Harvesting grape cuttings in autumn: how to do it correctly and when
Owners of land plots know that cuttings are used to grow grapes. Cuttings are also called sprouted cuttings.
An important aspect for preparing cuttings is the timing of the operation. It is prepared in the fall, two weeks after the bulk of the grape leaves have fallen, but the first frosts have not yet arrived.
Anastasia Kovrizhnykh, an expert of the online publication "BelNovosti", a scientist agronomist and landscape designer, told how to do the right thing.
The procedure is necessarily carried out during the period of pruning grape shoots. This is due to the fact that at the end of autumn, grape bushes are enriched with nutrients.
The grape vine from which the cuttings will be prepared must be from the best grape varieties, based on its taste and quality characteristics.
It should be brown in color, 8-12 mm thick and have an internode of 10 cm. The mandatory criterion is the maturity of the bushes, the absence of diseases and pests.
The vine should be smooth, without damage and have two to four buds on each cutting. It is necessary to make furrows with a sharp object on the sides of the planted branches.
A grape cutting can be called high-quality if it:
• Solid;
• No damage;
• Does not have any foreign spots;
• Has a brown color;
• The cut is green;
• Does not exceed the required dimensions.
The prepared grape cuttings undergo a sorting and processing process. Their processing consists of:
1. Thorough wetting with water;
2. Use of 5% copper sulfate for pest prevention;
3. Drying;
4. Sorting;
5. Distribution and tying into bundles;
6. Wrapping with polyethylene film.
Remember that for effective storage of sprouted cuttings, it is imperative to maintain temperature conditions throughout the winter period.
The temperature must not exceed 5°C and excessive humidity must not appear in the room.
