Grape varieties for cultivation in an apartment and home care
Not every person has a personal plot where he can grow vegetables and berries. In this case, it is recommended to pay attention to simple and affordable ways of growing crops at home. If you study the step-by-step instructions and strictly follow all the stages, choose the right variety, the cultivation of grapes in city apartments will be successful and will not cause any particular difficulties.
The best varieties of indoor grapes
Several varieties of grapes specially adapted for this are grown at home:
- The most popular is the rhomboid cissus. It is a herbaceous vine type. On it there are ternary leaves with a diamond shape and a dark green color. Each leaflet is characterized by a jagged edge. The stems and petioles of this grape variety have slight pubescence and small tendrils, with the help of which the vine clings to the support. If pollination is carried out correctly, small flowers form on the grapes, from which small berries are then formed that have a pleasant taste. Of all the varieties of indoor grapes, Cissus rhomboid is the most unpretentious.
- Cissus Antarctic. The leaves of this herbaceous vine are dark green and ovoid. They are arranged alternately and do not exceed 10 cm in length. All stems and antennae have dense pubescence with brown hairs. Leaves with a jagged edge. In corymbose inflorescences are collected green flowers.
- Cissus multicolored. One of the most demanding species for growing conditions. Leaves with serrated edges are arranged alternately. The color of the surface of the leaves is reddish-green, the lower part is purple. The stems and petioles have the same shade.
A grape variety such as tetrastigma is rarely grown at home, since it has overweight vines and is more suitable for planting in greenhouses.
The subtleties of growing crops at home
So that the process of growing grapes does not cause difficulties, they study the plant's requirements for soil, lighting and organize competent agrotechnical plant care.
Preparation of the substrate and container
For growing grapes in an apartment, it is important to choose suitable containers, this can be done in pots or in tubs. In the first year, take a flower pot with a volume of 5 liters. In the 2-3rd year of cultivation, the bushes are transplanted into a container that has a conical shape and a volume of 10 liters.
For the full development of the grape bush at home, prepare the soil with the following composition:
- Sod land - 1/3 h.
- Soil substrate - 1/3 tsp
- River sand - 1/3 tsp.
- Full mineral fertilizer - 0.5 cups.
- Wood ash - 1 glass.
Soil for planting vines can also be purchased at a gardening store, as long as it has a neutral reaction.
Landing algorithm
Planting is recommended in the last days of March or early April. To grow healthy and fruitful grapes on the windowsill, they adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- Either a two-year-old or a well-developed one-year-old seedling is purchased.
- 3 days before planting seedlings in the ground, their roots are cut by 10 cm and lowered into water. It is recommended to add any root former there, for example, Kornevin.
- A small mound of prepared soil mixture is poured at the bottom of the selected container.
- A grape seedling is placed on it and its roots are carefully spread, covered with earth.
- The soil is irrigated and the soil is poured from above to the edge of the container.
- Plastic caps with holes made in them for air circulation are installed on the seedlings. As soon as the buds begin to bloom, they are removed.
Features of plant care
There is nothing difficult in the agrotechnical care of grape seedlings. All that plants need is watering, feeding, timely pruning and preventive procedures.
Temperature
The temperature for home grapes in summer and autumn is preferable to moderate, not exceeding 25 degrees. For the winter, the trimmed bushes are transferred to a room where the temperature is in the range of 12-15 degrees. For cissus multicolored, a higher summer temperature is recommended, in winter - at least 16 degrees.
Humidity
If a multi-colored cissus is grown in an apartment, it needs high humidity. Therefore, it is recommended to spray the plant weekly and sometimes give it a shower. The rest of the varieties of home grapes are not so demanding on humidity indicators, they tolerate dry air normally. The only thing that negatively affects their development is intense heat. During such periods, the air in the room is humidified with a spray.
Lighting
For the full development of home grapes, lighting is required for at least 10 hours a day. If the bushes are grown on northern windowsills, additional lighting is organized using fluorescent lamps.
In the event that the plants are placed on the south side of the house, they will have to be shaded at noon so that the scorching rays of the sun do not burn the grapes.
Watering
Abundant and regular watering is necessary for the vine bushes throughout the spring and summer. In autumn and winter, they moderately moisturize the plants, otherwise the roots will rot. Insufficient irrigation during flowering and berry formation results in low yields, and the grapes will grow small and sour. Therefore, they regularly monitor the condition of the soil, preventing it from drying out. The water is drained from the pallet so that it does not stagnate and does not damage the root system of the seedlings.
Top dressing and fertilizers
The growth and development of grapes at home are intense, so you cannot do without the introduction of nutrients. Fertilizers are used for non-flowering plants, which are purchased at gardening stores. In the spring, compositions with an increased amount of nitrogen are preferred; in the fall, potassium-phosphorus fats are preferred. In winter, they stop feeding the grapes.
Shaping and trimming
With the arrival of spring, they are engaged in sanitary and anti-aging pruning so that the grape bushes look attractive. Fruiting vines must be shortened to 5-8 eyes.The tops of the shoots are pinched for better branching. The shape of the houseplant is given at your discretion.
Transfer and transshipment rules
Due to the fact that grapes grow and develop rather quickly indoors, they are transplanted annually. Do this until the bushes are 5 years old. In the future, it will be enough to replant the plant in a year or two.
This is done in the fall, having previously prepared a larger container and a fertile mixture that was used when planting grapes. Pre-water the soil in a pot and carefully, with a lump of soil, remove the plant from the container. The gaps are covered with new soil and slightly compacted.
Harvesting and storage
The harvest of homemade grapes begins in September, when the berries are fully ripe. The fruits are stored in different ways - they are frozen for the winter, compotes are prepared from them, and used to create wine and liqueurs. Fresh grapes are stored in the refrigerator for no more than a week.
