Although at first glance, the process of grafting grapes seems simple enough, but if you seriously ask about its features - the head can spin.
Firstly - on the types of possible vaccinations, then - on the many stages that must be performed before inoculation.
But most importantly, it is armed with a theory, and then everything will go like clockwork. It is about the features of grafting grapes and will be discussed below.
We will try to tell you in detail and in order about all stages of the grape autumn inoculation in order to help you grow a magnificent and fertile plant near your home.
What are the types of grape grafting?
There are many ways to plant grapes among professional gardeners and amateurs. All of them are controversially effective, but it is still worthwhile to select them in accordance with a particular season.
- Spring grape grafting is often underground. At the same time, there are an extraordinary variety of such vaccinations. Among them are the following: splitting, peripheral splitting, butt and butt, underground grape grafting on a single root, grafting of an adult grape bush in the year of transplanting or during root grafting, grafting by simple copulation.
- Summer vaccination. In the summer, the most common vaccinations are combined. For example, lignified sprouts can be grafted in to the grape sprout, which has already managed to bloom. Grape petioles are often grafted onto otbodkovye saplings. It is a well-known type of summer grafting, when a green stalk or a back saddle is grafted onto a green grapevine.
- Autumn vaccination is most often carried out in the grape bush. Usually, an old shrub is planted in this way, which has practically ceased to produce large yields, or when the cultivator does not fit the gardener. Using the already established bush and its good root system in place of the old grapes can easily grow a new tasty variety.
It is worth paying attention to another classification of grape graftingwhich are included in the above named:
- Grafting with a black graft to a black one. This type of vaccination is most often used in the spring. In the course of her to last year's grape escape, or the stem, which is the stock, also grafted last year’s already mature graft — a shield with a bud or a cutting.
- Grafting a "black" graft to the "green" stock. Such a graft can be carried out both in spring, after blooming of grape shoots, and in summer. Its meaning lies in the fact that last year's “black” petiole is grafted onto an already blossoming “green” shoot or a grape bush.
- Grafting a green one to a green one. In this case, vaccination occurs either in summer or in autumn. An already blossoming graft is grafted onto the same green, which has not yet had time to go on to the winter dormancy period, the stock.
We will tell you about the autumn form of the grape graft, when the stalk of one variety is grafted onto the shtambu of another.
It is also interesting to read about the features of planting maiden grapes.
We split the shtambum grape bush to commit graft
Because the whole point of such a scion is that a spike is planted in a split shtambit is very important to properly and delicately do this "splitting". After all, it is very important not to damage the bush, because it will depend on it the effectiveness of the growth of grafted grapes.
Before you begin splitting, it is important to grab the necessary tools. In particular, you will need a small ax, chisel or screwdriver (they will need to be inserted between the split pieces of the stem so that they do not converge back), as well as a hammer.
The grape bush usually has an oval shape. Therefore, to split him follows immediately in the middle, as if by the largest diameter. Carefully put our hatchet in the middle of the trunk and quietly, slowly drive it with an ax.
Your task is to simply split the trunk of a bush, but in no case no need to make this splitting very deep. It will be enough if a chisel or a screwdriver is very tight in the hole. We leave the shtam in this form and proceed to the cuttings, which we will use as grafts.
Why and how to paraffin grape stalks for graft?
Under the waxing means the process of covering the grape stem with paraffin.
Waxing is done in order to prepare the stem for the autumn inoculation well and so that it can bear the approaching winter well. After all, the fact is that a thin layer of paraffin is able to retain the necessary moisture in the stem, after which it does not overdry and is able to settle down well on a new stock.
Before you begin to wax the grape petioles, soak in advance their in heteroauxin solution. The substance heteroauxin is an excellent stimulator of plant growth, in particular, influencing the process of dividing their cells. Therefore, the petioles soaked in such a solution will be much quicker and more effective to take root on the stock.
We proceed to the preparation of paraffin, which must be melted. To do this, in a small vessel or saucepan, collect a small amount of water and throw pieces of paraffin into it. Next, put it all on fire and wait until the paraffin is completely dissolved in water (it should boil a little). Molten paraffin does not react with water and does not mix with it. It will simply float on its surface.
Waxing cuttings should be very carefully and quickly. Taking a grape stalk in your hands, you should very quickly lower it along with your eyes into the melted paraffin (we emphasize - keep paraffin stalks only a few seconds, just to paraffin covered it) and quickly pull it out.
Next, immediately lower the "waxed" petiole into the water in order to immediately cool it. It is important to note that for a good result it is very important to use dry petioles, otherwise paraffin will stick to them very badly (we have already noted that water repels paraffin).
Instructions for the correct pruning cutting
It goes without saying that an unprepared stalk cannot take root in a new stock. For this reason, first of all it needs to be properly cut so that, firstly, not to damage the cutting itself, and secondly, not to damage its eyes. Thus, the following guidelines should be considered:
- Only the lower part of the cutting is pruned.which we will clamp between the split parts of the stem of a grape bush.
- You need to cut about 2.5-3 centimeters, so that you get a tapered stalk.
- The cutting of the cutting should be slightly below the nearest bud. Therefore, you should retreat from it approximately 0.5-0.8 centimeters.
- Then follows how to chop off the stalk from two sides "on the wedge", leaving the "hangers" around.
- Note that trimming the cutting should also be done very carefully, so as not to cut too much. It is better to carry out pruning gradually, several times, each time increasing the cut.
- It is very important not to touch the place of the cut, gently holding the cutting by the "hangers".
- After pruning is very important to put the stalk in the water. Thus, he will not have time to oxidize before the time of his direct graft to the grape octopus, and may begin to bloom in water.
We are preparing a graft for grafting on the stock
We have already indicated above that before grafting the stalk is important to keep in the water. Very often it is in the water in that time, until green leaves appear on it. This will indicate the suitability of the cutting to the graft. If it is not dissolved in water, further manipulations with it will be useless, since such a cutting is 100% either dried or damaged.
Before direct vaccination is important put the cutting in a special solution, which will stimulate the formation of roots and cell division of the graft, thus, improving the process of engraftment of the stem to the stem. This solution is made from a drug called "Humate".
For dipping the cuttings in 1 liter of water you need to drip a total of 10 drops of this drug. It is important to take into account that only that part of the cutting that was previously cut by us is lowered into the solution. Keep the graft in solution should be no longer than 7-10 seconds. After that, you can proceed to the preparation of the stem and inoculate a cutting on it.
We are preparing a grape bush for grafting - basic tips and instructions
Before the grafting, the underground grape bush should be slightly excavated. The above-ground part is neatly trimmed. The head of the bush also needs to be cut. It is important to take into account that the place of the cut should be smooth, in no case should not be done sideways.
It is very important that the cut was perpendicular to the growth direction of the trunk. Thus, we received penechki grape bush, which also needs to be carefully prepared.
First of all, the place itself should be cleaned carefully and carefully. For this better to use a sharp garden knife, in order not to cause additional damage to the boom.
It is important to completely clear the cut-off area from all rough edges. This will reduce the likelihood of various diseases, characteristic vineyards. After all, it is serrations that become the place for the study of fungal diseases for permanent residence. Therefore, do not take the time to make the surface of the vineyard stem almost perfectly smooth.
A very important tip: in order for the bush to be fully prepared for the inoculation, with the help of a damp cloth, you should completely remove all the dust particles and dirt. Cleanliness should be perfect, the quality of the vaccine will depend on it. Even if you carry out several vaccinations on your site, then clearing every next stem even it is important to disinfect the used knife in the solution.
Guidelines for the proper grafting of grapes
Autumn grapes should be grafted in early October. At the same time, the air temperature should remain warm enough, not lower than 15ºС. The soil temperature during the vaccination should not fall below 10ºС. When conducting an autumn vaccination, it is especially important that there are small signs of the appearance of antennae on the handle. Otherwise, the scape will not survive.
We proceed to direct grafting of the grape rootstock. We take our prepared cutting and insert it into the cut of the trunk, removing the chisel from it. It should be inserted in such a way that in parts of the cuttings the stalk directly touched the trunk itself, and the uncircumcised coat hanger remained in the trunk space.
Usually, the stalk is lowered into the split so that just the cut part of it is placed in the trunk. However, it is possible to lower the stem below the split by 0.5 centimeters so that the lowest bud just protrudes above the trunk.
Naturally, after the graft, small slots that need to be sealed. To do this, you can use pieces of vine grapes, as well as soaked toilet paper. At the same time, the crevices are carefully and very carefully sealed, as much as possible leaving no gaps.
In order for our vaccination to keep well, and the force of compression between the tissues of the scion and boom increases, it needs to be very firmly wrap with keeper tape, that is - cotton fabric. The use of this type of tissue for the vaccination site is due to the fact that it can decompose over time. In addition to the fabric, you can use twine. Thus, by the time of complete engraftment of the cutting to the stock, the fabric will disappear and the vine will begin to enter full growth.
There is an opinion that the vaccination site should be wrapped with polyethylene. At the same time, after careful winding of the site of vaccination with a food film, water should appear on the surface of the trunk, which will indicate the correctness of the vaccination.
In addition, according to many experts in this field, cellophane and polyethylene can protect our graft from sun exposure.
But still, it is better to resort to the opinion of more traditional gardeners, who believe that such artificial films, without missing the air, can harm the graft, because for a good result of grafting and survival of the cutting is important the presence of a large amount of oxygen.
How to help successfully winter the grapes after the autumn inoculation?
After the grafting of the grape rootstock, rootstock must be watered and shrouded in earth (but do not fill it with the immediate place of vaccination, if you do not smear it with clay before).
The soil around the trunk can also be mulched. Due to this, the moisture in the soil will be better preserved and the earth will not freeze through in winter. Before the onset of frost grapes worth sheltering very well. To do this, you can use hay or straw, and from above to cover something heavier - with fir branches, for example.
Another way to effectively help prevent our scion frostbite is to put a wooden tub without a bottom around the trunk with a graft. It should be completely covered with soil until spring. In this form, the graft and the handle will not be afraid of any frost.
To keep our cuttings from drying out, an inoculation site is also recommended to be coated with wet clay.. It is worth smearing the entire vaccination site, but it cannot be understood higher on the cutting itself. Due to soil moisture and winter, the clay will be constantly wet and will provide moisture to the cutting.
Important tips for grafting in the autumn
- The stalk does not need to be cut very long. It will be enough 1-2 holes.
- If the stock to which you are going to plant a grape cutting is very thick, you can plant two or three cuttings on it. Thus, even in the case of the death of one of them, you still get a grape bush.
- The soil around the shrub vine must be loosened to saturate the soil with the necessary amount of oxygen. During the first two years of growing grapes it can be kept under a black steam.
- It is very important not to allow the cuttings to root themselves, not through the stock. Therefore, you need to remove their roots, which protrude from the vaccination site.
