Vine

Home Fertilization Guide Vine

Regarding the mineral nutrition of vines in modern viticulture, it is interesting to examine the case of nitrogen, potassium and magnesium and their deficiencies or excesses which are often found in vineyards. The requirements for these are greater than for other mineral nutrient elements.

The vine absorbs both mineral forms of nitrogen (ammonia and nitrate) from the soil solution. The type of fertilization depends on the size of the vineyard, the degree of mechanization, the existence of an irrigation network and the type of fertilizer.

The type and dose of fertilizer depends on various factors such as variety, rootstock, age of the stumps, production, observed nutrient deficiencies, stage of stump growth, soil properties, water availability, etc.

Nitrogen fertilization:

Nitrogen uptake from the soil shows two peaks:

The first starts about 2 weeks before flowering, with 75% of the total amount being absorbed by just before polishing.

The second starts from harvest to leaf fall. The average annual nitrogen and potassium requirements of the stumps have been determined to be 75g and 83g per stump respectively.

Phosphorous fertilization:

Annual or periodic phosphorus fertilization is applied by incorporating phosphate fertilizers into the soil during the winter rest of the stumps. Stumps absorb 90% of the total amount of phosphorus from the beginning of germination to full flowering.

Potassium fertilization:

The stumps absorb 65-70% of the total amount of potassium immediately after flowering and for a period of about three (3) weeks.

Annual or periodic potassium fertilization is applied by incorporating potassium fertilizers into the soil during the winter rest of the stumps. If there is a lack of magnesium during germination, including temporary deficiency, the leaves are characteristically yellowing in white varieties and reddening in red varieties.