them toward the north. After planting, water heavily, then cover with 5 cm of wet grass, and cover the grass with plastic film. During the growing period, maintain a suitable temperature, provide light of a certain intensity, strictly control watering, fertilize reasonably, and carry out trellising, intertillage, weeding, vine tying, tendril removal, flower thinning, and fruit thinning.
1. Soil: Loam and fine sandy loam are best. After choosing the plot, spread fermented manure, then deep plow about 40 cm, and build ridges along the rows at a row spacing of 1.8-2 m, oriented north-south.
2. Planting: Generally plant from March to May, after the soil thaws and after sprouting. Set the grape vines along the rows at a spacing of 0.7 m, slanting them toward the north. After planting, water heavily, then cover with 5 cm of wet grass, and cover the grass with plastic film.
3. Temperature: The minimum air temperature needed during growth is about 12°C-15°C, and the minimum soil temperature is about 10°C-13°C. The optimum temperature during flowering is about 20°C, and the optimum temperature during the fruit enlargement 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 light of a certain intensity, but not too strong. If light is insufficient, it will cause poor plant growth, no fruiting or parthenocarpic fruit, and poor quality, etc.; if light is too strong, sunscald is likely to occur, and the fruit can be shaded by bagging or leaving leaves on the plant.
5. Watering: It has a relatively high water requirement, but watering must be strictly controlled, and rain and dew should be avoided. Water demand is greater in the early growth stage or vegetative growth stage, and less in the late growth stage or fruiting stage. In water-deficient and drought-prone areas, properly spread straw to maintain soil moisture.
6. Fertilizing: Use 3 methods: base fertilizer, topdressing, and foliar fertilization. Base fertilizer is used during winter dormancy or after harvest, and topdressing uses chemical fertilizer broadcast after rain or after watering following flowering.
7. Management: Grapes are vines, so they need a trellis; during the growing period, do a good job of intertillage and weeding, and also do a good job of vine tying, tendril removal, flower thinning, and fruit thinning.