- The right time and location for planting grapevines
- The right approach to planting grapevines
- Grape varieties: Winter hard & fungus resistant
- Common Diseases and Pests of Grapevines
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They should be fruity, sweet and seedless! We take a close look at the colorful variety of red, white and blue grapes for growing in the home garden.
Grape lovers get their money's worth in the supermarket all year round. As soon as the vineyards in Europe shed their colorful autumn dress, the harvesters in South Africa, India and Chile are already whirring through the vines there. Once transported around the world, they then lie on our shelves. But even in the local grape season, gourmets often spend a long time looking for local goods. If you no longer want to use grapes from Italy, Greece, Spain or Turkey, you can also grow the juicy delicacy in your own garden. Grapevines not only provide delicious fruit, but also add a romantic flair to the garden when they climb up fences and walls. We show how you can enjoy your own grapevine and what you have to consider when planting.
The right time and location for planting grapevines
Grapes can be planted all year round, according to table grape expert Schmidt from Rebschule Schmidt in Obernbreit. Planting in spring is common. As a heat-loving plant, the vine thanks a sunny spot. Pure south or west sides or locations facing south-east or south-west are recommended for cultivation. In addition, it makes sense to plant the vines close to a building wall. This radiates the heat stored during the day at night, protecting the vines from cold damage.
Before planting, make sure that the location is not endangered by standing water. Clay or loamy soils are ideal. But light sandy soils are also suitable, provided a good humus supply is guaranteed. Good soil loosening is also crucial. If necessary, the soil should be loosened before planting.
The right approach to planting grapevines
So that you can soon harvest grapes from your own vine yourself, there are a few things to consider. Below we explain how to plant vines.
You need this for plantingGrapevines
You don't need much to plant a grapevine. The following materials are required for planting:
- Grapevine
- A spade
- Secateurs
- Planting substrate
- A coconut mat
- A piece of string
Dig planting hole for vines
As soon as a suitable location has been found, a pit about 30 cm wide and 40 cm deep is to be dug into which the vine is to be inserted later. The planting hole should be about twice as deep and wide as the root ball. The bottom of the planting hole is now improved with some fresh substrate - we recommend using special soil for berry plants. You can also add some organic soil activator to give the vines a perfect start in their new home.
Preparing the vine for planting
However, before the plant finally moves in, it has to be prepared accordingly. In order to counteract the spiral growth of the roots, which is usual for plants from the pot, cut the root ball slightly all around and loosen the soil with your hands. The small injuries also stimulate root growth. So that the vine grows quickly, it is advisable to saturate the root ball with water before planting. To do this, the plant is placed in a container filled with water until the root ball is soaked.
Planting grapevines
Now the vine can be placed in the planting hole and this can be filled with substrate. A certain amount of caution is required: the grafting site itself must not be buried. This must look beyond the pit and is only lightly piled up with earth. Cavities around the root ball are closed by gently stepping on them.
If the vine is secure and firm, the individual shoots of a climbing aid can be tied down. A garden fence, for example, is also suitable for this. The plant is then watered well. A coconut mat can be placed around the trunk to keep weeds away.
Grape varieties: Winter hard & fungus resistant
In particular, the resistance to fungi is decisive for a successful harvest in the garden. Powdery mildew (Oidium) and downy mildew (Peronospora) are the archenemies of every vine. Therefore, when choosing the grape variety, it is important to have very good resistance to fungiregard. The varieties Arkadia Rozowa, Frumoasa alba, Straschinksi, Suzi, Vanessa and Venus have proven to be particularly resilient. A. Rozowa, a red Russian table grape, also impresses with its large and early-ripening grapes, which can be harvested from the beginning of September. But also the varieties Vanessa (pink) and Venus (blue grape) bring ripe grapes early and also boast that they are seedless. A feature that is often desired.
If you like it crunchy, you will get your money's worth with the Muskat Bleu variety. As the name suggests, the variety Centennial seedless (green-yellow colour) from the USA also contains no seeds. Its fine nutmeg aroma makes it very interesting in terms of taste and as a frost-tolerant variety it is suitable for cultivation in non-typical wine-growing regions. The Russian variety Michurinski (blue grape), which is frost-resistant down to -35 °C, is also particularly insensitive to cold. A special feature that even her Russian competitor, the red Victoria and the Ukrainian variety Wodograi can't quite keep up with.
The range of aromatic and robust varieties for cultivation in our latitudes has continued to grow in recent years. After choosing a he althy and resistant grape variety, you should decide according to your taste whether white, blue or rosé, early or late ripening and whether with or without seeds.
Common Diseases and Pests of Grapevines
In order to get rid of fungal diseases in particular, and above all powdery mildew and downy mildew, care should be taken to ensure an airy cut. According to Schmidt from Obernbreit, February-March is the best time to prune the vines. Schmidt explains how to cut with a rule of thumb: “Fruit wood is the one-year-old wood. One or two rods from last year's wood must be left standing. The flowers develop from these eyes. If the fungus appears despite proper pruning, the expert recommends a copper supplement to be applied before and after flowering.
Animal pests such as the smallpox mite, on the other hand, are comparatively harmless and it is sufficient to dispose of the infested leaves. An organza bag is helpful to avoid having to share the grapes with wasps and birds. The sachet is about theGrape turned over and thus protects against unwanted food. Find out more about how to protect grapes from wasps and birds in our special article.
If you want to know more about caring for and fertilizing grapevines, you can read on here.
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