How to Prepare Grapevines for Winter

Autumn is the time when grapevines finish their growing season and prepare for the next harvest. The care taken during this period determines the plant’s health, vigor, and fruitfulness in the coming year.

Finishing Growth and Autumn Pruning

By mid-autumn, grapevines stop active growth. To help them enter dormancy:

• Reduce watering and stop applying nitrogen fertilizers;
• After leaf fall, perform autumn pruning — remove unripe or weak shoots and shorten fruiting canes;
• Treat the cuts with wood ash or garden pitch to prevent infection.

This type of pruning helps the plant conserve energy, making it more resilient to frost.

Feeding and Soil Care

Before winter, grapevines need potassium and phosphorus, which increase frost resistance and strengthen the wood of the vine.

It is recommended to apply:

• Ash, superphosphate, or potassium salt;
• A small amount of organic matter — humus or compost;
• Then dig the soil lightly and mulch the base with sawdust, bark, or straw.

Mulching protects the roots from freezing and preserves the natural soil structure.

Removing Vines and Winter Cover

When the temperature drops steadily to around –5°C, gently remove the vines from their supports and bend them to the ground. Tie the shoots into bundles and place them on a base of spruce branches, dry leaves, or wooden boards.
Cover them with agrofabric, film, or roofing felt, leaving small ventilation gaps to prevent moisture buildup.
Such shelter creates a dry, warm microclimate and protects the vines from freezing.

Cover them with agrofabric, film, or roofing felt, leaving small ventilation gaps to prevent moisture buildup.

Such shelter creates a dry, warm microclimate and protects the vines from freezing.

If vines are properly pruned, fed, carefully laid down, and protected from cold, they will quickly recover in spring and produce vigorous shoots.

Inspecting and Maintaining Supports

Autumn is also a good time to inspect trellises and vineyard stakes. Throughout the season, wood is exposed to moisture, sunlight, and the weight of the vines, so it’s important to:

• Check stakes for strength and cracks;
• Renew antiseptic coating if needed;
• Replace old or damaged supports.

Strong, stable stakes ensure a neat trellis and even sunlight distribution across the vines.

We manufacture turned wooden products from small-diameter coniferous timber — durable, eco-friendly materials ideal for trellises and vineyard supports.
Conifer wood is naturally resin-protected, resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations, and high-quality processing extends the lifespan of each stake for many seasons.

Well-chosen vineyard stakes ensure structural stability and help maintain the vineyard’s neat appearance for years to come.