How to germinate a grape seed and take care of a seedling?

If you decide to grow grapes from seed, then keep in mind that the seedling will not repeat the varietal qualities of the parent bush. But this does not mean at all that the wild will grow up. Many gardeners grow not only grapes from seeds, but also blueberries, strawberries, apricots and are satisfied with the results. Seedlings become zoned; from the moment they appear, they adapt to the climate in which they were born. Pitted grapes of the southern variety, which appeared, for example, in Siberia, will acquire higher winter hardiness and strong immunity.

How to collect seeds and where to sow?

Take seeds from overripe and slightly dried grapes:

1. Choose the most beautiful bunch with ripe and large berries.
2. Place the whole bunch in a warm, dry place for 1 to 2 weeks.
3. Take out the seeds, select the largest dark brown ones.
4. Rinse and dry for 7-10 days.

The seeds can be sown in the garden in late autumn, when the daytime temperature no longer rises above +5 ° C. Choose the sunniest place protected from the winds, fertilize and sow to a depth of 1.5–2 cm. Seedlings should appear in spring.

However, when sowing directly into the ground, there is a great risk of not waiting for the sprouts to appear. Bones can be gnawed by birds, eaten by mice, small seedlings can be difficult to find among the weeds that suppress them. Therefore, many people prefer to grow seedlings at home - but in this case, stratification will be required.

Stratification

By stratification, we artificially create a change of seasons for the seeds: we put them in the cold, and then we warm them up. You need to start this event no later than December for two reasons:

• Seedlings will appear at the end of February, when daylight hours increase to 10 hours or more. This duration is favorable for plant development, you do not have to use a backlight.
• By the time of planting, the seedlings will grow well, gain strength and be able to grow safely in open ground, successfully endure temperature extremes and compete with weeds.

There are several ways to stratify grape seeds. The simplest and most common of them:

1. Mix the seeds with washed coarse sand in a 1: 2 ratio. Can be wrapped in a cotton cloth. Moisten, preferably with melt water, and wrap in a plastic bag.
2. Place in refrigerator. Favorable temperature - not higher than +5 ° C and not lower than 0 ° C.
3. Remove the bones once a week and inspect, moisturize if necessary.
4. When the seed coat is cracked, remove it to germinate. In some varieties, this happens in a month, in others - after a month and a half. It is not worth keeping in the cold longer than 60 days, this is the maximum period, that is, after 2 months you need to get even uncracked seeds and transfer them to heat.

If during the stratification the bones become moldy, rinse them and hold them in a pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes. Replace the sand with fresh sand, take a new napkin. Do not put affected seeds together with healthy ones, keep them separately.

In order for the sprouts to hatch faster through the dense shell, some growers cut off a sharp tip at the seeds. You can use side cutters or wire cutters for this.

Germination

At the end of the stratification, the seeds must be germinated. Transfer them to a warm place where the temperature is maintained at + 20-25 ° C, you can use the same packaging, but it is better to put them on a fresh substrate.Some put it on a saucer and pour water so that it covers the seeds only half, add growth stimulants: "Epin", "HB-101", etc.

At this stage, the seeds should be checked every day. Already on the third day, roots may appear. If you miss the moment, they will become long and brittle, they will be damaged during planting, and it will not work to grow grapes from such a seed.

Seeds, in which the shell has not cracked even at this stage, should be discarded. Something went wrong, they won't sprout.

Sowing

For sowing, buy ready-made universal soil or compose it yourself by mixing three components in equal proportions:

• sod land
• humus,
• sand.

Add a glass of wood ash to a bucket of this mixture. Fill pots with potting soil (they must have drainage holes).

Growing each seed in a separate glass is preferable, since the root will not be injured during transplantation - you can simply transfer the seedling into the hole with a lump of earth.

Sow the seeds to a depth of 1.5 cm. Cover with glass or foil on top, put in a warm place (you can immediately on the lightest windowsill).

Grape seedling care at home

With the emergence of seedlings, remove the shelter, provide the seedlings with a lot of light and proper care:

• Water so that the soil is constantly moist, but not flooded, loosen. Use water at room temperature - thawed, rain or settled tap water.
• Feed every 8-10 days by alternating nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. Humus and wood ash are suitable as natural dressings. Sprinkle humus on top, and dust the ground with ashes and loosen. If there is no room for adding humus, stir a handful in 5 liters of water and pour.

Nitrogen fertilizers and organic matter stimulate the growth of the aerial part, and phosphorus and ash - the roots.

• When warm days come, start hardening. A home-grown seedling is not adapted to temperature extremes and direct sunlight, it needs to be taught to be outdoors gradually. Take out the grapes first in a shady place for 2-3 hours, every day increase this time until it reaches up to a day. Expose to the rays of the sun. At the end of hardening, grapes are brought into the house only if frosts are expected, as well as during heavy rains.

Grapes grown from seed will need to be transplanted to a permanent place when the return frosts are over. By this time, the height of the bush should already be at least 10 cm. If it is small, then let it grow a little more in a pot.

Planting in a permanent place and further cultivation

Responsibly approach the choice of a place for a vineyard. The bushes should be well lit by the sun, be protected from the wind and at the same time not shade the neighboring plantings, because you will tie them vertically. The optimal solution is to plant along the wall of a building or a blind fence on the south side.

Saplings placement scheme:

• The distance between plants in a row is at least 70 cm;
• between the rows - about 2 m.

In the first year, you will need a tie to the stakes. By autumn, the seedlings should grow up to a meter or more. Already in the second or third year, they will begin to bear fruit.

There are many technologies for planting seedlings, further care, the formation of bushes, and crop rationing. Each winegrower has developed its own unique scheme over the years. Listen to the advice of experienced ones, but always evaluate them critically, choose the most suitable agricultural practices for your climate, improve them - and everything will work out!