Mulching the land in the vineyard. Secrets of mulching Under which plants it is better to add coniferous needles

You need to mulch the vineyard a season before its laying. Then the seedlings will "sit down" in an already full-fledged, healthy, fertile land and you may never know about problems with their survival, freezing and diseases.

Thanks to the mulch, you will forget what weeding is, because there will simply be no weeds. But a structure is formed in the soil: channels that, like a sponge, absorb rain and melt water; tunnels through which air moves and on the walls of which dew condenses; capillaries that draw up nutrient solutions from depths beyond the reach of the most fanatical plowmen.

Soil dwellers will form close-knit communities in which everyone works in his place for the benefit of all. It makes no sense to separate them by types and functions - what difference does it make to us who is called and what they do? Let's generally perceive the vineyard as a single living organism, which is formed from the symbiosis of plants with soil and mulch. With this approach, our seedlings will be able to harmoniously fit into this symbiosis and will find everything they need for nutrition, health and harvest accumulation.

It would be nice, of course, to make a fairy tale come true. This is quite possible, and the experience of many agricultural organists has convincingly proved this. But while you are just getting acquainted with natural methods, we will proceed from a more realistic situation.

Perhaps you planted a seedling in the fall and have now opened it or just finished it. spring planting- no matter. It is important not to rush into mulching - the earth must warm up so that the roots get a good start and begin to actively develop living space. It is better to start mulching when the air temperature at night does not fall below 10-12 ° C for a couple of weeks. But the grapes themselves will give the best signal to start mulching: when the eyes open, you can mulch.

The easiest way to mulch is to cover the space around the seedling within a radius of half a meter, for example, with straw with a layer of about 5 cm. In the spring, organic mulch is in acute shortage, and for some reason there is never a lot of materials harvested since autumn, so do not try to immediately cover it with a dense “spread” only one sapling - it is certainly not alone, it is necessary that everyone has enough. Then add thicknesses when it grows than to add.

It is more important now to mulch not only trunk circle seedling, and the entire area that is allocated to him "for growth" - that is, the place where the trellis will be and where you will direct the sleeves. How more land you make it alive and fertile, the better, besides, you will immediately get rid of the need for weeding and significantly reduce the likelihood of developing diseases.

The same goes for grapes that you may already be growing. Mark out half a meter on both sides of the trellis, mow the grass, you can loosen the top layer of soil with a flat cutter or cultivator - just don't dig! And mulch, and you can use grass that has just been mowed here.

If the mulch material is dry, it is useful to sprinkle it with water to activate the biological processes under the mulch. Sometimes it is necessary to fix the mulch so that the wind does not dispel it - most often it is enough to roll it with branches, boards or just water it. When the mulch cover is caked, the wind will no longer blow it. And get ready to make up for the shrinkage of the mulch!

Now for the tricks. The smaller the mulching material, the faster it will be absorbed by the soil inhabitants, the more intensively it will develop and the sooner it will bear fruit. grape bush. Some do not even spare money for electric shredders - the grape harvest is still more expensive, and not only grapes need mulch.

But relatively large branches, vines, and other coarse organics work great in mulch - they just take longer to be included in the fertilization process. The same organics, only already decomposing, will help speed up their processing. It is easy to find rotten, half-decayed branches and leaves in a forest, grove, forest belt, old garden, on an abandoned neighboring plot. Keep nylon sacks of sugar or flour on the farm, and, by the way, a wheelbarrow is a great help for a modern winegrower!

So, we put the “sourdough” on the soil in the form of organic matter, on which the microflora is already working, on top of our branches, vines, stepchildren, leaves and most top layer- hay or dried grass. It would be nice to pour water over all this: in a humid environment, bacteria and fungi from our “sourdough” will spread widely and quickly.

As an activator, you can use semi-rotted compost and manure. If possible, mix it with other raw materials for mulch or distribute thin layer on the surface of the soil, and spread another mulching material on top. Bacteria and other living creatures from the compost environment will quickly master the new living space.

If we talk about food waste, cake after a juicer and a butter churn, silage and other organics with a high nitrogen content, then it is better to make a “sandwich”: an activator on the soil, our “raw materials” in the middle, and cover with dry materials a few centimeters on top. So the assimilation process will go much faster, moreover, there will be no unpleasant odors and flies.

It is usually not recommended to use sawdust, shavings, bark as mulch, especially conifers trees. Firstly, these materials increase the acidity of the soil (although this can be very useful in regions where soils are alkaline). Secondly, cellulose can cause temporary nitrogen starvation of grapes (the same applies to straw).

Nevertheless, sawdust and straw can be used as part of the mulch, you just need to mix them with fresh grass, manure, bird droppings, and add at least three parts of “thinner” to one part of the sawdust. It is possible not to mix, but then it is necessary to alternate them in thin layers and moisten, if possible, with a solution of mullein, herbal infusion or EM preparation.

In any case, nitrogen starvation is a temporary phenomenon and will pass when your soil living creatures "churn" cellulose and nitrogen returns to the soil. And after three years of chemical-free and plowing-free agricultural technology with total mulching, your “live” vineyard will be able to assimilate with appetite a multi-centimeter layer of sawdust and arm-thick branches in one season.

Sawdust and straw are very affordable and cheap materials, most often their price is formed by the cost of delivery to the site. The issue of providing raw materials for mulching is not so simple - look after groves, glades, meadows, abandoned areas where you can "extract" organic covering material.

Grandmother - "God's dandelion" can wheelbarrow several tons of fallen leaves from a grove per kilometer. A scythe, sacks and a bicycle will help increase productivity not only in the vineyard. Do you have a car and a trailer? Generally good - go to the nearest sawmill, for them the removal of sawdust - a big problem, so you will most likely be delighted. And if they are not happy, and even want money for sawdust - calmly turn around and go to another sawmill.

Straw is very good for our business, especially since farms willingly sell it in bales and rolls. But keep in mind that a roll of straw weighs 200-400 kg - delivering it to the site and unloading it without breaking anything can be a daunting task.

In some regions, sapropel is widely used as a fertilizer - bottom sediments of freshwater reservoirs, which were formed from dead aquatic vegetation, the remains of living organisms and plankton. As a mulch, sapropel can be used in combination with straw and sawdust or without them. Peat is also good for mulching.

By the way, it will be remembered that coal is plant residues that have undergone slow decomposition under the influence of geological and biological processes. The carbon content in it, depending on the type and variety, can be 65–95% (brown and stone, respectively). Yuri Ivanovich Slashchinin writes a lot and in detail about the use of coal as a fertilizer: "Coal for bacteria is like sugar for people."

It is known that there is no prophet in one's own country, so let's turn to the Swiss company for the experience of using brown coal as a fertilizer. Delinat, which is engaged in the production of elite wines and olive oil. characteristic feature of this company is the use of exclusively organic methods in the vineyards that occupy in Europe total area 2500 ha. Opening the case in 1980, Charles Schaefer set the task ... to return the butterflies to vines! Currently, the company's vineyards are actually home to about 50 species of butterflies, including rare and endangered species, and the company's logo features a snail.

One could laugh at the eccentric if it were not for the assortment of 250 wines from the best European vineyards, 3 million bottles on the EU market and its own research institute.

Since 2008 the Institute Delinat conducts a large-scale study of the use of brown coal in vineyards. The first experiment was laid in several variants on a heavily eroded area of ​​3000 m 2 with rocky and dusty soil with a low humus content. 1000 kg of coal of a fine fraction (70% up to 2 mm in size, the rest up to 15 mm) were mixed with 8 m 3 of compost and the grape rows were mulched. In the aisles, the mixture was covered to a shallow depth and bean green manure was sown.

As a result, even non-experts noted a much better and balanced development of the vines, and the leaves were much larger than in the control plants of the same variety, under which no coal was applied. The content of amino acids exceeded the control values ​​by 3 times, which means a much higher resistance to diseases and pests. There was an increase in the content of polyphenols in the berries, which are antioxidants and are very useful for humans, as well as tannins, an important component of the taste of wine, which make a significant contribution to the duration of its storage.

Nevertheless, according to the results of the first experimental season, it was concluded that the influence of coal on the results was not high enough due to the small number of colonies of symbiotic microorganisms (remember, what kind of soil is there?). But during the next season of field trials, results were obtained, on the basis of which the researchers concluded that the direction was promising and that it was necessary to continue and expand research.

In parallel, a study of the use of brown coal as a fertilizer for vineyards was carried out by specialists from the University of Zurich. And they had quite encouraging results in terms of moisture supply. grape plants, assimilation by them nutrients and biomass accumulation. Today, experts from more than ten European universities and institutions have formed a network to help fill the remaining gaps in this area.

Such active work of Europeans to find alternative methods to generally accepted ways to increase soil fertility can be explained by the understanding of the inevitability of higher energy prices, because the production of mineral fertilizers is very energy intensive. BUT brown coal widely available and very cheap.

That is why countries such as Cameroon, Ghana, Bolivia, Belize, Indonesia, India and China have been widely using coal as fertilizer for decades. So if you have a black pile lying idle behind your barn for years, grind the coal with a hammer and add in small amounts under the mulch. The finer the fraction, the faster you will notice improvements in the vineyard (and not only), coal dust is really good.

But in Japan there is no coal, no. Therefore, the Japanese approach the problem of increasing fertility from the opposite side. Dr. Teruo Higa, professor of horticulture and horticulture at Ryukyus University College of Agriculture, Okinawa, has figured out how to coexist and survive in mixed culture more than 80 cultures of microorganisms (photosynthetic, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, actinomycetes, fermenting fungi), which he called "effective microorganisms" ( Effective Microorganisms, EM).

Generally speaking, there are two paths in nature: one is the path of rebirth, the other is the path of destruction. On the path of rebirth, life is stable and maintains itself in a healthy state. On the path of destruction, life is subject to pollution and decay, followed by disease and death. The direction of development of a biological system, such as a vineyard, is determined by microorganisms, the smallest living beings.

In the case of a predominance of pathogens, the vineyard follows the second path. Effective microorganisms (EMs), which we have already mentioned many times, are capable of turning the tide. They have been successfully used in agriculture Japan.

When using EM, there is no need to use chemicals. Thanks to the use of EM, the soil and the plants grown on it restore their inherent health, and the yields are 1.5-3 times higher than those obtained as a result of the use of technologies based on the use of chemicals. The introduction of EM technology leads to fast cleansing environment. It has been proven that EOs are effective in solving the problems of purifying waters polluted with chemicals, animal waste, decay products and industrial waste.

It is important to understand that effective microorganisms have not been artificially bred or created as a result of genetic modifications. Teruo Higa discovered and united communities that live in natural soil conditions. They participate in the development of plants and ultimately give the maximum yield of production in comparison with what has been achieved so far, but without the use of any chemical additivesvitamin complexes, stimulants and similar components.

Effective microorganisms are able to greatly accelerate and improve the process of forming the interaction between soil, mulch and grapes, as well as quickly start the process of high-quality plant nutrition with the help of organics and such “goodies” as “EM-bokashi” (“Urgasa”, “Shine-2” ).

"EM Bokashi" ( EM-bokasi) is a culture of effective microorganisms grown on an organic substrate under conditions of stable temperature and humidity. The Japanese invented "bokashi" for recycling kitchen waste, but our people "reoriented" this technology to vegetable gardens, orchards and vineyards.

In our case, "bokashi" are wheat bran fermented with effective microorganisms, and if anything deserves to be called "fertilizer", it's them. Each grain of “bokashi” contains a “division” of agronomically useful microorganisms, which, when “landing”, are introduced into the developed territory thoroughly and for a long time. With them they have full complex tools, materials and information - antioxidants, enzymes, organic substances that contribute to the rapid decomposition of organic matter, and also serve as food for the effective microorganisms themselves and the surrounding helpers - to restore and consolidate order around themselves.

The introduction of "bokashi" into the soil increases its biological activity, promotes the formation of structure, suppresses pathogens, enhances plant nutrition, and if you add "bokashi" under the mulch, then all the beneficial effects of mulching, which are described above, will appear within a couple of weeks.

It is easy to make "bokashi" - just scatter them on the surface of the soil and mulch. How much to pour? Yes, according to the principle “you can’t spoil porridge with oil”. Although they still cost money, you yourself calculate your budget. Here you can apply the principle of leverage: "winning in strength, we lose in distance." In the sense that more "bokashi" - processes go faster, less "bokashi" - they also go, only longer. In fact, the use of "bokashi" is much more profitable than the use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides, and the results are completely incomparable.

You can easily test the effects of bokashi if you run a very simple experiment on two adjacent vines (or vegetable beds). Mulch one bush with the introduction of "bokashi", and the other without them. After a couple of weeks, unfold the mulch, and where the "bokashi" are made, you will see great amount earthworms - the soil will literally move. Where there is no "bokashi", there will certainly be worms, but in much smaller numbers. The word "much" here can be illustrated as follows: people sometimes come across in the forest, but there are much more of them in the city. More or less like this.

earthworms For our business, that in itself is great. But in our experiment, they are primarily an indicator of the microbiological activity of the medium. It is known that worms are attracted to decaying organic matter, and it decomposes under the action of microorganisms. For worms, this is a delicious, satisfying “goulash”, and for us, it is a signal that thanks to “bokashi”, soil life boils under the mulch, flourishes and prospers. Which is what we needed.

By the way, a handful of "bokashi" in outdoor toilet eliminates odor within a day, and in Germany, farmers add "bokashi" to animal and bird feed. But let's not digress from our topic, because we are talking about the organization of good nutrition for the vineyard.

  • 65.

Experienced winegrowers mulch the vineyard before planting it, filling the row-spacing with a layer of 20-30 cm. Thanks to this, the seedlings can be watered less often, and you will forget about weeding. Not every weed can break through such a mulch.

In the spring, the mulch is raked and waited for the soil to warm up. The signal for this will be the rapid growth of shoots on the bushes. Then the mulch is stretched again. If there are problems with straw, you can not mulch the entire vineyard, but simply cover around the seedling within a radius of half a meter with a layer of more than 5 cm. If there is a lot of straw, then it is better to mulch the entire vineyard. It does not matter if at first the layer is thin - then add the thickness.

You can also mulch with grass, which then grows. As the layer of mulch builds up, it will grow worse and worse. If the mulch is dry, water it first. So it is easier to place over the area, and the processes will be launched. It is best to water it with a solution of urea: 1 match. boxes of 10 liters of water. Then the grapes will suffer less from nitrogen starvation. It is also important that the wet straw is not swept away by the wind.

The finer the mulch, the faster the inhabitants of the soil will take it in. In this regard, the most short-lived are sawdust and husks. If you get cake after a juicer or churn, it’s better to make a “sandwich” - cake from below, straw or other dry mulch from above.

It is useful to mix sawdust and straw with raw tops of herbs and evenly distribute such a salad in the aisles of the vineyard. It is useful to moisten the mulch several times a season with a solution of mullein.

By the way, a bale of straw costs only 200-400 rubles. But, unfortunately, it is very difficult to deliver it to the site, unload and roll it without breaking anything. Therefore, this valuable tool for soil mulching is not very popular with us.

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By planting fruit grapes, each landowner probably expects to receive an annual volumetric harvest. solar berry and, if possible, with least cost. But in the future, many neglect or do not find time for the proper maintenance of a growing fruit vine and do not carry out the recommended tillage between rows, aimed at improving the productivity and protection of their plants.

For many millennia of cultivation of grapes by mankind have long been developed certain rules cultivation on every continent, but the main requirement remained the same: for comfortable growth fruit crop it is necessary to create a favorable water and thermal conditions in landings.

It is no secret that many gardeners support their vineyards between the rows, periodically digging and loosening the soil in the root zone of the bushes. But such maintenance of the earth is very, very undesirable, especially in southern latitudes - this leads to its regular drying out, violation of soil microflora and, accordingly, to soil erosion in the cultivation area.

If you look at mother nature, in which everything is calculated down to atoms, then you can clearly see the seething plant life in those places where man has not yet interfered. For example, in the spaces of taiga territories, where the natural process vegetation forest plants, and the soil provides itself with all the necessary substances for more than one century.

To preserve soil structure, correct operation its microflora, retaining moisture and blocking weeds, it is advisable to use mulch in planting grapes - rotted straw, sawdust, mowed grass, compost or humus. On the large areas and with frequent strong winds on the site is not forbidden to use polymer materials, and only.

If fruit grapes are cultivated by you on peat-marshy soils, then it is optimal to use coarse-grained sand with a layer of 10 cm as a mulch. This further improves the thermal regime of the soil during a period of possible frost and prolonged sunshine.

Land mulching is especially good for planting grapes located in areas with low and rare rainfall, with periods of prolonged drought.

By mulching the soil, we preserve its natural layer, and the remains of plants and other organic matter converted into humus - the basis of fertility and all agriculture. The enriched soil contains all substances useful for plants, including the necessary NPK group in mineral compounds.

Grapes have been growing in one place for decades, so fertilization cannot be avoided. organic top dressing, such as compost, liquid mullein, peat, green manure (sowing between rows) are best suited, and it is advisable to apply them every two years, planting them into the soil to a depth of about 30 cm. The application of mineral-organic compounds is carried out in autumn or in early spring.

With plant nutrition, one should not overdo it, especially with nitrogen compounds, since the excess of their doses in the soil significantly reduces the resistance of the vine to various diseases, pests and negatively affects the quality of grapes.

By applying surface mulching of the earth, we improve the resistance of grapes to aggressive external environment, we increase the fertility of its bushes, which means that we benefit not only the earth and our beloved plant, but also ourselves.

Grapes give a rich harvest on nutritious soils with good air circulation. The number of fruits largely depends on the temperature of the soil and its moisture content. Suitable conditions are easier to create with mulching. There are several ways to carry out this procedure. In order for plants to actively develop, you need to learn how to mulch grapes and other crops.

Mulching is an agrotechnical technique, which consists in covering the soil with special materials.

Large farms are equipped with automatic mulching machines that evenly distribute materials across the fields.

Thanks to this approach:

  • evaporation is reduced, the soil retains more moisture, so crops need to be watered less often;
  • improves oxygen exchange, soil structure, thereby accelerating the development of the root system;
  • weeds and a hard air-tight crust on the surface cease to appear. The need for weeding and loosening is significantly reduced;
  • there are no sudden changes in temperature, due to which the berries crack;
  • mineral substances cease to be washed out;
  • beneficial microorganisms are activated.

When using coatings plant origin the concentration of nutrients in the soil increases. Combination various materials allows you to adjust the temperature on the surface:

  • dark mulch attracts sunlight;
  • light reflects.

The expediency of using a certain coating depends on the desired goals - improving fertility, retaining moisture, and controlling weeds.

Autumn mulching protects crops from freezing, the soil from weathering and leaching. Plants develop more actively in the new year.

Do grapes need to be mulched?

Loading mulch under vineyards is definitely worth it. Although this laborious process, however, it greatly facilitates the cultivation of crops.

According to the rules, the procedure is carried out a year before planting. During the allotted time, the coating will be processed by microorganisms. Thanks to the shelter, the soil will become fertile, channels and tunnels will appear in it, through which air and water move. Grapes will rather take root in a new place, will begin to grow actively. Significantly increase its resistance to disease and freezing.

The exception is severe clay soil. Here coverage is not always beneficial. The ground does not dry out after rains, so mulching material can degrade the nutrition of the bushes. It is permissible to lay quite a bit, literally 2-3 cm.

What and how can be used for mulching grapes?


There are 2 types of materials. They differ in origin:

  • organic - plant, wood residues;
  • inorganic - synthetic or natural coatings that do not decompose during use.

The first type significantly increases soil fertility. It rots after making mulch under the action of microorganisms, transforming into nutrients. As a result, plants are saturated with the necessary elements.

Inorganic coatings do not affect fertility, but protect the land from overheating, drying out, perform a decorative function, and inhibit the growth of weeds.

Types of organic mulch: features, advantages and disadvantages

Organic mulch are:

  • humus;
  • compost;
  • hay;
  • straw;
  • cut grass;
  • sawdust, wood chips;
  • fallen cones;
  • needles, spruce spruce branches;
  • leaves of fruit trees;
  • moss, turf;
  • peat;
  • cake;
  • bark.


When laying materials, their characteristics and possible disadvantages must be taken into account.

Material Properties
Sawdust, other wood waste During decomposition, nitrogen is extracted from the soil. This trait is most pronounced in conifers. Plants begin to suffer from deficiency given element- the color of the shoots changes, the leaves wither.

But this is a temporary phenomenon. It will pass as soon as the microorganisms process the cellulose. After 2-3 years of constant mulching, bacteria will be able to absorb a multi-centimeter layer of sawdust without harm to plants.

To immediately reduce Negative influence, materials are mixed with bird droppings, manure, fresh grass in a ratio of 1:3.

An alternative option is to regularly moisten the mulch with nitrogen-containing liquids (mullein, herbal infusion).

Sawdust, bark, needles increase the acidity of the soil. This nuance can be used for good in alkaline soils.

Needles and shavings repel slugs that damage crops.

Leaves of oak, birch They contain tannins that inhibit the development of plants. It is better to give preference to greens collected from fruit trees.
Compost, manure Accelerate soil warming. Attract worms that digest mulch.
fresh grass Enriches the earth with nitrogen. Laying is carried out in a thin layer, after drying the raw materials in the sun, otherwise the grass will rot.
Straw The most simple and durable material. Able to reflect light, so the temperature of the soil under it often decreases. Mulching grapes with straw is carried out exclusively on heated ground.
Moss, turf Grow to the soil, providing a durable cover. Prevent erosion, conserve water, insulate beds.
Coal The introduction of the material is carried out in a small volume under other coatings, having been crushed in advance. Coal dust is especially useful.
Eggshell Has an alkaline reaction, enriches the soil with calcium. It is added to compost, manure, straw to enhance nutrition.

inorganic mulch

For shelter grapes are mainly used organic mulch. However, inorganic materials are also allowed to be used.

The latter include:

  1. Coarse-grained sand - optimal for peaty-marshy soils. Maintains the optimum temperature for the development of grapes, protects from overheating and cold. The material is laid in a layer of 10 cm.
  2. Pebbles, expanded clay, gravel - maintain the proper level of moisture, prevent overheating of the soil and plant roots. Often used in decorative purposes. Maintain cleanliness, give landings a well-groomed appearance. When added to heavy soil, expanded clay has a positive effect on air and water permeability.
  3. Black film - perfectly retains moisture, blocks the growth of weeds. But it does not let water through, so it is worth equipping a site for implementation drip irrigation. So that the roots do not sopre, in summer time lay straw or mowed grass on top. There are two-layer films - white on top, black on the bottom. They are more suitable for cultivation.


Inorganic mulch will not affect the amount of nutrients, but it will retain moisture and kill weeds.

Soil Cover Nonwovens

In this case, spunbond (agrofibre) acts as a mulch - environmentally friendly artificial material. Has fabric structure, passes moisture. The coating can be easily removed if there is no need for it, it is characterized by practicality and convenience.

Non-woven materials are significantly superior to the film in terms of performance. They have the same benefits, but they allow moisture and oxygen to pass through.

For the winter, the vineyards are covered with agrofibre. It is more correct to fold it in half to provide protection from frost.

In early spring, the vines are treated with an 8% solution iron sulphate. With this approach:

  • delay the opening of the kidneys for 2-3 weeks so that they are not damaged by frost;
  • prevent the appearance of fungi and infections.

Some growers advise using a less concentrated mixture (3-5%). It will not affect the timing of blooming, but only relieve diseases.


Main characteristics of mulching technology

If grapes are already growing on the site, then it is forbidden to mulch the soil in early spring. The procedure is performed after full warm-up, when the night temperature is kept around +12 °C for 10-14 days. Optimal conditions for grape rhizome - + 28 ... + 30 ° С. If you mulch earlier, when the ground is cold, the plants will develop worse, and the likelihood of soil acidification will increase.

Rather, mulch the earth during the period when the grapes open their eyes.

Removed before the procedure. weeds, loosen and water the site, allow the earth to dry out a little.

Straw mulching

Usually straw is placed under the grapes. It is one of the most accessible and inexpensive options. Raw materials are laid out within a radius of half a meter from the seedlings, evenly distributing. The average layer thickness should be 10 cm. Later, the straw will settle to 5-6 cm.

It is necessary to spread the mulch not only in the near-trunk circle, but also at the installation site of the trellis. The greater the distance covered with straw, the better: the grower will save himself from frequent weeding and watering, the risk of developing diseases will be significantly reduced.

Dry mulch is watered to activate biological processes. Another argument in favor of the procedure is raw material the wind will not blow. You can put a couple of boards on top. After some time, a dense coating is formed, which is not afraid of adverse factors.


To cover the grapes, small particles of mulch are used: they are processed faster by microorganisms living in the soil, which has a positive effect on fertility. Some growers buy special shredders. bountiful harvest covers all expenses incurred.

This does not mean that thick branches cannot be used as mulch. They just take longer to decompose. You can find rotten material that is easier to process.

The coating is laid out in layers:

  • below - propped up small material;
  • in the middle - more powerful branches;
  • on top - hay or withered grass.

In order for beneficial microorganisms to immediately begin to work, a little compost or manure is mixed into the mulch. Organics acts as an activator.

When using food waste, cake and silage, they act a little differently:

  • activators are placed first;
  • in the center - propped up raw materials;
  • from above - dry materials (hay, shavings).

As the coating is processed by microorganisms, new layers are laid. Experienced growers stock up in advance necessary materials so you don't have to search all the time.

Vineyard turf


On large-scale plantations, where full mulching of the site is problematic, and special equipment No, they use a different approach. Sodding (weeding) - sowing between rows with grass. For these purposes, annual and perennial crops are used:

  • meadow fescue;
  • perennial or French ryegrass;
  • red and white clover;
  • awnless fire;
  • bluegrass meadow;
  • yellow alfalfa.

Grasses strengthen the slopes well, protect the soil from being washed away, prevent it from being compressed, and increase ventilation.

Mulch is laid only under the grape bush. As a material, you can use grass grown in the aisles. It is periodically mowed and laid under the vines.

Grassing also has a positive effect on the condition of the soil, improving its fertility and structure. It allows you to save on the amount of mulch and reduce labor costs.

What fertilizers are applied under organic and inorganic mulch?


When using organic coatings, the amount of nitrogen is often reduced. Under them, it is recommended to apply mineral fertilizers:

  • urea (50 g / 10 l of water);
  • slurry (1/15);
  • bird droppings (1/20);
  • infusion of rotted plants (prepare 1-2 weeks until a dark brown hue appears, stirring occasionally).

Yarrow, bracken, comfrey, nettle, tops of legumes contain nitrogen and other macronutrients in the highest concentration.

The main thing is not to overdo it. An excess of nitrogen is also harmful: it reduces the resistance of plants to negative phenomena, worsens the taste characteristics of the bunches.

During the season, 2-3 top dressings are carried out every 3-4 weeks. The latter is carried out no later than July, so that the grapes ripen, and do not continue to grow green mass.

When using inorganic mulch, the earth is fertilized with both mineral and organic means. The former are introduced at the beginning of spring, the latter at the end. Experienced growers prefer formulations that contain the most beneficial compounds:

  • nitrogen;
  • phosphorus;
  • potassium.

Compost, liquid mullein, bird droppings act as organics. Once every 2-3 years, they can be planted into the soil to a depth of 30 cm without mixing the layers.

The use of mulch has a beneficial effect on soil quality. Knowledge of the characteristics of the materials will allow you to create a coating that is useful for grapes. No need to wait for an instant result, but very soon the plants will respond to positive changes and bring delicious clusters of berries to the gardener.