Grape Ripening Season and Key Points of Hardwood Cutting Propagation Technology

There are many grape varieties with varying degrees of sweetness, and they can also be distinguished by the color of their skins. Generally, everyone prefers large, sweet, seedless grapes. So what season are grapes the fruit of? What are the key points of hardwood cutting propagation technology during cultivation?Let's take a look below.

I. What season are grapes the fruit of?

Grapes are a fruit of late summer and early autumn. Due to the growing region and variety, grapes in nature ripen at different times, and are generally divided into three types: early-ripening, mid-to-late-ripening, and late-ripening.

In southern China they ripen in June to July, while in higher places such as Xinjiang they ripen in August to September. Broadly speaking, grapes ripen from July to October, and grapes in other seasons are mostly grown in greenhouses.

Looking at when grapes ripen by region, southern grapes generally ripen in June or July, while grapes from Turpan, Xinjiang ripen in August or September. Although the ripening periods of grapes differ, in the north we see that once summer arrives, grapes begin to appear on the market.

II. Hardwood Cutting Propagation Technology for Grapes

(I) Collection of vine stocks and cutting of cuttings

1. Collection of vine stocks: Vine stocks are generally collected after the trees shed their leaves and before the sap flows in early spring, that is, it is best to collect them during the dormant period of the trees, when the nutrients stored in the vine stocks are abundant.

2. Cutting of cuttings: Cutting should be done indoors or in a shade shed. When cutting, remove the tip portion that is not sufficiently developed and not fully lignified, and cut cuttings 12 cm to 18 cm long. Leave 2 to 3 buds on each cutting.

(II) Cutting

1. Cutting time: Grape cuttings can be taken in spring, summer, and autumn, but in the Tianshui area, autumn and spring cuttings are the main ones, and late-autumn plastic-film cuttings give the best results.

2. Cutting density: The density of cuttings directly affects the yield and quality of the seedlings. In production, wide-film 3-row cuttings are used, that is, row spacing of 30 to 35 cm and plant spacing of 10 to 12 cm.

(III) Management of cutting seedlings

1. Irrigation: Timely irrigation is one of the key measures for the survival of grape cutting seedlings. After the cuttings are planted, they need to be watered thoroughly once immediately, and the film and the area around the cuttings should be checked promptly. If there are holes, cover and fill them tightly with moist soil at once, so as to avoid moisture loss, drying out of the cuttings (reduced exudation), and weed growth.

2. Bud removal and seedling selection: After grape cuttings are planted, the vine stocks sprout many buds quickly, so bud removal and seedling selection should be carried out at the right time. When selecting seedlings, keep the superior and remove the inferior, retaining one strong bud.

3. Fertilization and pest control: In addition to applying a large amount of base fertilizer before raising seedlings, topdressing should also be applied 2 to 3 times. Grape seedlings are susceptible to black pox disease and downy mildew, so 4 to 6 sprays of 180 to 200 times diluted Bordeaux mixture should be applied, along with 1 to 2 sprays of 25% metalaxyl or metalaxyl-copper at 600 times dilution. If felt disease, planthoppers, or two-spotted leafhoppers occur, spray lime sulfur mixture at a density of 1.002 to 1.003 kg/L or imidacloprid at 800 to 1000 times dilution.

4. Weeding and pruning: Plastic-film cutting propagation does not require loosening the soil, but weeds in the seedling holes and between the film rows should be cleared promptly. While weeding, axillary buds should also be removed promptly to promote healthy seedling growth.