When is the best time to plant grapes: spring or autumn?

Many gardeners are engaged in the cultivation of grapes, since it not only gives a rich and tasty harvest, but also performs a decorative function. In this article, we will take a closer look at when it is better to plant grapes - in spring or autumn.

Quite often, gardeners resort to planting grapes in the fall. It is recommended to start engaging in this process from the beginning of October. And by the end of autumn, all work must be completed so that the grapes have already adapted to the new conditions, and take root before the first frost.

Planting grapes in autumn has the following advantages:

• you can plant various varieties, the main thing is to choose a healthy seedling;
• usually it rains a lot in autumn, which allows for good watering without human intervention;
• if planting is carried out in the fall, then in the spring there is no longer a need to take additional steps to care for the grapes;
• this period is characterized by excellent survival rate, since the conditions in the air and in the soil are almost the same;
• seedlings that were planted in the fall are more hardy, they adapt more easily to changing weather.

Planting grapes in the autumn period also has disadvantages, namely:

• if frosts come earlier, or the seedling slows down for some reason in development, then the plant will freeze in winter;
• rodents are very fond of young plants, so there is a high probability that they can damage it.

It is worth noting that seedlings in the autumn season must undergo the following manipulations:

• a day before planting, the root system should be soaked in plain water or in a specially prepared mash made of clay and manure;
• it is very important to remove all shoots, except for one - the healthiest one;
• all roots need to be reduced in length to about 15-20 cm.

Some experts prefer to plant grapes in the spring. In this case, it is very important to wait for the daytime air temperature to reach +12 degrees, and frost at night is not predicted. Spring planting has the following advantages:

• the adaptation period is going well, plants take root faster and are more resistant to low temperatures of the winter period than autumn plantings, since they become stronger in six months;
• you can carefully consider the process of planting grapes - before winter, a primary pit is made, fertilizers are applied, and a place is formed, and in the spring there is already loosening, mulching, and also soil moistening.

But spring planting is not ideal, because it also has disadvantages, namely:

• even if the air temperature during the day warms up to +15 degrees, there is still the possibility of frost, in this case the plant may not tolerate a sharp cold snap;
• it is advisable to carry out disinfestation of the soil before planting, to neutralize all possible microorganisms, because it is in the spring that they are most active;
• it is very important to choose the right variety, because the seedlings must be harvested in the fall, and then take care of them throughout the winter; of course, some gardeners buy seedlings in the spring, but in this case, the planting material may be poor, and there is also a rather poor selection of varieties on sale.

Many gardeners are wondering when is the best time to plant grapes.It should be noted that planting in spring has a significant plus - the roots of the seedling will definitely take root during the summer period, so the autumn frosts will not harm them in any way. And planting in the fall also has advantages, namely:

• autumn soil is ideal for planting, since it has already accumulated many useful substances, and also gained moisture during the rainy period;
• easier to find good seedlings, because it is in the fall that the freshest, strongest and healthiest plants are sold;
• if rooting is successful, then in the spring the grapes will begin to grow actively, and adaptation will take place quite quickly.