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Wild grapes are an amazingly unpretentious crop that can be grown in any region. Probably the only exceptions are deserts and the Far North. Maiden grapes are planted in Siberia, in the Moscow region, in the South, and in many countries outside of Russia. The main use of the plant is decorative.
The liana is cultivated to decorate facades and courtyards
Variety selection
There are several types of virgin grapes, each divided into varieties. Few crops take root in Siberia, but this plant is so winter-hardy that climatic conditions do not play a role for it. The cultivation of certain varieties is especially popular.
Five-leafed
The culture is classified as medium-sized, reaching no more than 15 m in length. For owners of compact plots, five-leafed maiden grapes will be just right. In Siberia it is also used for planting hedges. The leaves are divided into five equal parts, each extending 30 cm in length.
The decorative nature of the species is due to the curly red or golden shoots on which blue fruits ripen in the warm season. The following varieties of virgin grapes are suitable for growing in Siberia:
- Star Showers. The plant has green foliage with whitish spots scattered along the edges. By autumn, the spots grow, turn pink and change the color of the plates along with them. This picture looks fascinating and will definitely attract the attention of guests.
Plant seeds can be purchased at almost any garden store.
- Engelman. In spring, the vine is characterized by a dark green color, changing to bright red as the summer sun goes down.
Maiden grapes have smaller leaves compared to related varieties
- Wall. This variety is used for decorating vertical surfaces - not only walls, but also mesh fences, for example. The culture is popular in Siberia.
Thanks to powerful suction cups, the vine does not fall off even in strong winds
Regardless of the type, virgin grapes have impressive growth potential. In suitable conditions, the vine can stretch to the third floor and above.
Tripointed
The homeland of the triacid maiden grape is Japan. Despite this, the culture is excellent for breeding in Siberia. The leaf is divided into three parts and has a green color. The fruits are dark blue and also inedible.
Varieties:
- Golden. Yellowish veins are concentrated on the green plates. In autumn they increase in size, and the girl’s grapes acquire a new color.
The color change occurs harmoniously - first the leaves become yellow, then their edges begin to darken, and the plate is repainted
- Purple.The variety does not differ from its closest relatives either in leaf structure or immunity - but it has an original purple hue that harmoniously combines with flowering plants.
It is recommended to grow tall flowers next to a living fence, since small ones (even contrasting ones) may be invisible
- Vicha. Maiden grapes are characterized by rapid branching; the bush is suitable for growing hedges.
The leaf cover is very dense and does not allow wind to pass through.
When to plant girlish grapes in Siberia
Planting can be done in any season. It is optimal to do this in the spring to get into the natural cycle. If time does not wait, girlish grapes are rooted in the summer or autumn, when at least 30 days remain before the arrival of frost.
Planting virgin grapes in Siberia
Conventionally, the procedure can be divided into four stages: site selection, soil preparation, material processing and planting. To grow virgin grapes in Siberia, you should examine each point separately.
Selecting a location
In its natural environment, the plant settles in open or slightly shaded areas. The more light that hits the leaves, the faster the grapes will grow. It is important not to forget about the supports - they are installed from the very beginning (if you put supports when the roots grow, you can accidentally damage the latter).
A crop grown on the north side will have weak immunity, which will make it resistant to diseases and insect attacks. The number of flowers and berries of the shaded maiden grapes is less.
Soil preparation
Liana prefers fertile soils; if the site does not meet this requirement, it must be fertilized.Two weeks before planting, the soil is dug up and combined with peat and wood ash (compost is sometimes used instead of ash).
Preparation of seedlings
First of all, the seedlings need to be inspected. Only healthy ones are allowed to plant, but even they need to be pre-treated.
The material is kept in the stimulator according to the instructions for the drug
If a gardener decides to propagate virgin grapes with seeds (in Siberia this is done at home), the raw materials are first soaked in cold water and then poured into a container with sand. The sand needs to be moistened and the container placed in the refrigerator. Stratification is carried out for two months.
Planting scheme
After the preliminary procedures, planting girlish grapes will be as easy as shelling pears. The place is dug up again, a hole is formed, the roots are placed (if it is a seedling) and buried. In Siberia, the root collar cannot be left on the surface - it will freeze. The planting itself is placed at an angle, and a trench for water is dug around it.
If you need to plant several bushes, try to keep your distance. For a hedge, they retreat from 50 to 100 cm. Since the bushes grow very quickly, there is no need to plant girlish grapes densely.
Caring for virgin grapes in Siberia
Growing virgin grapes is not a problem, but doing it in Siberia is more difficult, since the plant faces frost, which is not very good. Therefore, the gardener must become familiar with all the nuances of care.
Trimming and shaping
It is useful to form grape bushes from a young age.Even one-year-old plantings tend to curl, which brings discomfort - paths become overgrown and walls age.
In Siberia, pruning and shaping is carried out as follows:
- At the beginning of spring, when the buds have not awakened, the vine is shortened until it reaches the desired size. Don’t be afraid to cut it – girl’s grapes quickly recover and grow over in 2-3 months.
- In the first half of summer, the plant is inspected. Remove dried branches and leaves, cut off frostbitten samples. If you skip such areas, new leaves will not appear on them. Healthy vines are directed in the required direction.
- Until the end of summer, two restraining haircuts are carried out. The green mass is pruned without regret, otherwise the bushes will become overgrown and look sloppy.
Watering
Maiden grapes are watered moderately, one portion of water per month is enough. Humidification should be plentiful - from 8 liters of water or more, but taking into account precipitation. Then they loosen the soil and weed the area to remove weeds. In summer, the water norm for 1 bush is 20 liters.
Top dressing
Since the gardener applied fertilizer before planting, the next fertilizing is done after at least three years. By that time, the girl's grapes will grow. The soil is saturated with nitroammophos; this is done, on the advice of botanists, in the summer. After 30 days, organic substances are applied, laid in a light 5 mm layer.
Wintering
In Siberia, this point is of great importance, because the health of the girl’s grapes will depend on the quality of the shelter. The general winter hardiness of the plant is -28 °C - up to this point it feels good.Certain varieties (which were described above) are more resistant, but they must also be protected.
The vine is removed from the supports and placed under one shelter, this can be spruce branches, mulch, agrofibre
Reproduction methods
Maiden grapes can be grown using seedlings (using the specified technology), seeds, cuttings and layering. In Siberia, seeds are rarely used, since the procedure is long and painstaking: the seeds need to be collected, dried, processed and stratified.
Layering: the stems are pressed to the ground, dug in, and a bracket is installed to hold them. This is done only in the spring. During the summer, the vine is watered separately and covered for the winter. As the snow melts, the cuttings are cut off from the parent plant and replanted.
Cuttings are one of the most popular propagation methods. To do this, cut off a healthy shoot and soak it in water. Non-flooded areas are irrigated with warm water. With the appearance of roots, the virgin grapes are planted in a permanent place. In Siberia this is done during the warm season.
Diseases and pests
The plant has excellent immunity, but, like everything else, it can be weakened by improper agricultural practices. Neglecting the rules of care is fraught with the appearance of caterpillars and aphids - insects that devour the green mass. They can be dealt with using folk remedies. If this does not help, the virgin grapes are sprayed with insecticides.
Siberia has a humid climate, which is a suitable environment for some fungi. On the other hand, cold weather prevents their development. If the disease manifests itself, spots, growths, and deformations appear, fungicides are used.
Conclusion
It is more difficult to cultivate virgin grapes in Siberia, but if you follow simple recommendations, the crop will grow quickly and will not create problems. For the northern region, the most important factor is the quality of the shelter - they try to devote enough time to its creation.
