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Planting and caring for girlish grapes at their summer cottage. Girlish grapes: a spectacular and unpretentious garden decoration Is it possible to cut girlish grapes

On a hot summer afternoon, a cozy gazebo, which is completely covered with green leaves of girlish grapes, becomes a real salvation! Lush greenery gives a refreshing coolness, and although it does not look as impressive as climbing roses, it requires almost no maintenance.

On a hot summer afternoon, a cozy gazebo, which is completely covered with green foliage parthenocissus becomes a real lifesaver! Lush greenery gives a refreshing coolness, and although it does not look as impressive as it does, it requires almost no maintenance.

In the photo, landscaping with girlish grapes

Of the ten species of vines of the genus Parthenocissus(parthenocissus), growing in East Asia and North America, only three are used for decorative purposes: ivy-shaped grapes (triostring), attached, and also virgin or five-leafed. The latter species is best suited for growing in Russian conditions, since the plant, even without shelter, is able to tolerate frosty winters well.

Why decorative grapes called girly? There is a simple explanation for this: the flowers of the plant do not need to be fertilized by pollen to form seeds. It is because of this "immaculate conception" that the creeper was given the name "virgin ivy" (in Greek: partenos kisses).

Video about beautiful parthenocissus

Since the 17th century, public parks and private estates have been decorated with virgin grapes. Arbors, arches, terraces and balconies covered with green ivy look very picturesque! The popular liana is often used to decorate the walls of houses, outbuildings, poles, and is also grown as a quality.

Curly shoots of parthenocissus can reach 15-20 m, climbing up the support or gracefully drooping down. In the summer months, the vines are densely covered with dark green five-parted leaves, by the autumn the foliage acquires a bright purple color, and clusters of small bluish-black berries (inedible) stand out beautifully against its background.

Opinions of experienced gardeners regarding virgin grapes often diverge. Some believe that there is no better way to hide the unsightly facade of the house or disguise the old barn, while others are sure that the lush greenery of ivy will certainly lead to the destruction of the foundation and the buildings themselves. Why do they love this green vine, and what disadvantages should you be aware of in advance?

Photograph of a five-leafed grape

The advantages of five-leaf grapes are many:

• It looks attractive from early summer to mid-autumn;
• grows profusely along the support, providing a dense green curtain;
• not afraid of Russian frosts;
• can grow on any soil;
• content with even tiny patches of land;
• successfully develops both in sunny areas and in the shade;
• practically not susceptible to diseases and pests;
• very quickly gaining growth (2-3 m per year);
• it is enough to apply fertilizers only at planting;
• its reproduction does not cause difficulties;
• dense foliage protects the walls of the house from overheating, dust, wind and rain, reduces dampness indoors and near the foundation.

In the photo girlish grapes

However, despite all these advantages, some gardeners are wary of American grapes. The fact is that ivy growing near the house can launch its strong shoots under the slate or tiles on the roof, causing their destruction, or it can penetrate the gutter and clog it. Growing, lush vines completely cover the windows, creating darkness in the house. But all this mess can be dealt with if you carefully monitor the lush plant and prune excess shoots in a timely manner.

More serious problem- long and aggressive roots of parthenocissus. Capturing space underground, the roots can spread several meters, causing great harm the rest of the "inhabitants" of the garden. Even weeds under ornamental grapes grow with difficulty, and even cultivated plants cannot take root at all.

You also need to take into account that the parthenocissus in the spring begins to come to life much later than the rest of the plants, and for a long time it is a dull picture of bare tangled shoots, while everything in the garden turns green and blooms.

If the disadvantages of parthenocissus do not scare you, try growing it on your site, especially since it is very easy to do. According to gardeners who already have girlish grapes growing on the site, planting it looks straightforward: just stick a cutting into the ground and water it, and then the plant will develop on its own, just have time to cut off the extra lashes.

For those who like to do everything in detail, we will tell you in order how to grow girlish grapes:

• dig a hole in a suitable place right size under the cutting;
• mix the soil from the pit with compost and sand, add two handfuls of fertilizer;
• lay a drainage layer on the bottom of the hole (broken brick, crushed stone or coarse sand);
• pour part of the soil mixture on top;
• place the cutting in the hole at a slight slope;
• fill the seedling with the remaining soil mixture;
• form an irrigation hole so that atmospheric precipitation lingers in it;
• water the grapes well;
• for a small plant, you can make a support or tie a wire to make it easier for the ivy to climb up.

To decorate the facade of the house, it is not necessary to build a support: parthenocissus can cling to the slightest roughness on smooth walls with suckers at the ends of the antennae.

Ivy planted in fertile, moisture-permeable soil in a lighted place on the south side of the house will turn out to be especially beautiful. Virginia grapes planted on the north side do not turn wonderful purple-red tones in the autumn months and do not form picturesque clusters with berries. However, dark green foliage in autumn also looks attractive.

Photo of girlish grapes

How to care for girlish grapes after planting?

Thanks to the amazing unpretentiousness of parthenocissus, all care for it can be reduced to rare watering in drought and pruning unnecessary lashes. But if you want to see a lush, well-groomed handsome man on your site, create more comfortable conditions for ivy to grow.

Watering ornamental grapes a moderate one is required: during the season it will be enough to water it 3-4 times, using about 10 liters of water for each plant. In hot weather, water more often (make sure that the earth does not dry out completely). At the beginning of summer, along with watering, it is recommended to fertilize the liana with nitroammophos, and during active growth, apply complex fertilizer.

During the summer, you need to periodically remove weeds, loosen the ground and pour it in case the roots are exposed. A favorable effect will be given by mulching the trunk circle with peat, compost or humus with a layer of about 6 cm. In autumn, the mulch is embedded in the soil and a new one is immediately poured.

Video about parthenocissus

in the spring virgin grapes during the dormant period, the frozen tips of the branches are cut off, dried, weakened, damaged shoots and those that have grown outside the territory allotted for ivy are removed.

Ivy propagation cuttings can be cut at any time, choosing twigs with 4-5 healthy buds. Five-leaf grapes are also propagated by seeds, if the fruits have time to fully ripen in the Russian climate, but this method is more troublesome than rooting cuttings. It is even easier to propagate the vine with whip layering, digging it horizontally into the soil so that the top with buds remains above the ground.

How to plant girlish grapes: planting and caring for wild grapes in the country. Girlish grapes are a great find for summer residents who want to see a verdant fence instead of a fence, and instead of the ugly walls of old buildings, shoots crawling along them with ...

climbing plant with beautiful carved leaves, which does not require complex care and is able to cover a significant surface in a relatively short time - the dream of many gardeners. And it is precisely such a plant that is wild or girlish grapes, planting and caring for which is not particularly difficult.

What are girlish grapes?

This plant belongs to the genus Parthenocissus, and the habitat of most species is East Asia and North America. Three types of grapes are traditionally grown as ornamental plants: the triostrate or ivy grape, the attached grape, and the five-leaf or virgin grape, which is best adapted to grow in our climate.

The wild grape itself is a root-climbing vine. The plant tolerates shade well and sub-zero temperatures. Not demanding on the soil and easy to care for. It grows rapidly and can grow up to 2-3 m in a year. Throughout the life cycle, individual lashes reach about 20 m in length.

Of particular decorative value are large carved ornamental leaves, which acquire a dark crimson color in autumn. The plant blooms rather modestly, but the flowers emit a pleasant aroma, attracting bees. Fruits of ornamental grapes are inedible. They ripen in September, acquiring a dark blue hue with a smoky wax coating.

The plant will be a real find for those who need to quickly decorate a fence or ugly walls of outbuildings. But how to plant wild grapes in a country house or a personal plot?

How to plant wild grapes

To properly plant girlish grapes, you do not need to have special skills. It is enough to follow a few simple rules.

1. When to plant wild grapes?

The timing of planting wild grapes is often determined by the weather and climatic conditions of the region and the chosen method of reproduction. According to experts, seedlings of ornamental grapes take root perfectly both during spring planting in April and May, and when planted in the ground in autumn in September - early October. True, if you plant girlish grapes in the fall, young plants will need shelter for the winter.

Parthenocissus can also be grown from seeds, but in this case, they are sown in pots in January-February. But planting cuttings of wild grapes in the soil is best done in May-June. Regardless of whether girlish grapes are planted in spring, summer or autumn, experienced gardeners advise doing such manipulations before 11 am in the morning or after 6 pm, which will help protect plants from burnout.

2. Choosing a landing site.

Before planting girlish grapes, you need to choose the right place where the plant will be as comfortable as possible. Parthenocissus is not particularly demanding on the composition of the soil, and it is able to develop quite normally both in well-lit and shaded areas of the garden. At the same time, wild grapes grow best on fertile, moisture-permeable soils and well-lit areas. The only thing to keep in mind when planting is that the plants require reliable support, for which a simple stretched wire will not work. In addition, parthenocissus, planted with north side, may have more small leaves, and in autumn the foliage on plants with this arrangement remains dark green, while specimens growing on the south side gradually turn into crimson-red hues.

3. Site preparation.

About a week before planting girlish grapes, it is necessary to dig up the site and prepare the soil. For seedlings, pits are dug about 50 × 50 × 50 cm in size (depending on the root system, the size may vary). A 20-centimeter layer of drainage is laid at the bottom of the hole, for which a mixture of small pebbles and sand, broken brick or crushed stone is suitable. The rest of the hole is covered with a soil mixture consisting of peat compost, leafy soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1, you can also add wood ash (about 1 liter of a can). With proper soil dressing before planting, the plants will have enough fertilizer for the next 3-4 years.

4. Technology of planting girlish grapes.

When the wells with drainage and the soil mixture are ready, you can proceed directly to planting. So, step by step we will figure out how to plant girlish grapes.

The hole with drainage is half filled with soil mixture. Under a slight slope, a seedling is placed in the hole and covered with the remaining soil so that the root collar does not rise above the soil surface. A watering hole is formed near the seedling. For the first watering of the plants use at least 1 bucket of water.

Speaking about how to plant wild grapes, it is necessary to clarify at what distance cuttings should be planted from each other. It is often recommended to leave gaps of at least 50 cm between individual plants. Although, given the fact that ornamental grapes grow at a high rate, the optimal distance reaches about 1 m.

5. Primary care for seedlings of wild grapes.

It is worth noting that ornamental grapes are an unpretentious plant. For its normal growth, it is enough to loosen the soil from time to time and remove weeds. Frequent watering the plant is not required. It is enough to water it 3-4 times per season at the rate of 8-10 liters of water per 1 plant. In hot weather, the watering rate can increase up to 20 liters. To prevent the soil from drying out and the growth of weeds, the soil around the shoots is covered with a 6-centimeter layer of mulch (straw, sawdust, peat).

On early stages growth of girlish grapes, special attention must be paid to the formation of shoots. Since the plant is climbing, it requires stable support. Of course, if you plant wild grapes along the fence or near the walls of any building, you won’t have to work especially hard on the construction of the support - the tenacious tendrils of the vine will easily grab even the slightest roughness. Support may be required if at first the plants have nothing to grab onto. In addition, so that fast-growing shoots do not create problems, they must be guided as they grow, fixing the stems on a support. Extra naughty lashes and withered leaves must be removed in time. It is also important to ensure that the lashes do not creep along the surface of the earth, as they quickly take root and start up new layers, which can quickly turn the entire site into an impenetrable thicket, and getting rid of wild grapes creeping along the ground is quite difficult.

Transplantation of girlish grapes

Sometimes it becomes necessary to transplant wild grapes to another place or plant a plant. It should be noted that it is desirable to do this in early spring or in autumn, when the active growth of the shoots of the plant is suspended. Replanting girlish grapes in the summer will be somewhat more difficult, but with a small size of the bush, such manipulation is possible.

The preparation and technology for transplanting ornamental grapes is almost the same as for planting a plant. The main thing is to prepare the soil in time for its planting. The depth of the hole is determined by the size of the root system of the seedling. When transplanting, the roots can be shortened somewhat, especially for damaged roots. The soil is filled with peat compost, wood ash or mineral fertilizers. In summer, transplanted plants require more frequent watering until they are fully rooted.

Advantages and disadvantages of wild grapes

Girlish grapes, planting and care of which does not require special efforts, - a plant that some gardeners consider great option for quickly landscaping the site, while others are wary of its ability to cling to almost any surface and rapid growth, since this can have negative consequences if overlooked.

Pros of girlish grapes:

Shoots develop rapidly, fill the entire support, forming a dense curtain;

Frost-resistant;

Undemanding to soil and lighting;

Resistant to pests and diseases;

Does not require frequent fertilization;

Easily propagated;

Dense foliage protects the walls and foundation of the building covered with wild grapes from overheating, rain, wind and dust, as well as excessive dampness;

It has an attractive appearance from early summer to mid-autumn.

Disadvantages of girlish grapes:

Uncontrollably growing strong shoots, falling under slate or tiles, can destroy them;

Shoots growing near drains can get inside the tubes and clog them;

Hanging over the windows, the creepers form a real curtain, not letting light into the room;

Planted near plastered walls, wild grapes can cause damage to the plaster over time: the vine gradually grows into the surface and, under its weight, the finish can simply fall off;

A strong root system extending several meters underground can harm plants planted in the neighborhood;

In spring, wild grapes develop later than others. garden plants, presenting an unsightly picture of tangled bare stems.

Speaking about planting wild grapes in a particular area, it is important to consider its positive and negative aspects. But with its simplicity in planting and growing, as well as the high decorativeness characteristic of this plant, with little care it can become a real decoration of your site. published

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Each owner of a country house, cottage or small rural house wants to decorate the site. But often it is necessary to do this not only to improve the appearance of the site, but also to hide some buildings that do not have a very respectable appearance. Most often, such buildings are: a barn, a veranda, an old gazebo, summer cuisine. When such a need arises, few people think that in this case the most the best option is the planting of girlish grapes, which is able to decorate any structure. This nondescript, at first glance, plant has exceptional decoration effects.

Girlish grapes or virgin ivy is a vine that can be up to 30 meters long. Ivy also feels great in our latitudes - it takes root well, does not require special care. A lushly growing plant with beautiful carved leaves can effectively decorate even the most unprepossessing yard buildings, enliven any corner of the garden and yard. Indoor varieties virgin ivy is often used for landscaping industrial premises, school classes, kindergartens.

This article will contain information about girlish grapes, planting and caring for which will seem not too complicated even for novice amateur gardeners.

Varieties of girlish grapes

There are up to 19 varieties of girlish grapes. In Russia, two varieties have taken root well: five-leaf and three-pointed.

five leaf

Girlish grapes, five-leafed or Virginian, native to North America and Mexico. Liana grows along the support, clinging to it with antennae. Scourges of this variety can grow up to 20 meters. The leaf of the plant consists of five saturated green leaves folded together, they are pointed to the top and have a wedge-shaped base.

The best variety of this variety is Engelman. Its leaves are wide: each leaf is up to 12 cm long and 3 cm wide. In summer, the leaf blades are dark green in color with a reddish petiole. In autumn, the plant turns into a rich carmine color. purple tint. For a year, the vine grows by 0.5-1 meter.

Girlish grapes five-leafed - frost-resistant variety. Prefers sunny areas. Below we consider what conditions are necessary for girlish grapes when planting and caring for Siberia.

Triostrenny

This type of creeper comes from Asia. It grows well up a smooth vertical surface thanks to numerous antennae, on the tips of which there are suckers. Three-toed leaves of an overgrown plant form a dense crown. Triostrate virgin ivy prefers places well lit by the sun during the day. Most of the varieties of this variety of girlish grapes are best propagated by seeds. I sow them in the fall, because. required long time aging for successful germination (stratification). Liana reaches a length of 10 meters and prefers a warm climate.

The most common variety is Vicha. Leaves turn bright red in autumn. This variety is propagated by cuttings, both lignified and young. The first year the vine grows slowly, but then its growth exceeds 2 meters per year.

Despite the fact that the plant is quite often used by professional landscape designers, ordinary gardeners know almost nothing about it and rarely use it.

- This is a climbing plant, whose homeland is considered to be North America, East Asia. Back in 1622, breeders first paid attention to it and began to actively use it for decorating parks and sculptures. Many aristocrats preferred to use it to decorate pavilions, creating an amazing atmosphere in the garden.
As soon as grapes began to gain popularity, breeders began to study and develop new varieties. In total, several dozen cultivars were bred. Currently, seeds of cultivated varieties can be found not only on store shelves, but also ordered on the Internet. And although initially the plant was popular exclusively in foreign countries, today it is grown in almost all areas. Russian Federation, as well as in the CIS countries.

They have small but tenacious rough antennae, which, finding uneven surface, attract the shoot to the support. Liana is able to independently climb vertical surfaces made of stone and wood, which is why designers specializing in creating a beautiful landscape are so fond of using her.

It is worth noting that, contrary to popular belief about the harmfulness of pruning, the plant perfectly tolerates not only molding, but also pruning. At the same time, to carry out this procedure available throughout the summer!

A little about the fruits of the plant

The grape berry ripens on branchy brushes

The fruits of the plant are small berries with seeds. Their shape is similar to an ellipse or sphere, and the diameter is only 5-8 millimeters. More than a dozen fruits can grow on one branch. Each fruit has 3 or 4 seeds, which can later be used to plant seeds. The peel of the fruit is quite elastic and very dense. She may have different colors depending on which variety is being considered (red, blue, burgundy, purple).
All varieties are characterized by a change in the color of the berry during its full ripening. Then the fruits acquire an almost black color, and a small bluish coating appears on their surface. The fruits have a rather unpleasant taste. They contain a lot of oxalic acid, due to which the berries acquire a bitter-sour taste, therefore they are considered inedible. In addition, their excessive use can cause serious poisoning. However, they are widely used in folk medicine because they have a good astringent effect.

grape propagation

Thinking about caring for grapes, some are wondering how exactly this plant reproduces.

As it turned out, you can use several methods of reproduction at once:

layering.

IN spring period a whip of the age of 1-2 years with kidneys is selected and dug in to a depth of 5 cm. You can fix the whip in the place of digging with a wire. The end of the layering remains free. The dug lash should be provided with good watering. Sprouted layers should be divided in the next spring season.

cuttings.

In the spring or summer months, a cutting with 2-3 leaves is cut from a branch, a cut is made a couple of centimeters below the leaf. The cutting can be germinated in water room temperature, providing the leaves with moist air by spraying. Also, the cutting can be rooted in loose soil. In this case young plant needs to be watered regularly.

Seeds.

Seeds are taken from ripe rotten fruits of the plant, removing the fruit pulp. It is recommended to plant seeds in autumn. In the spring, you can also plant, but for this they should be prepared. For spring planting, the seeds must be dipped in cool water and left there for a while. After a few hours of soaking, the seeds are placed in wet sand and put in the refrigerator at + 5 ° C for a month. This method of reproduction is resorted to in the case when there is no other possibility, because. the method is considered laborious.

Root offspring

In contact with the ground, the creeper of girlish grapes gives roots. These basal offspring are separated from the mother plant and transplanted. This method is the easiest and most effective, it is carried out in spring or autumn. When transplanting, do not bury the root neck.

Experts say that the whip, which has already grown quite strongly, has the greatest survival rate. If we are talking about propagation by cuttings, it is possible immediately after cutting the material. Its thickness should be approximately the same as that of a pencil. Grape care and constant control for a newly planted plant will provide 100% survival rate.

Please note that while the vine is rooting, it is extremely important that the ground is sufficiently moist. You can also use geotextiles to ensure proper air exchange on the surface of the hole.

Girlish grapes: planting and care

Every breeder knows that the color of the leaves depends on the choice of the location of the plant. If it grows on that side of the house (veranda, shed), which is poorly lit by the sun, then in the fall the color of its sheets will remain the same (green). But if during the summer she managed to absorb enough sun rays, then in the autumn its foliage will acquire a beautiful reddish or purple hue. That is why caring for grapes involves not only the periodic application of fertilizers to the soil and pruning, but also right choice landing sites.

When choosing a site for planting virgin ivy, it should be noted that a bewitching red-purple carpet appears only if the plant is planted on the south side. The north wall, formed by ivy, will remain dark green until the foliage is shed. If the plant is planted on the western or eastern sides, then it develops quickly, and its leaves grow large.

The soil

When the owner land plot finally decide where exactly the plant will grow, you should start preparing the soil. And although this plant cannot be called whimsical, it is necessary to plant seeds in well-fertilized and dug up soil.

This is necessary because young shoots are too weak, so the likelihood of successful growth in nutrient-deprived soil is incredibly small.
To properly prepare the beds for planting, you need to divide them into 2 layers:

• The first layer (bottom) is drainage. As a drainage, you can give preference to both natural and artificial materials capable of filtering water well. This important condition, because if the water stagnates, the grapes will grow slowly or die altogether. The main requirement for the selected materials is that they should not have an aggressive composition.
• The second layer (top) must be carefully fertilized with nutritious organics with the addition of sand. Such beds will provide necessary care for grapes that have been recently planted and help them grow faster.

Being unpretentious plant, girlish grapes are not picky about soil fertility. However, dry and depleted soils will not please the plant, and it will not give the desired effect of pomp. It is not scary if the earth is a little saline. Fortified plants are planted in fertile drained soil in early spring at a distance of 50-70 cm from each other.

For planting a plant, a pit is prepared in the form of a cube with a side of half a meter. Drainage is laid out at the bottom, broken bricks can be used. The pit is filled with soil: garden soil, compost, sand (2: 2: 1).

top dressing

Girlish grapes, planting and caring for which are not difficult, invariably remain a very popular ornamental plant. However, at the same time, one should not forget that although care is not difficult, it is still necessary. After all, without it, the plant will not have a beautiful appearance. Its leaves will be faded and will not be able to attract attention.

To avoid this, you should follow some recommendations:

• Do not add synthetic fertilizers.
• It is recommended to fertilize in the summer.
• Girlish grapes, planting and caring for which require constant attention to the direction of growth of the vine, need frequent pruning, tying.
• During the dry season, the plant should be watered regularly, because it has a fairly developed root system, and it needs a constant supply of moisture.
• It is recommended to water the vine once a week.
• A newly planted seedling is weak, so it should be watered much more frequently.

As you can see, there are no special requirements for care and planting, so even a person who has only recently begun to be interested in this amazing plant can easily cope with them.

The plant should be fertilized twice a year. In May, 40 g of nitroammophoska are added, and in July, 100-200 g of Kemira Universal, which, in addition to nitroammophoska, contains selenium.

Care

Like all plants, parthenocissus loves loosening and removing weeds. Dry branches of the liana should be cut, and extra branches are also trimmed, limiting the volume and setting the desired shape of the crown. Water an adult rooted plant 3-4 times throughout the season. If during the summer period there are frequent rains, then watering is not required.

Girlish grapes: planting and care in Siberia

In harsh Siberian conditions, young plants for the winter should be laid on the ground and covered with snow. Every year the vine will be more and more frost-resistant and after 2-3 years the preparation for winter will consist in the removal of fallen leaves. For a cold climate, it is better to choose varieties of girlish grapes five-leafed.

What disease is the plant susceptible to?

To the delight of gardeners, girlish grapes are not susceptible to disease, and pests also do not covet this plant. However, in rare cases, aphids may appear on the leaves. It is washed off with a hose or sprayed soapy water. Of the cardinal measures in the fight against aphids, Fitoverm and Fufanon can be called. It is necessary to act according to the instructions for the drug.

How to apply girlish grapes?

Liana is a flexible but strong plant, which is used for gardening. vertical surfaces. With the help of suction cups at the ends of numerous tendrils, the whips of girlish grapes easily climb trellises, walls, and stones. A personal plot, decorated with girlish grapes, always looks magnificent, rich and even antique.

With the help of ivy, the old building will be advantageously transformed: a gazebo, a barn, a fence. At the same time, the dense cover of the plant will protect the building from the destructive effects of rain and wind.
Houses in a mosaic of five-fingered leaves look beautiful and cozy. To prevent the plant from damaging the walls of the house, a grid is installed near the wall along which the plant will climb.
Any composition can be folded from lashes, wrapping them around an artificial structure, you can even create a green sculpture.
Tapestries erected on the territory personal plot, will serve as an excellent support for the vine, with which you can divide the site into zones.
Because girlish grapes are not demanding in planting and care, then they are often planted along a fence, for example, a chain-link mesh or a picket fence. Thus, a hedge is created.
Ivy braiding gazebos is a classic application.
Arches and tunnels entwined with liana look very interesting. For this, a frame is installed, and plant shoots are planted at its base.
A spectacular combination gives girlish grapes with climbing flowering plants like roses.
Decorate with ivy loggias and balconies, because. ivy well protects apartments from street dust and muffles the noise of cars.
Indoor varieties of girlish grapes are popular because of their ability to inhibit the reproduction of microbes, as well as the ability to create bansai.
Girlish grapes are often used for landscaping areas where even cereals do not grow.

Maiden grapes can be called universal plant, which does not require special care, grows well on poor soils. Even with poor care, it can quickly grow, forming lush lush vegetation.

If you would like your Vacation home looked original like fairytale castle, and the backyard area resembled a magical garden, then you should pay attention to such a plant as parthenocissus.

In the process of development, tight vines grow in it, which create a dense carpet on the wall, arbor, fence, which allows any objects to look as if they belong to the Middle Ages.

Features of girlish grapes

A photo of this plant can be found on the Internet, however, not everyone knows that it is known under a different name - virgin ivy. This can be explained by the fact that it can form fruits without pollination.

The flowers of the plant do not look attractive and neither are the fruits edible. However, for many summer residents, girlish grapes are interesting in that they can be very successfully use in landscape design , the main thing that attracts owners of suburban areas is decorative foliage.

The leaves are palmate and have a bright green color. The first frost causes the foliage to change from its original color to more crimson. However, until winter comes, suburban area will not lose its main decoration, formed by leaves of red and purple flowers.

The owner will have to periodically prune the grapes, because if there is no control for this perennial crop, it will fill all the free space.

Because of this property, girlish grapes received wide use in landscape design, because with its help you can easily hide unattractive outbuildings, as well as hide the raw walls of houses.

Among other advantages of plants, it is worth highlighting the fact that it contributes to the improvement of the microclimate, so it can suppress certain types of pathogens.

Varieties of wild ornamental grapes

The main thing that attracts summer residents is this plant - girlish grapes do not require special care. Therefore, you only need to choose a place to land, after which it will develop independently.

Such advantages as unpretentiousness and pronounced decorative properties and became one of the main reasons why this perennial can often be found in many gardens.

Getting acquainted with girlish grapes, it must be said that he is a representative of the Vinogradov family. It includes 12 species, many of which are found in Asia and North America.

Despite some of their differences, they all received wide use as decoration in landscape design.

Types of girlish grapes and landscape design

Five-leafed parthenocissus. Often this variety is called virgin grapes. In one year, its vines can reach a height of about 2.5 m. This is enough to cover a building 15 m high with thickets.

The leaves have a complex palmate shape, can be up to 10 cm long, with a pointed tip at the end. This variety of grapes acquires the most pronounced decorative properties in autumn, when its foliage turns red.

As cultivated plant it began to be grown as early as 1622. Therefore, one should not be surprised that photos of this variety can be present both in modern magazines and in paintings dating back to the Renaissance and Enlightenment.

Triostreny girlish grapes. This variety is often referred to as the ivy grape. This can be explained by the fact that with its foliage it strongly resembles this plant. The leaves of this grape variety are distinguished by a three-lobed shape.

Shoots can grow up to 15–20 m in length. This grape variety tolerates freezing temperatures very well. Already during the first frosts, noticeable changes in the appearance of this variety occur: instead of the usual color, the leaves acquire red-purple and orange hues.

In this plant, it is customary to distinguish individual varieties that have pronounced features. golden look has leaves adorned with yellow spots. In the purple variety, the foliage shimmers with dark burgundy hues.

The decorative properties of Vicha grapes are also pronounced - its leaves small size have a shiny surface, and at the time of the onset of the first frost, they change their usual color to orange.

Preparing for landing

Girlish grapes feel good not only in sunny places, but also in the shade. But at the same time, it must be borne in mind that in the fall, when the first frosts occur, girlish grapes acquire a color characteristic of this period of the year.

However, many experts agree that the most suitable for growing this plant is sunny plot.

You can grow wild grapes near a fence or other support on the north side, however, in this case, it will not change its Green colour until the leaves begin to crumble due to the first cold weather.

Growing on the southern and eastern sides of the site is beneficial in that in these places reproduction takes less time, and the leaves grow larger.

Seeds can be sown in autumn. As for transplanting seedlings, it is recommended to plan this work for the spring period. Girlish grapes are not very demanding on the quality of the soil.

However, this plant still feels better if it grows on a specially trained soil mixtures . To prepare it, you will need the following components:

• 2 parts of garden land.
• 2 parts compost.
• 1 part sand.

After thoroughly mixing all the ingredients, the pits prepared for planting the cuttings are filled with this composition.

Reproduction by seeds

As a rule, the cultivation of wild grapes from seeds is carried out only by experienced gardeners. It is not recommended for beginners to use this breeding method, not only because this process requires a lot of time and effort.

Often it is not possible to achieve the desired result because the seeds used may not all sprout. However, in a situation where the gardener does not have planting material he has no other alternatives to reproduce.

A mandatory operation that seeds must undergo before planting is stratification. It can be carried out in natural conditions: for this, the seeds are sown in the fall in the ground, where they must be tempered during three months.

You can also do this in the spring, however, in this case, the time for sowing is chosen 6–7 weeks earlier than the usual sowing dates at home:

1. A small container is taken, which is filled with clean sand.
2. The sand must be shed well, and then the existing seeds should be sown in it.
3. Then the container must be covered with a film.
4. Next, the container must be placed in a cold place, for example, in a refrigerator. For the appropriate conduct of this procedure, it is necessary to ensure the temperature is within + 5 degrees Celsius.
5. During certification, it is necessary to ensure that the sand is constantly wet. This is done until the moment when they begin to sprout sprouts from seeds.

If the seeds undergo such preparatory treatment in the open field, then already a month after their sowing, you can expect the first shoots to appear.

Planting cuttings

Many gardeners choose the method of propagation by cuttings because of the lower labor intensity and the time that must be met before receiving planting material. After cutting their vines placed in open ground where they take root fairly quickly.

To obtain high-quality planting material, this work is carried out in the following order:

• propagation requires cuttings with at least four buds;
• in the prepared pit, the stalk must be placed in such a way that two buds are located above the ground;
• planting must be completed with watering;
• in order to avoid burns, it is recommended to protect the bed from direct sunlight;
• get good seedlings It is possible if the soil is constantly moistened.

Reproduction by layering

This method of obtaining wild grape seedlings may be of interest to those who already have adult bushes on the site. In this case, planting and caring for young plants can be carried out immediately after choosing a place for a new bush.

The process of reproduction in this way is carried out in the following order:

• In early spring, you need to outline the vines at the age of two or three years.
• Further, they are bent to the ground and fixed in this position.
• The place of bending must be covered with fertile soil.
• Waiting for the rooting of the layers, it is necessary to regularly water.
• A year later, the layers will form a full-fledged root system, after which they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Further care

After receiving the planting material and transplanting it, the main care measures will be to remove excess shoots and install special supports for the growth of vines.

Although branches can often climb the walls of a building on their own, however, many gardeners come to their aid, specially designed fencing, for example, a chain-link.

Young bushes of girlish grapes experience the need for moisture only at a young age. Adult bushes have enough moisture, which comes with precipitation and from internal reserves.

The care of perennials is also simplified because the owner does not have to carry out shelter activities for the winter. However, for young plantings, this event is mandatory.

Fertilization

For better absorption of fertilizers, fertilizing is recommended during the irrigation of grapes. To do this, you can use nitroammophoska. In order to stimulate the growth of grapes, it is useful to apply complex fertilizers to the soil.

Girlish grapes respond well with active growth if measures are taken to improve the quality of the soil. Therefore, in addition to loosening, it is also recommended before planting add peat to the soil and humus.

You can increase fertility by fertilizing the soil with two-year-old compost. The mulching operation is quite effective, during which sawdust or rotted foliage can be used.

Any suburban area, as well as a house located on it, may look unusual if you use an original approach to its design. One such idea would be to use girlish grapes.

This ornamental plant able to form long shoots that can hide any tall buildings, creating medieval effect.

Naturally, the cultivation of this plant provides for its own characteristics. Special attention should be given to young seedlings, since they not only need regular watering, but also protection from frost.

However, adult plants are unpretentious, so the owner will only be required pruning if he wants to limit the further spread of the grapes.

Girlish grapes - deciduous tree-type liana from the Grape family. It is also known as virgin ivy due to its ability to self-pollinate. The area of ​​growth extends from Asian countries to the shores of North America. IN wild nature There are about 12 varieties of this plant. Winter-hardy varieties are widely used in landscape design.

Liana with fruits in autumn

If girlish grapes are chosen for the garden, planting and care will not take much time. Due to unpretentiousness and high frost resistance, wild grapes are actively used to decorate outbuildings, covered benches, arbors, arches, columns, and plant sculptures. It goes well with different, weigela, forsythia. In this plant, buds bloom on the shoots of the past and new years, forming a lush crown from early spring.

The description should begin with the fact that virgin ivy is a creeper with shoots of dark green and reddish hues. The leaves have a carved shape, in spring and summer they are green, in the autumn they are red. Color may vary depending on the species and variety.

Green small flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences of 80-150 pieces. Period active education buds fall in late spring. The fruits are dark blue berries with a diameter of 5 to 8 mm, contain a high concentration of oxalic acid, and therefore are unsuitable for human consumption.

Regardless of the variety, girlish grapes have a number of typological features. These include:

• high growth rates and frost resistance;
• unpretentiousness in care;
• shade tolerance;
• drought tolerance;
• does not need additional supports and a garter;
• resistance to pests and fungal diseases;
• growth on any soil.

How fast is growing?

Among the shortcomings, gardeners distinguish high growth rates. Instances growing on fertile, light soils need regular seasonal pruning. With relatively simple care wild grapes give a significant annual increase and after a couple of years are able to completely decorate garden objects. The final growth rates directly depend on the region of growth and the frost resistance zone:

In the wild, he climbs to a height of 20 m, wrapping around the trunks of trees and shrubs to make his way to the light.

Five-leaf and tri-pointed species: what to choose for planting?

The plant does not differ in exotic crown color, lush buds and fantasy framing. Its main advantage is the exquisite shape of the leaves. Thanks to the carved edge and palmate shape, the crown of the creeper has a relief pattern. Given the size leaf blades, gardeners select suitable variety for cultivation on site.

The following types are popular today:

• five-leafed;
• triostreny, having several varietal hybrids with excellent decorative properties.

The five-leafed grape is native to North America, where it is known as the Virginia grape. Adult specimens reach 20 m in length, side shoots grow up to 3-4 m. They tend to lignify, darken with age. unpretentious look got its name from the crown. Composite type foliage collected from 5 small leaves planted on a long petiole. Each leaf has a pointed shape with a serrated edge. With the onset of frost, they acquire a noble burgundy shade.

The flowering period of five-leafed grapes falls on the first decade of July. However, the exact timing will depend on the region of growth. Inflorescences last from one and a half to two weeks. Umbrellas consist of simple white flowers. After the specified period, the first fruit ovaries appear. The berries ripen by the end of August and are of purely decorative interest.

Triostrenny - an inhabitant with Far East, it is characterized by high frost resistance and unpretentiousness in care. European landscape designers dubbed the tri-pointed view Boston ivy, as its leaves look like a crown. poison ivy. Shoots of wild grapes grow at a rate of 1-1.3 m per month. The crown consists of glossy leaves that have an elongated shape and end in the form of a tee.

There are several for sale hybrid varieties that differ in color. For example, the Golden variety grows up to 12 m in length, the foliage is decorated with golden yellow spots. The leaves of the purple variety have purple veins and scarlet pigment.

Planting purchased seedlings

When choosing a place for placement, it must be taken into account that the red-crimson carpet, bewitching with brightness, will appear by autumn if the south side is chosen for planting. On the western or eastern wall, it will begin to develop rapidly, and the foliage will be large.

Agricultural technology:

1. Decorative liana is not demanding on soil fertility. To achieve the desired bushiness, it is recommended to prepare a substrate from peat, leafy soil, compost, taken in equal proportions, when planting. If the ground is heavy, add some sand.
2. A couple of days before landing on the bottom landing pit fall asleep drainage from broken bricks or crushed stone 20 cm high. Then add the substrate to half the pit.
3. Strengthened seedlings are recommended to be planted in early spring or autumn at a distance of 50-70 cm. They are placed in the center of the planting pit, sprinkled with a substrate. The root neck should remain on the surface, but not rise above it.
4. It is advisable to mulch the trunk circle with peat, bark, dry grass. The layer thickness should be 5-8 cm. Mulch will protect the soil from the rapid evaporation of moisture and help eliminate seasonal weeding.

Video about the rules of cultivation.

In the future, seedlings will need watering once a week until they take root. Adult plants need 3-4 moisture per season during a drought. Fertilizers begin to be applied from the 2nd year of growth, limited to 2 top dressings per season. In May, 40-50 g of nitroammophoska are added dropwise under each vine, in June - 200 g of Kemira Universal.

Growth control and pruning of girlish grapes, preparation for winter

The notorious aggressiveness attributed to the liana manifests itself when they do not care at all about elementary control over plant development. False grapes will never crawl over a fence or climb a roof if they are pruned in time.

Girlish grapes need only control pruning.

If he begins to move to another territory, cut off the extra lashes. The more often they are cut, the thicker the crown will be. To curb growth, most gardeners keep watering and fertilizing to a minimum. Dry branches should be cut periodically, and the exposed roots should be sprinkled with earth.

In the first year after planting trunk circle cover with spruce branches and dry foliage. Subsequently, shelter plants are not required.

Propagation methods: from cuttings to seeds

In their natural habitat, these vines in most cases propagate by seeds. There are several ways to grow decorative grapes in the country:

It can be propagated in open ground by layering. To do this, several planting pits up to 20 cm deep are dug along the perimeter of the holes. The lower side shoots are placed in them, fixing them with pegs and digging in with garden soil. After a month, the layers are cut off from the mother trunk and poured with plenty of water. When successful rooting young seedlings are planted in permanent places.

Cuttings to obtain new seedlings

Propagation by cuttings in spring is more effective than in autumn. This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the vegetative season, the movement of juice begins in the trunks and shoots of plants and the level of nutrients necessary for the rooting and development of the cutting increases.

For cuttings, a shoot 14 to 25 cm long with several (2-4) healthy buds is chosen. The lateral lignified shoots of the last year are suitable for cutting. The marked branches are separated from the trunk by oblique cuts so that the "heel" remains on the planting material. The cut point on the vine is treated with garden pitch for disinfection and speedy healing.

Large foliage on the cuttings is cut in half, sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Before planting wild grapes in the substrate, the ends of the cuttings are powdered with a rooting stimulator (Kornevin or Zircon).

rooted cuttings

For rooting can be used:

• aqueous solution with the addition of growth and root stimulants;
• soil in containers;
• open ground.

Planting material is dug into the ground at an angle of 45 degrees and regularly watered. A sign that the vine has taken root and taken root will be the presence of new buds and leaf growth. Rooting lasts no longer than 1 month.

Seed propagation method

Growing from seeds at home is a complex and painstaking procedure. It propagates by this method much longer, but more hardy seedlings can be obtained. Ripened berries are used as planting material. Seeds can be sown both as part of the fruit, and separately from it.

Sowing is done in autumn or early winter. Fall asleep in landing boxes garden soil and planting material. After that, the containers are put in a cool place: basement, lower shelves of the refrigerator, balcony. For better stratification, boxes are dug in the garden in snowdrifts. With the onset of spring, the boxes are placed on illuminated warm areas: window sills, tables, insulated verandas - and regularly watered. The shoots are thinned out, removing deformed and diseased specimens.

The grown seedlings are placed in individual pots. They can be planted on the balcony before the onset of heat.

At the end of spring, it is necessary to prepare seedlings for transplanting into open ground. To do this, gardeners stop putting into the ground universal fertilizers, spray the seedlings with a mild solution of manganese, and also shade them to reduce the movement of juice.

After transplanting to a permanent place, the seedling does not need special care. The owners of the site water the plant as the soil dries in the hole, carry out forming pruning twice a year. At proper care after 2-3 years, the liana will beautifully wrap around the support and delight with its elegance.