Grape Management Methods in September

The work plan and focus of vineyard management in September should be customized according to the specific conditions of the vineyard. Different varieties have different maturity periods, so orchards that have completed harvesting and orchards that have not completed harvesting should be managed separately. Let’s learn about grape management methods in September.

1. Management of grapes that are about to be put on the market

Picking time: Pick in the morning after the dew evaporates or in the evening on a clear day. The grapes are harvested in batches and packed into boxes according to grade, depending on their maturity. Avoid frequent moving after packing to ensure harvesting at the best time and avoid delays.

Water management: Although rainfall decreases in autumn, attention should still be paid to drainage and humidity control in humid areas; in dry areas, appropriate irrigation should be applied about two weeks before picking.

Prevent the spread of diseases: Avoid using pesticides during the harvest season, and remove diseased and rotten fruits in time to prevent the spread of sour rot. At the same time, pay attention to the prevention and control of fruit flies (vinegar flies). You can use yellow sticky boards, sweet and sour liquid or homemade killing liquid to lure and kill them.

Dealing with extreme weather: September is a high-incidence period for typhoons and heavy rainfall. It is necessary to pay close attention to weather forecasts and take preventive measures, such as reinforcing greenhouses, clearing drainage ditches to prevent water accumulation, draining water quickly after rain, and loosening the soil appropriately to improve soil ventilation.

Promote fruit coloring and ripening: Fruit coloring and ripening can be promoted by applying specific fertilizers, such as water-soluble fertilizers containing amino acids, high-potassium water-soluble fertilizers, etc., or using plant growth regulators such as ethephon, abscisic acid and other jasmonic acid substances.

Prevent fruit cracking: Add calcium fertilizer several times during the early growth stages to prevent fruit cracking. For fruit cracking that has already occurred, apply amino acid calcium, sugar alcohol calcium and other products on the leaves to enhance the fruit hardness and reduce the risk of further fruit cracking. If conditions permit, products such as potassium humate can be used to increase the tension of the stomata and further reduce fruit cracking.

2. Grape Management after the End of the Market

September is usually the beginning of the nutrient accumulation period for fruit trees. The climatic conditions during this period are relatively ideal, with plenty of sunshine. This coincides with the third peak period of fruit tree root growth throughout the year, and the roots will absorb a large amount of nutrients. At the same time, the soil temperature is moderate, which is conducive to the activity of microorganisms.

Apply post-harvest fertilizer in time: It should be applied immediately after the fruit is picked, in order to quickly restore the tree vigor. The best time to apply fertilizer is within 10 days after picking. For fruit trees that are weak after picking, you can first spray 0.3% urea and potassium dihydrogen phosphate on the leaves to quickly replenish nutrients, and then apply fertilizer through furrow application or flushing.

When applying fertilizer, organic fertilizer , compound fertilizer and medium and trace element fertilizer should be mixed in proportion. If conditions permit, biological agents can be added.

Application of basal fertilizer in autumn: usually carried out from mid-September to early November, with a focus on increasing the application of organic fertilizer to promote the growth, flowering and fruiting of grapes in the following year. When applying fertilizer at this time, the microbial activity in the soil helps the absorption of organic fertilizer and provides the necessary nutrients for fruit trees.

Clean the orchard and protect leaves: Remove diseased, old and insect-damaged leaves from the trees. After picking, carry out comprehensive orchard prevention and control to eliminate residual pathogens and reduce the occurrence of diseases in the following year.

According to the occurrence patterns of diseases in orchards, we mainly carry out prevention and control of downy mildew, white rot, anthracnose, gray mold, canker, and house blight, use therapeutic fungicides, and determine the number of spraying times based on medication habits.

(Recommended fungicides include flusilazole, tebuconazole, copper pyraclostrobin , copper hydroxide, benzyl + prochloraz, etc. Protective and curative fungicides can be combined before leaf fall. Mancozeb can be selected as a protective fungicide. If conditions permit, pyrazole can also be used. Note: Mancozeb cannot be mixed with copper preparations, including copper hydroxide, copper pyraclostrobin, copper rosinate, etc.)

Prune lateral shoots in time: The tree recovers quickly after fertilization, and the newly sprouted lateral shoots will consume the nutrients just absorbed by the tree, so they should be pruned in time.

The above is an introduction to the key points of grape management in September. The focus of vineyard management will be different in different growth stages. Growers should proceed from the actual situation.