Grapes are often called unpretentious plant. This statement can be called fair, because in natural conditions it is capable of producing abundant fruits without outside interference and special fertilizer. However, when cultivated on personal plots and in conditions of large-scale breeding in the spring it requires the skillful addition of minerals and nutrients. This approach is the key to a rich harvest.

However, fertilizer and top dressing are different types, and all procedures require strict adherence to certain rules. Otherwise, there is a great risk of not only reducing the harvest, but also being completely left without grapes. In viticulture, there have been cases when inexperienced farmers applied too much fertilizer in the spring and burned the plant during its peak period. active growth.

Many gardeners traditionally fertilize the soil in their garden plots in spring, but grapes require a special procedure. This is because mineral elements must be in a certain form accessible for absorption by the root system. Otherwise, the plant may not receive the required amount of nutrients necessary for the berries to ripen.

A special fertilizer system for grapes has the following goals:

• creating conditions for organic nutrition;
• creating conditions for mixed nutrition, consisting of several types of fertilizers.

There are several types of fertilization procedures, which differ in the way nutrients are added:

• Complete fertilizer, when microelements are introduced into the soil during deep cultivation. This is usually done when planting new grape bushes. The procedure provides the plant with nutrition for two years. It is repeated with the same frequency. The long period is due to the fact that the vineyards only partially absorb fertilizers from the soil.
• Top dressing of grapes, which can be root and foliar. It is an additional way to increase productivity and is used along with complete fertilizer.

Root feeding of grapes

This procedure should be carried out in the spring two to three weeks before flowering. The raw materials selected as fertilizers are placed in the root hole to a depth of 0.3 meters. If the plant is planted on dense soils, loams or black soils, then the depth can increase to half a meter. If the plant is several years old, then fertilizing should be applied around the perimeter two to three meters from the main trunk. In the spring before the vines flower, the most suitable fertilizers are ammonium sulfate, urea, saltpeter, superphosphate and potassium salts.

To prepare fertilizer for root feeding, you will need 10 liters of water, 20 grams of saltpeter (you can take 20 grams of urea or 40 grams of ammonium sulfate), or 20 grams of any potassium salt, or 50 grams of superphosphate. This composition can significantly increase the yield of the vineyard.

Manure, bird droppings or ash can be used as organic fertilizers for feeding grapes. For better penetration of nutrients into the soil and plant roots, organic matter must be diluted with water. It is advisable to water the soil around the root system of the vine after digging and forming a protective barrier that will prevent the water solution from spreading.

In the spring, two weeks after the vine blooms, it is necessary to carry out another root feeding of the grapes. It will help stimulate the growth of bunches and berries. When the grapes begin to ripen, you can feed the plant again. Superphosphate and potassium salt are suitable for these purposes. In order for the plant to overwinter well and withstand frosts, after harvesting the grapes should be fed with a solution of potassium salt.

Foliar feeding of grapes

This procedure involves spraying plants with a solution of useful substances. The leaves of the vine have a unique surface that is able to absorb potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and distribute them throughout all parts of the grape bush. Foliar feeding of grapes is most often used during climatic changes. It is under such conditions that the root system of the bush weakens, and its ability to absorb minerals from the soil sharply decreases.

To achieve good harvest, spraying should be carried out together with root fertilizer. The ideal time for this procedure is 10 days before the vine blooms. Fertilizing will preserve flowers and increase the number of berries. The spray composition is prepared as follows. For 10 liters of water you should take 150 grams of superphosphate, or 100 grams of ammonium sulfate, or 50 grams ammonium nitrate, or 50 grams of any potassium salt, or 10 grams of zinc, or 1/2 gram of boric acid.

To prepare a complex fertilizer for spraying, you need to infuse 200 grams of superphosphate in 1.5 liters of water for 24 hours. Then remove the solution from the sediment and add water so that the total volume becomes 2 liters. Separately, prepare a mixture of 100 grams of ammonium sulfate, 70 grams of potassium sulfate and 2 liters of water. The next stage is mixing the two solutions and bringing the total volume to 10 liters. Boron, chromium, as well as glycerin or sugar can be added to the resulting extract in order to ensure good adhesion of the solution to the grape leaves.

It is not recommended to carry out any foliar feeding in direct sunlight. Optimal time for this procedure - morning, evening or cloudy weather, but without precipitation. Following this rule will protect the vines from sunburn. It is necessary to avoid spraying grape bushes in the fall. Such actions can provoke the growth of shoots, which is extremely undesirable in autumn-winter period, when the plant can simply die under the influence of low temperatures.

A special type of feeding is the so-called “green” feeding. It consists of planting peas between the vines in the spring before flowering. Cultivation of this plant allows you to additionally supply grapes with useful substances.

Grapes are considered an unpretentious plant, however, for correct height and a good harvest, it is necessary to feed grape seedlings in the first stages of their growth, so that in the future the berries will be juicy and tasty.

Types of fertilizers

In order to feed grapes correctly, you need to know which elements the plant needs most. Which fertilizers should be applied at the root, and which should be used to spray the leaves.

Nitrogen fertilizers for grapes

Nitrogen helps leaves and shoots grow quickly and without problems. Most fertilizers containing nitrogen are applied in the spring, when the growing season is just beginning. It should be noted that in August and autumn it is impossible to introduce substances containing nitrogen. This may prevent the plant's wood from ripening.

The most popular nitrogen-based fertilizers are:

• Urea. 46% consists of pure nitrogen. Urea is used as both foliar and root feeding of grapes. Due to the large amount of nitrogen in the composition, it can only be applied several years after planting. In order not to harm the plant, you need to dilute up to fifty grams of fertilizer per liter of water and apply it to the soil.
• Ammonium nitrate. It is best to use the substance during flowering. It is not recommended to fertilize grapes while pouring berries. This may affect the quality of the berries. Ammonium nitrate is best sprinkled on slightly moistened soil around the bush.

Potassium fertilizers for grapes

Potassium is another important microelement that is necessary for the full development of the plant. It accelerates the growth and ripening of plant berries. Nutrients consisting of potassium are excellent for feeding grapes in the fall, since such fertilizers well prepare the plant for cold weather.

Grapes are one of the crops that consume the most a large number of potassium from the soil, so you can feed the soil annually.

• Potassium sulfate. For good result It is best to use this product as a foliar feed during the final growth stage. The average amount of substance needed is 20 grams per 10 liters of water; you need to add 40 grams of superphosphate to the bucket. It neutralizes acidity.
• Potassium chloride. Contains 50% to 60% potassium. It is best to add lime to this fertilizer to neutralize the acidity. Potassium chloride can be used in tandem with any microelements and nutritional raw materials, except urea.

Phosphorus fertilizers for grapes

Phosphorus is one of the three most necessary components for garden crops. He - perfect solution for feeding young grapes initial stages growth and flowering. Thanks to the phosphorus base, flowers and berries develop much faster and better.

• Superphosphate. Contains up to 20% phosphorus and gypsum. Suitable for any type of soil, however, acidic soils must first be limed or lime must be added to the fertilizer solution. Superphosphate should be applied after flowering begins. This will help the fruits develop better during the ripening period.
• Double superphosphate. It consists of 50% phosphoric acid, but does not contain gypsum. It is used in the same way as simple superphosphate.

Complex and complex fertilizers

Complex nutrients consist of two or more elements.

• Azofoska. It is a combination of three main macroelements: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It is found in two forms - dry and dissolved. The first one must be applied under the bush. The amount of substance is up to sixty grams per plant. It can only be used in the warm season. The liquid form consists of two tablespoons of azofoska diluted in one bucket of water; the solution must be poured under the root.
• Bishofite. A complex fertilizer containing magnesium, boron, iodine and bromine. In total, more than ten components. Used for foliar feeding of grapes. Ten liters of water must be dissolved in 150 milliliters of bishal, but in order not to damage the plant, the dosage can be reduced by almost half. This product is used as boron feeding for grapes. In terms of quantity, this element in the composition of bischofite ranks second, magnesium is in first place.

Application of organic fertilizers

Grape feeding ash- perfect solution. It is best to use only wood. Ash after burning coal is not used as fertilizer at all; it contains toxins that are harmful to plants.

Tree ash contains a large amount of micronutrients that are beneficial to the plant. For example, magnesium, boron, potassium and phosphorus. Can be used as a soil acidity level regulator.

Other organic fertilizer - bird droppings. It helps to almost double the fruit yield and speed up the ripening process for several weeks.

To understand how to feed grapes with chicken droppings, you need to remember an important rule: before applying such fertilizer, you need to prepare a special nutrient solution for a plant. Fresh droppings can irritate the soil and shoots.

For 20 liters of water you need about 1 kilogram of litter, the solution must be infused for two weeks. Fertilizer should be applied at a short distance from the bush in small portions into holes up to 35 centimeters deep. To fully fertilize the plant, two buckets are enough.

Folk remedies for fertilizing grapes

One of the most effective means – yeast feeding. The recipe is quite simple:

1. One gram of dry baker's yeast must be dissolved in one liter of slightly warmed water, add a teaspoon of sugar, mix thoroughly until completely dissolved. The mixture should infuse for a couple of hours. Before fertilizing plants, one liter ready solution dilute with five liters of clean water.
2. Dilute fifty grams of live yeast in a liter of slightly warmed water, let it brew a little. Before watering, it is also necessary to dilute the fertilizer with five liters of water.

Microfertilizers

In addition to the three main elements of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, for full growth and good yield, grapes also need other microelements: boron, magnesium, zinc and others.

Microfertilizers are one of the most popular fertilizers. There are a huge number of them. For example, potassium magnesium, which contains 28% potassium, 18% magnesium and about 16% sulfur.

Microfertilizers also include copper, which is used for foliar feeding.

One gram of the substance is enough to spray one bush. It should be applied no more than once every four years.

Scheme of root feeding of grapes

To apply fertilizing correctly, you need to know the dosage and timing. It is better to add less than to haphazardly add useless and sometimes harmful substances.

Spring feeding of grapes is considered the most important stage. It helps the bushes recover after frost and stimulates fruit production.

Methods of fertilizing

Separate root and outside root dressings. They differ in the way they are introduced. In the first case, nutrients need to be poured or placed under the bush for better effect. The second can be considered an auxiliary stage. Foliar feeding helps the plant to develop properly, stimulates the growth of shoots and ovaries, and increases productivity.

Foliar feeding

If the grapes are planted in soil that is saturated with microelements, then for the first three years there is no need to fertilize it, since the plant will feed on substances from the soil. Foliar feeding promotes development and improves productivity. The leaves should be treated the first time before flowering, the second time after flowering, the third time during the ripening of the brushes. Foliar feeding of grapes is carried out regardless of the amount and type of fertilizers applied to root system plants.

To know exactly what to feed the grapes with, you need to take into account the type of soil and the age of the plant. The most important elements are nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Almost all fertilizers contain them. Boron, magnesium, zinc and iodine are also needed for full growth. Thanks to the ability to feed grapes correctly and in a timely manner, you can get juicy and tasty fruits.

Grapes for growth and development, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus fertilizers are needed, as well as the following microelements: borax, calcium, manganese sulfate or boric acid.

Potassium is necessary to maintain immunity, active plant growth and increase cold resistance. Phosphorus promotes the growth and formation of fruit buds, better accumulation of sugar in fruits and their rapid ripening. Calcium is needed for the formation of carbohydrates, increasing the yield and sugar content of berries, and better ripening of shoots.

Before planting in the fall, the soil for grapes is filled with a mixture of fertilizers, adding 200 g of superphosphate and 250 g of wood ash per 1 m2, previously thoroughly mixed in a barrel with 8-10 kg of ready-rotted manure.

A planting hole 70-80 cm deep and 1 m in diameter needs to be filled with 20 kg of rotted manure (humus) or 30 kg of peat, 100-300 g of superphosphate, 150 g potash fertilizers or 30-50 g of potassium chloride and 1-2 kg of wood ash. On soils poor in organic matter, the rate of rotted manure should be increased to 3-4 buckets.

When digging a hole, the most fertile top layer of soil (by volume, this is approximately one third of the volume of the entire hole) is laid to one side. The rest of the less fertile soil from the lower horizon is piled up separately. The entire set of fertilizers listed above is mixed until homogeneous mass with good humus-rich soil. On all soils, except sandy soil, add coarse sand and small stones up to a quarter of the total volume of soil. By the way, sand or fine screening of crushed stone must be added to that part of the earth that was taken from the lower sections of the planting pit.

The role of a kind of fertilizer after planting grapes is played by a layer of mulch made from wood chips, chopped straw or rotted manure.

In the first ten days of May, nitrogen fertilizers necessary for plant growth are applied to all grape plantings of the previous year. It is best to prepare a solution of urea (or carbamide) by adding 2 tbsp. tablespoons of the substance per 10 liters of water, but not more than 5 g per 1 liter. All plantings are treated with the resulting solution, calculating the consumption based on soil fertility: 1 bucket per bush on rich soils and 5-7 buckets on poor soils.

From the second year of life you should add organic fertilizers together with phosphorus and potassium in tree trunk circles for autumn or spring digging of soil to a depth of 18-20 cm at the rate of 5-7 kg per 1 m 2.

❧ Sulfur fertilizing is not specifically carried out, since organic and complex fertilizers, as well as wood ash contain a sufficient amount of this element. To prevent zinc deficiency, alfalfa can be grown in the rows of the garden.

Every year in spring under fruit-bearing grape bushes you need to add a nutrient mixture, since grapes take a huge amount out of the ground minerals. The first feeding is carried out before the buds open, adding a mixture of 10 parts of rotted manure or humus and 1 part of superphosphate into a prepared hole the width of a shovel between two bushes 30-35 cm deep. The mixture is thrown to the bottom of the hole and, without mixing with the ground, is buried.

On poor soils, root feeding of grapes nitrogen fertilizers held every year in early spring and after flowering. On humus-rich soils, grapes require almost no nitrogen fertilizers.

Another feeding is prescribed with the same fertilizer composition as the first time, 1-2 weeks before flowering, in order to reduce the shedding of the ovaries.

The next feeding is carried out 8-10 days after flowering. For this purpose, you can use a mixture of superphosphate and ammonium nitrate (100 g and 50 g, respectively, per 1 m2). It is advisable to apply mineral fertilizers in liquid form.

The last root feeding can be organized at the beginning of fruit ripening by placing liquid organic fertilizers into the furrows or fertilizing hole.

If necessary, once every 10-15 days (until mid-July), foliar feeding can be done by spraying the bushes with a urea solution (30 g per 10 liters of water) on the leaves in the evening if there is no rain.

Root feeding of grapes Potassium fertilizers are applied after harvesting to increase the frost resistance of the bush. On fertile soils, in order to maintain the phosphorus-potassium nutrition regime, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied at 55-65 g per 1 m2 in the fall once every 3 years. On light soils, these fertilizers are applied every other year. It is best to introduce liquid phosphorus-potassium fertilizers through an irrigation pipe.

Each representative of the flora needs regular nutrition; for grapes, this action consists of choosing proper fertilizer. All fertilizers are divided into mineral and organic. Any plant has a number of preferred nutritional elements; for grapes, one of the main and necessary substances is potassium. During its fruiting season, grapes take up to two hundred grams of potassium from the ground.

Potassium - mineral fertilizer for grapes

The main advantages of potassium fertilizing

Grapes love to receive additional nutrition in the form of potassium. That is why the content of the element potassium in this plant is very high. The benefits of potassium for grapes include rapid replenishment, because its most beneficial substances can quickly move throughout the plant. The main place for localization and feeding of potassium is considered to be fruits. The main effects of potassium on grapes:

• promotes rapid growth plants;
• allows fruits to reach maximum maturity in a short period of time;
• responsible for the sweet taste in berries;
• enriches the entire plant with a pleasant bright aroma;
• timely ripening of the vine and the plant as a whole;
• the high content of this element allows you to more resiliently survive the winter, with minimal damage to the buds, roots and shoots;
• effectively copes with all possible diseases;
• prevents the plant from drying out during periods of extreme heat.

Potassium salt or potassium sulfate is mainly used to fertilize grapes. The content of a huge amount of potassium can be observed in the ash that remains after the burning of the vineyard itself.

Potassium salt is well absorbed by the vine

Why do we need fertilizers for grapes?

During the ripening period, the grapes grow a large number of branches that reach a length of five meters. Fertilizers allow you to introduce into the grapes all the substances necessary during the growing season. After carrying out such procedures regularly, you can enjoy delicious fruits this plant.

Before planting seedlings, plants add special nutrients to the hole, which are primarily found and formed in manure. Such fertilizing is mandatory for the future grape harvest and it contains a very high concentration of nutrients, but it is enough for no more than four years. During this period of time, the bush has already formed and begins to bear its first fruits. The more fruits there are in the vineyard, the more various fertilizers are needed, among which is potassium.

Regular fertilizing allows the vineyard to bear fruit every year, with an increase in the amount of harvest.

Basic fertilizers are divided into organic and mineral. Organic is animal waste - manure, compost or bird droppings. Such fertilizers are used more often than mineral ones, because they are easier to find, and in terms of the concentration of nutrients they are not inferior to mineral fertilizers.

Potassium is a nutritional supplement of simple mineral origin, since it contains a concentration of only one substance. Such fertilizer should be introduced into the soil around the roots of the vineyard; for this, a special fence is dug, the required amount of potash fertilizer is poured into its perimeter. It is the use of additional nutrition around the plant that contributes to the immediate absorption of all the beneficial substances from feeding.

If there are chickens on the property, their droppings are also suitable for fertilizing grapes.

Technology for using potassium for grapes

So that the grapes bear fruit fully, and its fruits have pleasant aroma and sweet taste, fertilizing should be done once every two seasons. The basic technology is to dig a trench at a distance of about half a meter in a circle from the roots of the plant, and potassium fertilizer is added to these earthen depressions.

The ideal time of year to perform such actions is early spring, when the leaves of the grapes have not yet blossomed. Another option is to feed in the fall after harvesting.

In addition to the main fertilizer application system, special fertilizing is applied during the ripening season. Which ones and in what quantity depends on a certain time:

• The grapes are fed for the first time as soon as they are opened and freed from protective film, it's early spring. The entire harvest of the season depends on the quality and timely application of fertilizer. In combination with other minerals, potassium is introduced into the perimeter of the dug groove in an amount of no more than 50 grams. After applying the mixture, you need to sprinkle it with soil so that the beneficial substances do not evaporate in the air, but are absorbed primarily into the soil. Use the same way liquid fertilizer, which is added to the water during the first watering of the vineyard.
• The use of potassium salt is useful before flowering of the vineyard. At this time, activities are usually carried out to feed the bushes, using liquid manure or chicken droppings. Potassium salt is added to these substances in small quantities. If you do not want to use liquid manure to fertilize grapes, then use a combination of minerals that includes nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. After spraying the bush, water the vineyard with plenty of water.
• The third stage of fertilizing is carried out during the period of active fruiting in the vineyard, when the fruits reach the size of no more than a pea. The same amount of mineral substances is found as during the first feeding, only the amount of substances is reduced several times. Carrying out this fertilizing is very important in growing grapes; it allows you to increase the amount of harvest this and next years.
• The last application of fertilizer is an important process and is carried out when the berries on the bunches are already ripe. It consists of feeding grape bushes with a combination of potassium and phosphorus; the dosage of the substance should not exceed fifty grams per bush. Other mineral supplements undesirable for grapes during this period.

Potassium is very useful for development and good fruiting vineyard If it is not possible to purchase potash fertilizer, then use ordinary ash from a burnt tree instead. The amount of such bait should be no less than five times greater than ordinary minerals. Wood ash has a high potassium content, a small concentration of phosphorus and other useful microelements.

Fertilizing grapes with potassium can increase the grape yield and improve its condition for several seasons to come.

It is believed that growing a healthy, lush vineyard that produces a bountiful harvest of large and sweet berries is difficult. Grapes are a capricious culture, requiring ongoing care. This opinion is wrong.

Grapes really need a complex of certain nutrients and proper care. However, this plant is no more whimsical than, for example, strawberries or raspberries. You just need to know when to apply fertilizers, choose the right fertilizer for grapes and follow the rules for their application.

Article outline

The main mistakes of winegrowers

When growing grapes, gardeners usually make the following mistakes:

1. mainly fertilizing of young grape seedlings is carried out, when minimal attention is paid to adult plants;
2. fertilizing is applied only in the form of complex fertilizers;
3. An excessive amount of fertilizer is applied to the grapes.

As practice shows, many gardeners feed young seedlings, while the adult grapevine remains unattended. It is believed that mature plant with a powerful rhizome, it will independently extract nutrients from the deep layers of the soil. While young grapes strength is needed for growth and development.

In fact, seedlings in the first two years additional fertilizing is not required at all if all rules were followed during landing and landing hole All necessary fertilizers have been applied.

An adult plant, on the contrary, can completely deplete the soil in a few seasons. Feeding should become mandatory for plants older than three years.

The use of complex fertilizers for the vineyard soil is a completely justified procedure, but only once during the growing season. Standard complexes contain the main elements of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, but microelements valuable for grapes may be absent.

In addition, the application of nitrogen to grapes is indicated only twice in early spring. In subsequent fertilizing, the presence of nitrogen can harm the plants. If you do not want to give up complex formulations, select fertilizers special for grapes, which, in addition to the main macroelements NPK, contain a complex of microelements of zinc, boron, sulfur, calcium, magnesium and manganese.

Another mistake wine growers make is the unsystematic application of excess fertilizers.. Indeed, grapes are a nutritionally demanding plant; however, additives of mineral and organic origin must be added in strictly standardized doses and only at a certain time. Otherwise, the grapevine will become vulnerable to disease, the plant will lose immunity, and the timing of fruiting may be delayed until the onset of autumn frosts.

What substances need to be fed to grapes?

To help the plants develop properly, let’s try to figure out what to feed the grapes and what nutrients they need.

• Nitrogen - stimulates the growth of foliage and young shoots, is necessary in the spring, at the end of the growing season it is harmful for grapes, as it delays the ripening of berries and wood, which protects the vine from the cold in winter.
• Phosphorus is necessary for grapes to form inflorescences, ovaries and ripen berries, so it is added before flowering begins. Due to the prolonged decomposition period in the soil, phosphorus fertilizers for grapes are also applied in the fall, so that by the beginning of the growing season the plant receives this macronutrient in full.
• Potassium is an important macronutrient for grapes. The vine does not tolerate low temperatures well, and potassium increases the grapes' resistance to winter frosts. Potassium also increases resistance to drought and dehydration, diseases and pests. Potassium fertilizers are applied to grapes in the fall.
• Boron - stimulates the flowering process and prevents the ovaries from falling off, affects the sugar level in fruits, and accelerates their ripening.
• Copper – enhances the growth of young shoots, affects the immunity of grapes.
• Zinc – affects the amount of harvest.
• Magnesium – affects the absorption of phosphates, participates in the processes of photosynthesis and protein formation, and affects the taste of grapes.

Grapes do not tolerate chlorine well, so when choosing mineral fertilizers, pay attention to the absence of this element in the composition.

Grape feeding scheme

Mineral supplements or organic?

For grapes, you can only get by with mineral fertilizers, which can be simple (two- or one-component) and complex (multicomponent).

However, it is unlikely that you can get by with mineral supplements alone. Chemical compositions, although they provide nutrition to plants, do not change the structure of the soil. And grapes need fertile soil with a high content of humus and beneficial bioflora.

You can also use it, but be extremely careful so as not to harm the vine. In litter, all chemical components are in a more concentrated form compared to other types of organic matter. High doses of nitrogen are especially dangerous.

To prepare liquid fertilizer, you need to dilute the droppings with water in the ratio of 1 part organic matter/4 parts water, that is, for every 100 g of fertilizer you will need 400 ml of water.

The resulting mixture is infused for 3–7 days and then used, diluted tenfold with water. For a 10 liter bucket of water you will need 1 liter of chicken manure infusion.

Potassium chloride, dangerous due to the chloride compounds it contains, will replace. Regular wood ash will do, although sunflower husk ash is considered the best. fruit trees and grape ash.

Scheme of root feeding of grapes

Farmers have different opinions on how many times it is necessary to apply fertilizers to grapes. Some people believe that feeding the vine should begin in early spring after the last snow melts. Some gardeners fertilize the vineyard for the first time just before flowering.

We have selected a grape feeding scheme for depleted and sandy soils, where nutrients are present in minimal quantities. If the vineyard is developed on fertile lands or fertilizers have been applied to the vines since the fall, you can skip the first fertilizing in the spring.

During the season, the grapes will need 5 root feedings:

1. carried out in early spring, before the bushes open after wintering;
2. carried out before flowering;
3. before the formation of ovaries;
4. before harvest, in a state of technical ripeness of grapes;
5. in the fall, carried out depending on the type of soil.

First feeding

Feeding grapes in spring begins when the temperature reaches +16°C. For feeding, prepare a solution:

• from 20 g of superphosphate, 5 g of potassium salt, 10 g of ammonium nitrate.

This composition will help plants recover after winter. One grape bush will need 10 liters of liquid mineral fertilizer. Also the first spring feeding grapes can be carried out by anyone complex fertilizer prepared according to instructions, or use slurry, prepared at the rate of 1 kg of organic matter/10 l.

How I feed grapes

Second feeding

The second fertilizer of grapes in the spring is necessary not only for the growth of leaves and shoots. The goal is to stimulate the flowering process, therefore in mineral compounds and organic matter, an additional 5 g of boric acid is added. To feed the grapes a second time, you can use the composition for the first feeding or use a solution of nitrophos at the rate of 60 g - 70 g/10 l. But the best option will be the use of organic matter to fill the soil solution with humus:

• 2 kg of mullein are diluted in 5 liters of water and allowed to brew for several days, then the resulting mixture is brought to a volume of 12 liters, this amount is calculated per 1 m² of grape planting.

• make a weakly concentrated solution, no more than 50 g of litter/10 l, the liquid fertilizer should infuse for 2 - 5 days.

Third feeding

It is carried out at the end of flowering and 10 days before the formation of fruit ovaries.

When choosing a fertilizer for the third feeding, you need to understand that the main component should be active nitrogen, which will affect the weight of the fruit and the amount of the harvest as a whole. Root feeding of grapes with active nitrogen is prepared:

• from 10 g of potassium magnesium and 20 g of ammonium nitrate, diluted in 10 liters of water.

Fourth feeding

It is carried out in a state of technical ripeness of the bunches, approximately 10 - 20 days before harvest. The goal is to improve taste qualities grapes, keeping quality of bunches and increasing the mass of the berries themselves. At this time, nitrogen is contraindicated in the vineyard; only phosphorus and potassium are added. It is better not to use complex compounds and organic matter, especially bird droppings, due to their high content of active nitrogen. For feeding:

• 20 g of superphosphate and 20 g of any potassium fertilizer without chlorine per 10 liters of water.

After harvesting, if desired, you can additionally apply 20 g of potassium fertilizers in solution per 1 m² so that the plants replenish what they spent during growing season nutrients. If planned autumn feeding grapes, fertilizer may not be applied.

Fifth feeding

The last application of fertilizer for grapes occurs in the autumn months. This procedure will prepare the vine for winter and create a supply of nutrients for the beginning of the next season. Autumn application does not have to be carried out annually if the vineyard is planted on fertile soils.

For chernozems it is enough to apply mineral supplements and organics once every three years. For sandy loam soils, autumn application becomes more frequent up to once every two years, while for light sandy soils annual application in the fall is indicated.

In autumn, mineral compounds or organic matter are used. Manure or bird droppings are applied rotted. Fresh organic matter in the fall can harm the vine, as it contains active nitrogen, and the main elements before wintering are phosphorus and potassium. Grapes will also need sulfur, manganese, boron, and zinc to improve immunity. Iodine can be added to fertilizer formulations for vineyards on sandy soils.

Mineral complex in autumn:

• 10 g of potassium salt, 20 g of granulated superphosphate, 1 g of boric acid, 2 g of zinc sulfate, 2 g of manganese sulfate, 1 g of potassium iodine.

Organic fertilizers in autumn:

• rotted manure – 2 kg/1 m², applied dry or liquid;
• bird droppings – 1 kg/1 liter of water/1 m² of planting, applied only in liquid form so as not to burn the roots of the plants;
• ash - 300 g / 10 l of water / 1 bush - applied after abundant moisture of the soil.

How to properly fertilize grapes

Rules for applying fertilizers for grapes

The main mistake gardeners make is shallow planting of crops or combining watering and fertilizing of grapes. With shallow planting, grapes develop roots more in the upper layers of the soil solution.

Nutrients remain unavailable to the powerful rhizomes of adult plants. In winter, the upper roots will begin to freeze, and the grapes may simply die. The same situation occurs when watering is combined with the application of fertilizers.

In order for fertilizing grapes in spring and autumn to produce results, any fruits are placed in trenches dug in the circle of bushes. Diameter trunk circle depends on the age of the vine and can be 40 cm - 80 cm. The depth of the trench varies between 20 cm - 50 cm.

For a three-year-old vine, for example, you can add nutrient mixtures to a depth of 20 cm - 25 cm; for older plants, the depth should be greater - 35 cm - 50 cm.

In spring, any compositions are applied in liquid form. Before application, the soil is watered generously. This way the nutrients will not burn the roots and will become more accessible to the plants. In autumn, tuk can be applied in dry or liquid form. The exception is bird droppings, which are always used in liquid form. After laying the fertilizer, the trench needs to be backfilled and compacted a little.

When using ash, special rules must be observed, since this type of organic matter can leave severe burns on the roots. Before adding ash, at least 3-4 buckets of water are added into the trench around the bush, and only after that the solution with ash is poured out.

Scheme of foliar feeding

Sometimes root feeding does not bring results. Why? The reaction with the soil and the fertilizer components among themselves leads to the formation of harmful salts that are not absorbed by the grapes. In this case, several heavy rains must pass so that the fertilizers applied by the root method dissolve in the soil and reach the rhizome. For these reasons, most winegrowers prefer to replace root application with foliar feeding of grapes.

Foliar feeding of grapes can give results within a few days, because some microelements are absorbed by the leaf within the first minutes after spraying. Add to this the minimal consumption of water and fertilizers compared to root application. The benefits are obvious, so check out the following foliar feeding scheme:

1. first treatment on the leaf - no earlier than 3 - 5 days before flowering, boric acid 5 g / 10 l / 1 bush is used, spraying with this composition is usually combined with the use of fungicides to prevent the development of pathogenic flora, fertilizers can be used in the first feeding, the composition of which includes nitrogen;
2. second spraying - 5 - 10 days after flowering, phosphorus mineral fertilizers are used, ash can be selected from organic fertilizers, nitrogen compounds are excluded;
3. third spraying - with an interval of 15 days after the second treatment with a similar composition;
4. fourth treatment - 15 days before the grapes ripen and harvest, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are excluded, spraying is carried out phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to bring the vine and roots into a state of dormancy and prepare for the winter period.

It is better to use the evening or early morning hours for processing. The underside of the leaf is sprayed. In some cases, spraying can be replaced by manually wetting the leaves.

As you can see, caring for grapes is not much different from the rules for caring for other berry plants. The application of the main components is carried out depending on the stage of development of the vine, taking into account the soil and temperature regime. Follow the rules for applying fertilizers, and your vineyard will give a bountiful harvest of delicious berries.

How to fertilize grapes after flowering