Girlish grapes are used exclusively for decorative purposes, to give a vibrant, bright color to the architectural landscape and to hide a lot from prying eyes.
This is a decorative deciduous vine, which can reach a length of up to 30 meters, has dark blue small berries, which are not edible for humans.
The name of the grape comes from the Greek parthenos - virgin, and the spices - ivy, which characterizes the method of its reproduction and growth.
Girlish grapes: reproduction
Girlish grapes can be propagated in several ways: layering, lignified cuttings and seeds.
Reproduction by layering is best done in autumn or spring. For this you need to plant young vines into the ground, and when they take root, then dig them out and plant them in the right place. Gardeners call this method "snake", because the layering is allowed on the ground like a snake, and along its entire length they make small indentations into which it is convenient for it to take root.
If you decide to do the cuttings, they must be cut in early spring, before the movement of the sap in the plant begins. Viable cuttings should have at least 4-6 buds. They need to be planted in such a way that half of them are underground and the other half above ground. And, of course, do not forget to water them.
We grow with seeds
All these methods are good if you already have 1-2 year old grapes or have someone to borrow cuttings or branches, but you can grow it yourself. For example, with the help of seeds, only it takes more time. Seeds are best prepared in the fall, you need to clear them from the pulp and immediately sow in the prepared soil.
With such a crop, sprouts will appear no earlier than June of the next year, but if you have much less time, then you can sow the seeds in spring. Just before sowing, for 1.5-2 months, seeds should be stratified (soaking seeds in wet sand or peat substrate at a low above-zero temperature).
Start sowing should be in the month of April, and after 3-4 weeks already get young shoots.
Go to the main thing: landing
To begin, prepare the ground
The soil before planting must be thoroughly dig. The pit should be dug at least 50-50-50, but changes in depth are possible depending on the root system. Be sure to put a drain on the bottom of the pit, in the form of a mixture of sand and small pebbles. And also we fill with fertilizers (it is possible to put a peat compost or wood ash, with a volume of 1 liter jar).
If you use peat compost and good drainage, then for a few years after planting you can forget about feeding the grapes.
Soil preparation depends on the place where you decide to plant your grapes. It can be planted in tubs on your balcony, only the depth of the tubs should be at least 40 cm.
To decorate the vertical surfaces do not forget to put vertical supports for young shoots, so that she had something to cling to in their growth.
The main thing is to be in time and the right place to pick up.
Like any grape, girlish grape prefers well-lit places, but unlike fruit grape, it can develop on any side (southern, northern ...) and the shadow is not terrible to it. Just in the shade of its leaves will be smaller, and they will not change the color until the first frost.
It is better to grow a plant on drained soils, and you can plant it several times a year.
In this case, there is no such recommendation when it is better to plant grapes, because we do not have a goal to harvest berries. However, remember that seedlings are best planted either before 11 am, or after 18 pm. So it will prevent the burnout of the plant.
As for the time of year, you can land both in April - May, and in September - October.
After you plant the seedling, do not forget to water it with at least 1 bucket of water.
As you can see, the planting of girlish grapes is a simple matter, but now the most important thing is how to care for such grapes, set growth directions and the shape you need.
Top care tips for girlish grapes.
Crop right
Pruning can be both sanitary and procuring, if you ask yourself to propagate the grapes. It should be carried out with the growth of the plant from the first year. Dried leaves and weak shoots can be removed with shears, this is enough to control the density and shape of the grapes. The basic rule of sanitary pruning is placing a slice over a healthy kidney.
Watering is very important
In the usual, not dry summer, this grape has enough natural rainfall. If it is noticeable that the earth begins to dry out, additional watering is necessary. Under these conditions, it is enough to water the grapes 3-4 times per season in a volume of 10 liters per 1 plant.
Fighting Disease and Pests
A huge plus of the girl's grapes is that it is practically not susceptible to diseases and invasions of pests. Only occasionally can a plant attack aphid, but to fight it is quite simple.
To get started, try to wash the pest with a strong jet of water, if this does not help, then treat the grapes with a solution of laundry soap and alcohol in a 3: 1 ratio. Also, do not forget about weed control, which can weaken the root system. This can be done manually, loosening at once and the ground near the roots.
It is also interesting to read about harboring grapes for the winter.
Landscaping Tips
Girl Grape Varieties
The most common types of this grape are: pyatilistochkovy, or virginsky grapes; tri-pointed or ivy-shaped, and also the most popular is tri-pointed Wich.
The height of virgin creeper variety reaches a length of up to 20 meters. In the summer, it pleases the eye with a beautiful green color, and in the fall it acquires a red and purple shade. Its leaves have a pointed tip, and are kept on long cuttings. In the middle of summer, the grapes bloom with small white flowers, and closer to the autumn appear small, dark blue berries.
Each year, a vine grows in grapes 2-2.5 meters in height and is practically not susceptible to pests, with the help of antennae and suckers it quickly clings to the surface.
Triostrenic girlish grape originates from the country of the Great Wall and the Rising Sun. The shape of its leaves is usually three-layer, this variety is very frost resistant. In the summer it has a green color, and in the fall it is colored in maroon tones, and some subspecies have golden yellow blotches.
One of the most popular varieties is the tri-pointed Vici. The leaves are small, smooth, and in autumn they are pleasing to the eye with a bright orange color, which is replaced by green. If for a variety to create favorable conditions, for the year, its vine can grow up to 4 meters. In addition to the suckers with which the grapes are attached to the surfaces, he has insurance in the form of a sticky substance, which additionally helps him to keep up. Now you have to choose exactly what you want to decorate.
Decorating tips
Here are some tips on how to shape a girl's grape: first, find a support for a young vine (a wall, fence or frame), then direct it to the direction you want; if the branch is too naughty - just delete it, also remember about sanitary pruning, which will help to maintain only healthy shoots; if you decide to plant a very large area, it is easier to provide the grapes with the opportunity to grow, as God will per capita.
The girlish grape is a wonderful neighbor and can be combined with other liana-like plants. For example, with a woven rose, since their flowers are perfectly combined, ivy will remarkably shade with its greenery bright autumn colors of your grapes, and mountain clematis will give you its beautiful pale pink flowers in early summer.
I hope you were inspired to decorate your world with a wonderful green friend. Good luck.
