How to apply winter fertilizer to grapes?

In order to have a good grape yield, fertilization is the key. Winter fertilizer is the most critical period of fertilizer application throughout the year. Appropriate supplementation of winter fertilizer can effectively improve the quality and yield of grapes in the next year. So how to apply winter fertilizer to grapes? Let’s learn more about it below.

Time to apply winter fertilizer to grapes

Winter fertilizer for grapes should be applied in late autumn and early winter, usually in November, neither too early nor too late. At this time, the grapes have been harvested and have experienced a long fruit-bearing period. The tree's nutrients have been severely consumed and the branches have matured. It is urgently necessary to replenish the consumed nutrients to restore the tree's vigor. Winter fertilizer can be applied before the leaves fall off, so that the grape trees will use the photosynthesis of the leaves to absorb nutrients and store them in the tree body, allowing them to hibernate over the winter and sprout in the spring of the following year.

Types of winter fertilizer for grapes

Generally speaking, farmyard manure is the best, of course, it is well-rotted farmyard manure. It contains three major macroelements of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as well as many mineral elements, which can meet the growth needs of the plant. Of course, you can also choose to consider the organic fertilizers sold on the market. But relatively speaking the price is a bit high.

If you choose chemical fertilizers, it is recommended to consider phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate or superphosphate + potassium chloride (potassium sulfate). At the very least, calcium fertilizer should be applied. The demand for calcium is generally relatively large, so it is very beneficial to add some superphosphate at this time.

Methods of applying winter fertilizer to grapes

When applying winter fertilizer, you can combine it with burying the grapes in the soil to protect them from the cold during the winter. The method is to dig a strip trench about 60 cm deep on both sides of each row of grape trees, 70-80 cm away from the rhizomes, mix the fertilizer and part of the topsoil together, and then evenly spread it in the trench, and finally fill it with soil. The specific steps can be summarized as follows:

1. Treatment before fertilization

Use drip tape to drip water at the trench (if the soil is too hard, it will be difficult for the machine to break through the soil). At the same time, sweep the weeds, fallen leaves and branches in the park aside, and clear them out of the park for crushing and fermentation during winter pruning.

2. Furrowing and fertilization

Dig trenches on both sides, with the machine digging trenches 70 cm away from the tree trunk, 50 cm for one-year-old trees, and the depth is about 20 cm. Then mix the fertilizer with some topsoil, spread it evenly into the trench, and finally fill it with soil. Note that the root system of grapes is relatively deep, so it is recommended to apply fertilizer deeper.

3. Post-ditching treatment

Sprinkle the winter fertilizer evenly on the soil pile, then cover it again with a hoe, shovel, etc., wait until the soil surface is slightly raised, and then water it to moisten it.



In general, in order to ensure that the grape plants can safely survive the winter and grow vigorously in the coming year, they need to be fertilized reasonably before wintering. Of course, in addition to winter fertilizer, winter irrigation is also very important and should be taken seriously.