Aconitol Vineyard

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Aconitol vineyard (Latin Ampelopsis aconitifolia) - a species of the genus Vineyard of the family Grape. In nature, it grows in river valleys and forests in the northeastern regions of China. Today it is cultivated in the Caucasus, Ukraine, Crimea, Moldova, southern regions of Russia and Central Asia.

Characteristics of culture

Aconitol vineyard is a woody deciduous liana up to 4 m long, clinging to the support with the help of twisting tendrils. Shoots are green, later become gray-blue with longitudinal cracks. Leaves are green, glossy, petiolate, rounded, deeply dissected, palmate-lobed, coarsely toothed along the edge. On the outside, the leaves are bare, on the inside, pubescent along reddish veins. At a young age, the foliage has a purple or reddish-olive color, which looks very impressive, which is why liana is widely used in vertical gardening. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, greenish, collected in small loose inflorescences.

Fruits are round, up to 0.6 cm in diameter, changing color as they ripen - first yellow or yellow-orange, then blue. Vineyard aconitolist blooms in June - July. In the conditions of central Russia, the culture does not enter fruiting, since flower buds are damaged by frost. The species in question has average winter hardiness, shade tolerance and high decorative properties. It currently has several decorative forms. Seeds are stored for up to 4 years (in a closed container). Germination rate is 70-80% (with the condition of preliminary two-month stratification).

The subtleties of growing

Aconitol vineyard prefers sunny areas with light openwork penumbra. When growing crops in indoor conditions, plants are placed near the western or eastern windows. Protection from cold northerly winds is a must. The optimal distance between plants is 0.5-1 m. It is undemanding to soil conditions, it can grow on poor soils, however, it develops more actively on fertile, loose, moist substrates. Like other vines, the aconitol grape needs support.

The type of grape in question is propagated by seeds, green and lignified cuttings and layering. All methods are effective, especially grafting. With proper care of the cuttings and the observance of optimal conditions, up to 100% of the cuttings are rooted. Cuttings are cut from the side shoots, which are planted for rooting in containers with a moistened substrate. Lignified cuttings are cut in September and planted in the ground under a shelter.

Planting of aconitol vineyard with seedlings is carried out in spring or autumn. Fall planting is more efficient. Saplings are planted near a fence, wall or support at a distance of 0.5-1 m. At the bottom of the pit, it is advisable to form a small hill from a soil mixture composed of soil and humus filled with mineral fertilizers. This will speed up the process of seedlings survival. In the future, fertilizing is carried out once a year, the best time for fertilizing is early spring. Caring for the aconitol vineyard consists of standard procedures: weeding, watering, pruning, treatments against pests and diseases, and shelter for the winter.

Usage

In the conditions of the garden, the aconitolous vine grows to a length of 3 m, in nature you can find plants over 10 m long. And despite this, the vine is actively used for vertical gardening of various fences, gazebos, walls of outbuildings and other low buildings. Also, you can create an excellent hedge from vines, which will allow you to delimit the site into zones.