What to do if your dacha plot is small, but you have a lot of plans for planting crops? There is only one answer - plant some plants next to others. But this must be done wisely, otherwise neighboring cultures will simply destroy each other. Today we are talking about grapes.
It is difficult to say definitively which crops will have a negative or positive effect on grapes. This can be influenced by many factors: grape variety, age of the vine, soil and even weather conditions. However, there are general rules that should be followed by those involved in growing grapevines.
What is important to consider
When selecting plants for planting in a vineyard, take into account:
- soil type;
- features of the root system of crops;
- watering modes;
- compatibility;
- required degree of illumination.
The grapevine produces crops in fertile, moderately nitrogen-rich soils. Soils with high acidity levels, poor and sandy soils are not suitable. Ideal - loam, black soil, mixed compositions.
The culture requires a large amount of light, protection from winds, and regular watering. The periods for treating bushes against pests and diseases and the shading factor are taken into account. Vineyards are sprayed starting in spring, using various, including toxic, drugs. Therefore, even crop-friendly plants that produce crops in early summer cannot be planted nearby.
Much work to identify neighbors and “enemies” friendly to grapes was carried out by the scientist-breeder L. Moser (Austria). He developed a classification with scores indicating the “pros” and “cons” of plants when planted together. But the division is conditional and it is necessary to observe the vineyard in specific conditions.
Apricot, apple, pear, plum and other garden crops
No less unpleasant, but for a different reason, will be the proximity of a peach or cherry tree to an apple tree. These crops grow quite quickly, which means they receive nutrients from the soil much more actively. As a result, apple trees growing next to them begin to experience nutritional deficiencies. For the same reason, root growth, which is a frequent companion of cherries, is no less dangerous for young trees.
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Neighborhood with cherries also does not bode well for the apple tree. The root system of the cherry tree can literally displace the roots of the apple tree into deeper soil layers. As a result, the plant will begin to lack moisture and nutrients.
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Apricot is considered a very difficult neighbor due to the fact that its roots emit a large amount of toxic substances. Currants and raspberries should grow as far as possible from cherries, otherwise the plants will begin to “exchange” diseases and pests.
Neighborhood with a peach threatens apple and pear trees growing nearby not only with the possibility of infection with common diseases, but also with the risk of death of the root system for the latter. And the peach itself may suffer due to a lack of sun, which will be blocked by the spreading crowns of an apple or pear tree.
1 – rowan; 2 – hawthorn; 3 – juniper; 4 – lilac
Hawthorn, rowan or lilac growing near an apple tree can become real breeding grounds for diseases and pests, most of which are common to these plants. A juniper planted near an apple tree can infect the tree with rust.
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Apple trees, raspberry trees and black currant bushes are far from the best neighbors for plums. Firstly, they are infected with the same diseases and have the same pests, and, secondly, close proximity will provoke competition among them for “food” resources.
Practice shows that a peach growing not far from a cherry tree begins to grow in the opposite direction from them, while its other side loses foliage and shoots. This is associated with the lack of sunlight that the peach may experience due to its proximity to the wide crowns of trees.
1 – beech; 2 – hawthorn; 3 – cherry; 4 – juniper
As for the pear, just like the apple tree, it does not tolerate proximity to cherries, peaches and other stone fruits. Barberry suffers from similar diseases and pests. If we talk about ornamental crops, beech is especially dangerous for pears. Its powerful root system interferes with the development of the roots of the fruit tree, and the massive above-ground part needs a large amount of nutrients, which the beech “takes” from neighboring plants. Juniper is dangerous due to its tendency to rust.
Don’t forget about allelopathy: pear root secretions are toxic and can cause a lot of problems for cherries growing near them.
It is not recommended to plant rowan near an apple tree, but it goes well with a pear tree.
Excretions from the apricot root system are toxic to cherries, so it is better to place these crops at a distance. Blackcurrant roots are no less dangerous for cherries. They can play the role of weeds that actively absorb water and nutrients from the soil. Pears, raspberries and currants have common pests, so such plantings will cause many problems during cultivation.
Being a plant that is very often affected by rust, it is better to plant juniper away from not only pear and apple trees, but also barberry. At the same time, the shrub itself is very difficult to get along with other plants. The reason for this is berberine, a special substance that barberry roots secrete into the soil. This chemical compound inhibits the growth and development of neighboring plants.
1 – black currant; 2 – gooseberries; 3 – raspberries
Black currant is an extremely unfavorable neighbor for its other varieties - red and white - because... has significant chemical superiority. A large amount of phytoncides allows black currants to receive much more nutrients to the detriment of their relatives. The black currant itself begins to suffer from nutritional deficiency when adjacent to raspberries.
Gooseberries should not be planted near blackcurrants due to the fact that both of these plants can become victims of the gooseberry moth.
1 – bird cherry; 2 – gooseberry
Glasswort is the worst enemy of black currants; it also likes to live on bird cherry trees, which means these plants need to be kept away from each other. Gooseberries are not the best neighbor for black currants. The culprit is common diseases and pests.
When developing the land, amateur gardeners often do not bother themselves with drawing up a competent planting plan. At best, they select an area with suitable soil and lighting for a certain crop, but do not take into account that neighboring plants may be indifferent to each other, may be friends, or may even be hostile. In the latter case, the outcome is expected to be sad, up to and including the death of individual specimens.
The main factors leading to incompatibility of plants with each other:
- the location of the roots of neighboring crops in the same soil horizon, which leads to competition for moisture and nutrition;
- the occurrence of soil fatigue as a result of consuming the same nutrients from the soil;
- allelopathy - the release of substances into the air or soil that inhibit neighboring plants, which disrupts their development and inhibits fruiting;
- shading by tall trees of low-growing neighbors who are withering away, unable to withstand the competition in the struggle for sunlight;
- the presence of the same diseases and pests.
Before planting a garden, you should make a list of plants that are planned to be planted on the site. When developing a planting scheme, it is imperative to check which fruit trees can be planted next to each other and with other crops. Good and bad neighbors in joint plantings will be discussed in detail below.
Optimal compatibility is achieved if crops of the same type are planted nearby, forming, for example, a cherry orchard, apple orchard, pear orchard, etc. But not many can afford this, having a standard land plot. Therefore, trees with similar growing conditions and the absence of antagonism are planted in one group.
On a note. Using the good neighborliness of crops, their productivity can be increased. By planting antagonistic plants nearby, you can reduce or even lose the yield, and sometimes even the plants themselves.
Grape
Who are grapes friends with?
Joint plantings not only save space. Grape-friendly plants promote rapid growth of the vine and protect against certain infections and pests. The shoots withstand wintering easier, and the taste of the berries improves.
On a note! When combining plantings, the distance from the bushes to other plants is at least 0.5 meters.
Vegetables, herbs, weeds, and flowers act as “friends.”
Among the vegetables in first place are peas, onions, radishes, and cauliflower. With such neighbors, the grape bushes develop well, produce strong shoots, and do not freeze in winter.
The list of friendly cultures includes:
- sorrel;
- beet;
- spinach;
- carrot;
- chard.
Pansies, phlox, primroses, asters, mignonette will decorate the aisles and “help” the grape shoots grow strong and strong.
Soybean, fume grass, and alfalfa help strengthen the immunity of the berry crop and increase growth. Basil, borage, and spinach have a positive effect on the growth of bushes. To prevent diseases, celandine, garlic, and currants improve the taste of berries.
Blackberry
You can plant raspberries and blackberries side by side, the plants do not cross-pollinate, and you won’t get hybrids. The requirements for growing conditions are also similar, so it will be convenient to fertilize, prune, and water the bushes together. The only thing is to take care of separating the plants by digging in limiters in the form of pieces of slate or tin. If this procedure is not carried out, then the cultures can easily mix, because root shoots can spread over a distance of more than a meter from the bush itself. The second option is to leave a distance of at least 2 m between crops.
Grape antagonists
The list of “enemies” includes:
- tomatoes;
- horseradish;
- nettle;
- corn;
- calendula;
- sagebrush.
Planting lettuce, leeks, and sunflowers between rows will not bring positive results. Potatoes and eggplants are not planted near the vineyard, and sweet and hot peppers are avoided. For clematis, carnations, gaillardia, other places are selected.
The influence is imperceptible, the processes of rejection of each other proceed invisibly, only in the fall a small harvest and weakness of the shoots are revealed. Such “neighbors” deplete the soil around the vine, taking away useful nutrients and moisture. Be sure to weed out creeping wheatgrass, plantain, knotweed, and yarrow, which oppress the neighboring crop and release harmful substances.
"Enemies"
Often gardeners ignore (or simply do not know) the compatibility of crops, and then are surprised by the decrease in yield and constant grape diseases. And they seem to be doing everything right: they follow agricultural techniques, provide care, but the result is not impressive. It's time to think about whether the right “neighbors” of vegetables, grains, berries and fruit crops were placed nearby.
In L. Moser’s list, the “enemies” of grapes are highlighted in a special section indicating the “harmfulness” scores. The culture does not tolerate proximity to the following garden plants:
The “harmfulness” score for tomatoes is 30, and for corn it’s even higher – 42. So you can’t combine beds with these plants. It is also advisable not to place nearby plantings of any varieties of lettuce, leeks, chives, potatoes, or all types of peppers (sweet, hot).
Nettle, plantain, creeping wheatgrass, and yarrow have a negative effect on the vine. These weeds must be weeded out to prevent their reappearance. In addition to them, they remove:
Clematis lovers should consider placing these luxurious flowers by planning plantings away from the vineyard.
The proximity to carnations and cornflowers will not be particularly pleasing either. It is interesting that unpretentious calendula is often planted near vegetable and garden crops to protect against pests, but this trick does not work with grapes.
For marigolds, it is recommended to choose a place away from plantations. The reason is simple: these plants inhibit grapes, reduce immunity, and “steal” nutrients from the soil.
Grapes and roses
The duet of vines and rose bushes is traditional, used by gardeners in different parts of the world. Cultures do not have any positive or negative influence on each other; rather, they “maintain” neutrality.
The origins of “friendship” go back to when roses were planted at the beginning of vineyards as protection from free-grazing horses. The thorny bushes reliably protected the vineyards from trampling by animals and death.
Another reason is diseases and pests common to the two plants. The capricious rose is more quickly affected by mildew and podium, so winegrowers have time to protect the bushes with fruits.
Roses are a kind of indicator of infection, warning of danger. The practical benefits of the neighborhood are palpable; it is not for nothing that winegrowers in France, Spain, Greece, and Italy border their plantings with bushes of lushly blooming roses.
In England, wild rose hips are planted along the edges, attracting a large number of insects. It has been proven that roses serve as a haven for beneficial insects that destroy parasites and pests of grape plantings.
It is convenient to grow crops together due to the similarity of agricultural techniques. They have the same requirements for soil nutrition, fertilizing, watering regimes, and shelters. Just like a vine, climbing varieties of roses require supports, for which trellises and stakes are used.
Flowers
In addition to cultivated plants, green manure plants and weeds, many people prefer to plant flowers in their garden. Firstly, it gives an aesthetic appearance to the beds, and secondly, the flowers attract pollinating insects. Friendly flowers include:
It is especially popular to plant roses near the vineyard. Planting roses does not affect the crop yield in any way. However, these flowers suffer from the same diseases, which, under certain circumstances, can serve as an early indicator of an approaching threat - on roses, signs of disease usually appear several days earlier than on grapes. Flowers that negatively affect grapes and which should not be planted nearby include:
These flowers consume large amounts of nutrients that grapes need, which leads to a decrease in yield. Only by following all agrotechnical techniques for cultivating grapes and understanding what can be planted nearby can you achieve a high yield.
Source
Onions next to grapes
Onions grow successfully between rows of plantings. In this case, it is necessary to observe the watering regime and control the volume of moisture. The onion is free among the vines, the turnip grows large and strong.
It is convenient to plant onions on greens, collecting feathers every two weeks for food. Grapes and onions get along peacefully with each other and do not conflict.
On a note!
Pearl, chives and leeks are not suitable for planting.
Weeds
Surprisingly, weeds have a beneficial effect on vineyards. Experienced winegrowers note that when growing vines in clean, thoroughly weeded areas, they obtain smaller berry yields. But it is necessary to follow the sowing rules, time, and also know the friendly weeds by sight.
Shepherd's wort, St. John's wort, clover, sweet clover are crop-neutral plants that are acceptable for row spacing. Sowing is possible after the grape bushes reach three years of age. Previously, weeds choke out grapes, hinder their growth and shoot development, and weaken the root system.
The emerging weeds are mowed down, leaving to rot to form useful nutritious humus. It is permissible to sow low-growing grasses to obtain a green “carpet” in order to improve the quality of the soil and prevent the growth of weeds that are dangerous to grapes (wheatgrass, bluebell).
Who keeps neutrality
This list includes plants that will not cause a “neighborly” scandal, but will not bring any particular benefit to the vineyard. If the gardener is unable to plant them in another place, then you can try planting them next to the grapes. Pumpkin, fennel, and kohlrabi have zero usefulness and “harmfulness” scores.
There will be no particular damage from physalis, celery, and parsley. But it’s better to plant eggplants and cumin in another corner of the dacha. Although they are not too harmful to the vineyard, they do not provide much benefit.
Shepherd's purse, sweet clover, meadow clover, and St. John's wort are considered neutral. But if medicinal plants are specially sown on the site, then the bed with them is placed further away.
On a note! Any crops near the vine are planted, maintaining a distance of 0.5 m.
Planting options on the site
Before deciding what to plant, determine the layout of the grapes themselves. It is necessary to properly maintain the distances between bushes, as well as rows of seedlings (if there are a lot of plants).
Planting cucumbers on trellises
In addition to borage, cucumbers will be an excellent neighbor for sunny berries. Long-climbing varieties are grown on trellises, resulting in a high yield of greens.
The root system of cucumbers is located in the upper layers of the soil; it does not take away nutrition from the grapes. Enough moisture and heat, while the vegetable is protected from winds and drafts.
Planting green manure
Green manure crops are used to enrich the soil with nutrients. They improve the structure of the soil, saturate it with nitrogen, and promote the appearance of beneficial earthworms.
Attention!
The best green manures for vineyards are legumes and cereals.
The list includes:
- alfalfa;
- oats;
- barley;
- rye;
- sainfoin;
- Vika;
- rape;
- buckwheat;
- peas.
Cereals have a positive effect on shoot growth and vine development. Leguminous plants enrich the soil with nitrogen and phosphorus. They heal the soil, make it moisture-permeable and loose.
Growing scheme:
- sowing green manure after picking berries (in autumn);
- wintering;
- spring watering of plantings;
- mowing green mass.
The soil is not dug up so as not to damage the roots of the grape bushes. It is advisable to sow not one green manure crop, but different plants, in order to ensure a complex effect on fruit plantings.
Another option: rolling green manure to form a single green covering on the ground. In such soils, a large number of earthworms appear, and the percentage of useful humus increases.
Friendly plants
When planting different crops on the same row, it is necessary to take into account the soil structure, watering regime, age of the bushes and plant compatibility. The ripening of vines is well influenced by cereals and herbaceous plants. Rye, wheat, and oats will be beneficial for grapes. You can plant quinoa and woodlice, they won’t hurt.
Cereals are good for grapes
If you plant grapes with berries, they will acquire a specific taste. The best way to reflect the proximity to strawberries. Then the bunches will be well candied and become larger.
Onions and garlic are excellent neighbors for any vineyard. They will be able to protect the bushes from pests. But some varieties of onions can be harmful to young bushes.
Varieties of radishes, beets and cucumbers grow well between the rows of grapes. Dill and spinach are also grape friendly. Sowing legumes will enrich the soil with nitrogen. Some flowers will be useful for grapes. Plantings of currants and raspberries will take root between the rows of grapes. Caring for currants can be combined with pruning grapes in the fall.
Grapes and strawberries
Among the popular options: growing strawberries or garden strawberries in the inter-rows of a vineyard. But such plantings are recommended only while the grape bushes are young, otherwise the strawberries will be uncomfortable in the strong shade of adult plants.
The root systems of crops are located at different levels, cannot tolerate an excess of nitrogen, but respond well to fertilizing with organic fertilizers. Grape bushes will protect low-growing strawberries from the scorching sun, which kills up to 40-50% of plants in open ridges.
Light partial shade is formed between the rows and there is enough moisture. Strawberries grow freely and produce a good harvest of berries.
Recommendations:
- make a high bed for strawberries;
- on highly moist soils, consider drainage systems;
- leave a distance between strawberries and grapes of at least half a meter;
- use organic matter (rotted compost, ash) for fertilizing.
When cultivating the vineyard in spring and early summer, care should be taken to cover the strawberries. Use several layers of thick polyethylene film, laying it on the berry bushes.
How to plant cucumbers between trellises
Good neighbors for grapes are cucumbers. One of the best varieties for growing together is the Relay variety. It is intended for greenhouses, but can also produce crops in open areas.
The best variety for joint cultivation relay race
First you need to germinate the seeds of this variety. To do this, they are soaked in a piece of gauze and waited for several days. You need to make cones out of paper 5 cm in diameter and 10 cm long. They need to be filled with soil and the sprouted seeds planted there.
The glasses are left in a sunny, warm place. In a few days they will sprout. Plants should be planted in glasses in April. At the end of May, they need to be taken out to a shaded place in the fresh air so that they adapt better. In June you can plant the plants in a permanent place. You can fertilize the soil with manure or compost. Plantings between rows are located every 25-30 cm.
Relationships between varieties
In addition to planting other crops in the vineyard, novice winegrowers are interested in the issue of the proximity of different varieties. There is no need to be afraid, different varieties grow well and bear fruit in one area.
In addition, plants that produce only female flowers with sterile pollen need pollinator planting. Variety descriptions indicate what type of flowers the species has and what pollinators are suitable. It is recommended to select grapes with the same flowering and fruiting periods, so as not to be left without a harvest.
Capricious and heat-loving grapes require proper care. Knowledge of all the intricacies of agricultural technology and selection of ideal “neighbors” for the crop will allow you to get an excellent harvest.
