How to Grow Summer Black Grapes? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Techniques

Summer Black grape originates from Japan and is a descendant of Kyoho grape. It is an early-ripening European-American variety that ripens as early as July. Its characteristics are early ripening, seedless, high sugar and low acid, rich aroma, fine and crisp flesh, and medium firmness, which counts as relatively firm among European-American grapes. Below, the editor will introduce the cultivation techniques for Summer Black grapes!

Getting to Know Summer Black Grapes

Under natural conditions, the clusters are mostly conical, with some being double-shouldered conical, with an average cluster weight of 400 grams and an average single berry weight of 3.5 grams. After treatment with the special Summer Black swelling formula, the clusters become cylindrical or conical, the berries are densely set, and the cluster shape is uniform, with an average cluster weight of 670 grams and a maximum cluster weight of up to 1 kilogram; the berries are nearly round to short oval, with an average single berry weight of 9.35 grams and large berries reaching more than 12 grams. The skin is purple-black or blue-black, colors quickly, and colors uniformly, with a thick bloom and an attractive appearance; the flesh is firm and crisp, with a soluble solids content of 17.3%, reaching up to 22%, with a rich, sweet taste and excellent quality; flower bud differentiation is good, and it is high-yielding, disease-resistant, and tolerant of storage and transport. In Jinhua it ripens around June 25, and the ripe fruit can hang on the vine for as long as 1 month without dropping berries, cracking, or changing flavor.

1. The grape growth period is about 150 days to 160 days (seedling raising requires about 30-40 days). The lifespan and economic cultivation period of grapes can generally reach 30 to 50 years.

2. The uses of grapes: grape fruits are brightly colored, juicy, and delicious; they are nutritious: they contain 10-30% sugar, 0.5-1.4% organic acids, 0.15-0.9% protein, 0.3-0.5% inorganic salts, and also contain a variety of vitamins and amino acids needed by the human body; winemaking: besides being made into raisins and grape juice, grapes can also be used for winemaking; beautification and shade: planting grapes on the rooftop platform of a home can both beautify the roof and provide shade.

3. Planting season: spring planting when the temperature is between 15-25°C is suitable, such as from early March to April; layering can begin in early April; such as from early March to April; layering can begin in early April.

Preliminary Preparation Work

1. Choose improved varieties: there are many grape varieties, such as Kyoho, Fujiminori, Goldfinger, etc. They ripen early and have strong adaptability. High-quality varieties can be selected according to the local weather and the purpose of the fruit.

2. Soil selection: choose sandy loam soil with convenient transportation, convenient drainage and irrigation, deep soil layer, and loose texture (good air permeability and fast soil temperature recovery) as the best soil quality.

3. Land preparation: prepare the land in the autumn and winter of the previous year, apply decomposed organic fertilizer and mix it evenly with the soil. Before land preparation, apply about 1,500 kilograms of decomposed fertilizer per mu, and at the same time add 100 kilograms of superphosphate, then deep-plow the soil about 30 cm, break the soil into fine pieces, and form a seedbed with a required ditch width of 0.8 m and a depth of 0.4-0.6 m, in preparation for planting.

4. Select the trellis type: for the cultivation trellis, a V-shaped trellis, a high-wide drooping T-shaped trellis, or a horizontal pergola can be selected. A single-wall trellis is not suitable. Build the orchard, select materials, and erect the trellis reasonably according to the selected trellis type.

5. Reasonable planting: from late November each year to March of the following year, select strong seedlings, leave 2-3 plump buds, shorten-prune, and then plant. After planting, water thoroughly and cover with black plastic film to retain moisture and prevent weeds. Cultivation trellis types are divided into two kinds, trellis and flat pergola, and the corresponding planting density is generally suitable at row spacing 2.5 m × 1.2 m (double cross V-shaped trellis), 2.8-3 × 1 m (high-wide drooping T-shaped trellis), and 4 m × 1 m (horizontal pergola).

6. Facility cultivation is recommended: besides open-field cultivation, Summer Black grapes can also use facility cultivation where conditions permit. Greenhouse forcing cultivation can advance ripening by 10 to 15 days and increase economic returns. Although rain-shelter cultivation cannot bring the fruit to market earlier, it can reduce the occurrence of diseases.

Management of Young Trees

1. Topdressing to promote growth: fertilization follows the principle of light fertilizer applied frequently. Generally, topdressing begins after 8 leaves have unfolded, once every 10-15 days. Before August, quick-acting nitrogen fertilizer is mainly applied, using 0.3% urea or 0.5% ammonium bicarbonate solution in April-May; apply by watering at the seedling roots after breaking the film. In June-July, apply 0.3%-0.5% compound fertilizer; after August, mainly apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; topdressing continues until the end of September.

2. Tying vines and shaping: after planting the seedlings, promptly erect concrete posts and tighten the wire. Insert a bamboo pole beside the planted seedling. When the new shoot grows to 50-60 cm, guide the vine onto the pole, and promptly do the work of tying the vines, removing tendrils, and pinching. For the “V”-shaped horizontal trellis and the high-wide drooping T-shaped trellis, pinch at the first wire, keep the top two secondary shoots, and guide them to grow to the left and right sides to form two arm vines; for the horizontal pergola, pinch when it is close to the trellis surface.

3. Spraying to prevent diseases and pests: in the first year, the main focus is on controlling black pox disease and downy mildew. After 3 leaves have unfolded, spray a fungicide once every 8-10 days to prevent disease, and Kobo, Pencozeb, Kelu, etc. can be used alternately. In the middle and late stages, add Baolifeng No. 1 or No. 2 while spraying, and when pests are found, add insecticide and spray together.

4. Winter pruning: for winter pruning, cut off at the junction of the two arm vines. On the arm vines, keep 2-3 buds on secondary shoots with a diameter ≥ 0.5 cm, and prune off those less than 0.5 cm. For seedlings that have not grown to the first wire, prune and leave 2-3 buds at the base, and reshape in the second year. For pergolas, leave 3-4 branches on the trellis surface.