| How to Train Grape Vines Posted: 21 Jul 2019 05:00 PM PDT Grapevines grow by climbing and spreading across trellises, walls, and other surfaces. Growers "train" vines by controlling which way they grow, leading to healthier plants that produce better grapes. The most common way to do this is through spur training, where you grow new shoots from a pair of canes every year. Cane pruning is an alternative for cold climates where you remove as much old growth as possible each year. Set up your trellis to train your vines properly using either strategy. Then, get ready to pick the fresh grapes that bloom from branches after a year of growth. EditUsing Spur Pruning - Grow a vine next to a vertical post on a trellis for a year. Grapevines are climbing plants, so the vertical post serves as a base for your vine as it grows and expands across the trellis. Choose a healthy cutting, which is a cane from an existing plant that has a uniform reddish brown color. Any green spots are parts that haven't matured yet and are going to be difficult to raise. To keep the vine close to the post, tie it as soon as possible with binder twine or a similar type of weather-resistant string.[1]
- If you don't already have a grapevine or cutting to plant, check local gardening centers or place an order online. These places also tend to carry twine, pruning shears, and other tools you need to train vines.
- Give the vine enough water to keep the soil moist about deep. Grapevines don't need a ton of water, and wet soil can damage them.
- Spur pruning is easier to do than cane training. It works best in warmer climates or areas that experience drought.
- Pinch off the stem when it reaches the top of the trellis. The vine reaches the top of the trellis within 1 to 2 years. To prevent it from continuing to expand vertically, grasp the top of the shoot between your index finger and thumb. Pinch it off when it reaches the height you want to keep it at. Doing this forces the vine to branch off onto the horizontal wires on the trellis.[2]
- Remove any secondary branches while the stem grows to the height you desire. These extra branches take resources away from the main one and aren't needed for training.
- Grow the horizontal branches and tie them to the trellis. The vine spreads across the trellis, forming new branches to produce good fruit. Early in the year, usually around the beginning of April, tie the base of each branch to the wire to ensure it continues growing out along the trellis. These horizontal branches are called cordons. As you notice flowers forming, cut them off close to the cordons to avoid wasting any of the plant's resources.[3]
- Flowers take a lot of resources to grow, and your vine isn't ready to produce fruit yet. When you cut off the flowers, your vine grows faster and stronger.
- Pinch off the ends of the cordons when they reach the proper size. The size the shoots need to be depends on the space you have available. You could let the branches grow to the end of the trellis wire if you have room. Most of the time, the branches need to be cut short to avoid growing off the trellis or overlapping neighboring plants.[4]
- For example, if you have several grapevines apart, grow the horizontal branches to in length. That way, both plants have plenty of room to spread out across the trellis.
- Select the strongest branches on the cordons to grow for the third year. Side shoots come out of the cordons as they expand. Between January and April of the third year, when the branches soften enough for pruning, start removing some of the shoots. Try to save the ones that look strong, are undamaged, and have a uniform brown coloring. Keep them spaced out about along the cordons so they have plenty of room to grow.[5]
- Cut each side shoot down to leave about 4 buds on it. Buds look like small, round balls where a branch splits off into new growth. They almost look like grapes and are pretty easy to spot as you examine each cordon.
- Leave a renewal spur between each of the branches you saved. Renewal spurs give your grapevines the ability to generate new shoots during the next growing season. Keep the spurs an equal distance between the growing branches. Prune them down to 2 buds, enough to keep them alive with the ability to produce new growth.[6]
- Always leave fresh renewal spurs on your vine. Without the spurs, the vine can't produce new growth.
- Prune off the old spurs next year to repeat the process. During the third year, the side shoots you saved grow and begin producing grapes. When spring rolls around again, trim the vine thoroughly to prepare it for new growth. Remove older shoots that flowered the previous year, since they won't make more grapes. Let the renewal spurs grow out for the next season, but trim the fresh shoots to set up new renewal spurs between them.[7]
- Grapes only grow on wood that has had a year of growth. Most people hesitate to prune their vines because they don't like getting rid of all that old growth. The old growth is unnecessary, so heavy pruning is safe as long as you leave renewal spurs.
- Sometimes the cordons need to be replaced due to damage or disease. When this happens, select a new branch at the base of the cordon, grow it for a year, then remove the old cordon.
EditCutting Canes for Training - Plant a vine next to a vertical post to grow for a year. The vine needs a vertical surface on a trellis to climb as it grows. Make sure you're using a healthy cutting from an established grapevine. Plant it directly in the dirt, dampening the soil so it stays moist about deep.[8]
- As the stem grows, tie it to the trellis to prevent it from falling over. The best time to tie new growth is in early spring, around March and April.
- Cane pruning starts out like spur pruning but is somewhat more difficult. It is often used in relatively colder regions like Burgundy, Sonoma, and Oregon. Frequent pruning means the branches suffer less frost damage.
- Pinch off the top of the stem when it reaches the height you desire. Grow the stem all the way up to the top of your trellis, usually about off the ground. When it reaches that point, pinch the top between your thumb and index fingers. Snap it off to prevent the vine from growing further.[9]
- Pinching off the vine forces it to expand horizontally instead of vertically.
- Grow horizontal guyots along the length of the trellis. During the spring before the second growing season, decide how long you want your vine to extend. The shoots at the top of the trellis that grow along the wire are called guyots. Tie them to the wires to train them to extend horizontally. Remove any flowers that form during this year to ensure the guyots grow nice and strong.[10]
- The guyots are similar to cordons, so if you have experience growing one, you know how to grow the other.
- Space out your vines so they have plenty of room to spread along the trellis. Pinch the ends off the guyots as needed to prevent them from overgrowing.
- Wait for shoots to grow off the guyots during the third year. Remove any cracked or damaged shoots in early spring. The remaining branches grow vertically and produce grapes for you to harvest. Also, look for new branches sprouting from the original stem. Note which branches are new growth and which are old [11]
- Choose new shoots every year to serve as replacement spurs. Let them grow out during the season so they produce fruit the next year.
- Select some healthy canes to grow on either side of the stem. Locate some canes near the top of the original stem. They have to be below the trellis wire so you can train them to grow horizontally. Pick young shoots that have grown for a year, look undamaged and have a smooth, reddish-brown bark. Good canes are very thin, about as thick as your thumb.[12]
- These canes are replacement guyots. You need a single cane for each side of the trellis. The canes produce new growth and grapes during the next growing season.
- Pick another pair of shoots to cut back and use as replacement spurs. Find another pair of healthy shoots close to the top of your trellis. Using a pair of pruning shears, cut the shoots down until 1 or 2 buds are left. The buds are like green marbles where new branches split off of old ones, so they are pretty easy to spot.[13]
- You grow these replacement spurs to become replacement guyots next season. They sprout plenty of branches, giving you the ability to choose the strongest ones to become your next guyots.
- Remove all of the canes that produced grapes during the last season. The guyots and their branches overgrow after 2 years. Cutting them may seem like excessive pruning, but it's important for successful cane training. The older branches tend to be somewhat gray instead of a strong red-brown color. They also look a little ragged and have newer shoots coming out from their buds.[14]
- Cane pruning is about removing the old branches every year to make room for new growth. This includes the original guyots, so remember to cut them away too. Leave behind the new canes, including the replacement spurs, to keep your vines healthy.
EditSetting up a Trellis - Use a high cordon for strong vines that droop as they grow. A high cordon is one of the most common ways to grow vines. To create a high cordon, you set up a trellis with a single horizontal wire, usually about off the ground. You train the vines to grow across the wire, forming cordons or guyots, then you let the new growth hang down.[15]
- Some common grapes that grow well on a high cordon include Chambourcin, Chardonel, and Seyval Blanc.
- Build a low cordon to help weaker vines grow upward. In a low cordon, you place a series of wires close to the ground so the vines climb up them. First, set up your trellis as you normally would, but set up a series of horizontal wires off the ground. Grow your vines until they reach the lower wire and form cordons across them. Then, maintain the cordons with regular pruning so the new shoots grow up toward the higher wires.[16]
- Some varieties that grow well on low cordons include Chelois, St. Vincent, and Vignoles.
- To create a low cordon, try stringing another wire horizontally every between the top and bottom wires.
- Tie the new shoots to the wires as they grow upward. This prevents them from drooping or breaking.
- Use a bilateral cordon or guyot to space out your vines evenly. A bilateral system basically means your trellis has 2 arms. This is what most people use to grow vines since it is such a straightforward system to manage. In a bilateral system, you first grow the vine up the trellis, then train it by forcing it to grow horizontally to the left and right.[17]
- Bilateral systems are a great way to spread out multiple vines on a trellis. Decide how far you want each vine to grow, then pinch off the end of it to prevent it from growing past that point.
- An alternative is to grow the vine unilaterally, or in a single direction. This can be useful if your vine is at the end of a trellis or you don't have space to let it spread. Raise the vine as you normally would, but keep only a single cordon or guyot.
- Make a fan system to help vines climb fences or walls. The fan system creates a vine with a short trunk and several upright canes. To train the vine, grow it up to a low trellis wire about off the ground. Then, choose 2 to 4 of the healthiest canes to save as you prune off the others. Tie them to the trellis so they continue growing up toward the top of it.[18]
- Repeat selecting and pruning canes every year. Try to choose 3 to 4 fresh branches from the renewal spurs each year and remove the rest. After a few years, you may be able to grow 6 to 8 branches at a time.
- Fan training gets its name because the few branches you grow each year spread out into a fan-like shape. It's a great way to protect damaged vines or varieties that naturally grow upright. It is similar to creating a low cordon, except you don't grow cordons at all and have to prune all the shoots each year.
- Build an arbor to grow vines as a decoration. An arbor is meant to be a yard decoration for people to walk through, but it is also a perfect place to grow vines. Space out the vines around the arbor, letting them grow until they reach the top. Then, select the healthiest canes positioned about apart from one another, growing them to fill in the remaining space. Keep up with regular pruning, preserving renewal spurs so the vines continue growing and flowering every year.[19]
- An arbor is like a trellis, but it's a little harder to maintain. If you don't prune the vines heavily every year, they overgrow, tangle up, and produce lower-quality grapes. Unlike with a regular trellis, you can't let the vines grow very far horizontally or else they get tangled.
- Another option is to build a pergola. It is similar to an arbor, except it is meant to be a structure for people to sit under.
- Both cane and spur pruning are training methods used commercially to produce quality grapes. Spur pruning preserves older vines, which produce fewer but more flavorful grapes.[20]
- Pruning is an important part of training vines. If you don't prune vines every year, the branches quickly overgrow and tangle.[21]
- Vines with fewer branches produce fewer but higher-quality grapes. The world's most expensive wines, for instance, come from vines trained to produce small batches of flavorful grapes.
EditThings You'll Need EditUsing Spur Pruning - Grape cane
- Trellis
- Pruning shears
- Gardening gloves
- Patch of soil
- Watering hose
- Binding twine
EditCutting Canes for Training - Grape cane
- Trellis
- Pruning shears
- Gardening gloves
- Patch of soil
- Watering hose
- Binding twine
EditReferences
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| How to Paint Furniture Shabby Chic Posted: 21 Jul 2019 09:00 AM PDT Inspired by rustic farmhouses and chic vintage pieces, the shabby chic style is a popular home decor trend. One way to accomplish it in your own home is with painted furniture. To paint a piece yourself, start by prepping the furniture by removing hardware and sanding it down. Then, if you want to distress it, try a technique that uses 2 different colors of paint. If you have wood furniture, consider whitewashing it for a worn look. Happy decorating! EditPreparing the Furniture for Painting - Move the furniture to a well-ventilated area if possible. Take the furniture outside or to a room with plenty of windows that can be opened. This will prevent you from breathing in dangerous fumes while you're painting.
- Have a friend help you move the furniture if it's too large or heavy for you to move alone.
- If you can't take it outside, put fans in the room where you're painting to help circulate the air.
- Cover the area underneath the furniture with a drop cloth. Lay a drop cloth under the piece of furniture to protect the floor or ground beneath it from spills or splatters. You can buy a drop cloth at a hardware store or from an online retailer.[1]
- If you don't have a drop cloth, use an old bed sheet, a plastic tarp, or a large trash bag.
- Remove any drawers or hardware. If you're painting something with drawers, like a dresser or end table, pull out the drawers and set them aside. Take off any hardware as well, like drawer pulls or knobs, using a screwdriver.[2]
- Take out the drawers even if you plan on painting them. You'll paint those separately.
- Sand the furniture with a medium-grit sandpaper to get rid of any gloss. Choose a sandpaper that's between 150 and 220 grit and run it all over the piece of furniture. Sanding the cabinets creates a rough surface that the paint can adhere to better.[3]
- Wear a mask and protective eyewear when sanding.
- Wipe the cabinets with a damp cloth after sanding, if necessary, to clean off any dust.
EditCreating Distressed Furniture with Paint - Paint a thin layer of your darker color all over the furniture. Take the darkest of your 2 paint colors and use a paintbrush to apply a very thin layer onto the furniture. Brush the paint so thin that you can still see some of the cracks or crevices of the original furniture underneath.[4]
- Use either latex or oil-based furniture paint.
- If you removed any drawers from your piece that you want painted, too, paint those now.
- Let the paint dry for 24 hours. Once you've covered the furniture in your base layer, leave it to dry overnight. It will dry fastest in a warm, dry area. After 24 hours, check that it's no longer tacky to the touch.[5]
- If you don't let it dry for long enough, your next layer will just smear the first layer instead of going on smoothly over top.
- Mix 2 parts of your lighter paint with 1 part water in a plastic container. Pour the paint and water into the container and use a wooden stir stick to blend them together. This dilutes the paint to make it more of a wash than a thick paint.[6]
- How much paint you need depends on the size of your furniture. For example, a tall bookcase will require more paint than a wall mirror.
- You can use a reusable plastic container, a paint bucket, or a paint tray to mix the paint and water.
- Paint the wash over the base layer with a foam brush. For this top coat, use a foam brush to apply the paint wash all over your piece of furniture. Keep the layer thin so it dries evenly and not streaky.[7]
- If you notice the paint bubbling when you brush it on, you used too much water. Add a little more paint to the mixture before continuing to apply it.
- You can use a foam roller instead of a foam brush if you'd prefer.
- Wipe some spots with a paper towel before the paint dries. In any areas that you want the furniture to look more worn, use a paper towel to wipe off some of the paint wash while it's still wet. This allows the darker layer to show through, giving it a vintage vibe.[8]
- You can wipe off as much or as little of the top layer as you'd like. The more you wipe off, the more distressed it will look.
- If you remove too much, simply brush it back on and blend it into the rest of the wash.
- Let the top layer dry for at least 24 hours. After you've wiped away any spots you want to, let the furniture sit overnight to dry. Check the paint can to find the exact drying time for your specific brand and type.[9]
- If you aren't sure how long your paint takes to dry, it's best to err on the side of caution and let it sit for longer rather than shorter than 24 hours.
- Sand the edges and corners of the furniture for an even more distressed look. Once your top layer of paint is completely dry, take a piece of fine-grit sandpaper, which is 180 to 220 grit, and run it over the edges and corners if you want more old-looking sections. Brush the sandpaper firmly over the areas you're distressing to remove some or all of the paint in that spot.[10]
- You can sand any section of the furniture as well, like the top or the fronts of the drawers.
- If you don't have sandpaper, you can use steel wool.
EditWhitewashing Wood Furniture - Mix 2 parts white latex paint with 1 part water in a paint tray. Pour the white latex paint and the water into the tray, then blend them together with a wooden stir stick. Combine them until thoroughly mixed.[11]
- Latex paint works best for whitewashing because it's water-based.
- You can use a paint bucket or plastic container instead of a paint tray if you'd like. However, the tray will be easiest for you to dip your roller in.
- Roll a thin layer of the paint wash onto your furniture. Once it's mixed, dip a small foam roller into the wash and use it to apply a layer all over your piece. Roll long, even strokes so the paint wash goes on evenly and doesn't clump up anywhere.[12]
- If there are any small spaces that your roller can't fit into, use a foam brush to paint them.
- Paint any drawers that you removed from the furniture, too.
- Wipe a sponge against the grain to remove some of the paint while it's wet. Before the paint dries, take a sponge and wipe it over the entire piece of furniture to create that streaky look. Run the sponge in the opposite direction of the grain to lift the paint.[13]
- To determine the direction of the grain, look at which way the rings or fibers in the wood are pointing. That's called with the grain.
- Let the paint dry for at least 24 hours. After you've wiped it down, leave the furniture overnight to dry. If you want to know the exact drying time for your specific paint brand and type, look on the back of the can.[14]
- Once it dries, decide if you're satisfied with the results. If the whitewashing is too thin, go back and add another layer.
EditThings You'll Need EditPreparing the Furniture for Painting - Drop cloth
- Medium-grit sandpaper
- Protective eyewear and mask
- Screwdriver (optional)
- Cloth (optional)
EditCreating Distressed Furniture with Paint - Paintbrush
- Foam brush
- Plastic container
- Wooden stir stick
- Water
- 2 different colors of furniture paint
- Paper towels
- Fine-grit sandpaper (optional)
EditWhitewashing Wood Furniture - Latex paint
- Paint tray
- Water
- Wooden stir stick
- Foam roller
- Sponge
EditReferences
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| How to Get Glitter out of Your Hair Posted: 21 Jul 2019 01:00 AM PDT Glitter hair and glitter roots are super popular looks right now, but it can be hard to get all that glitter out once you're ready to go to sleep! You can use an oil mask to loosen up the glitter and then wash it out with shampoo, or you could try blotting the glitter away with a paper towel saturated with hairspray. When you first apply the glitter, use a small amount of oil on your hairline before putting the glitter on—this will make it a bit easier to remove at the end of the night. EditRemoving Glitter with Oil and Shampoo - Shake your hair out as thoroughly as possible while you're outside. Flip your hair upside down so the glitter doesn't get all over your clothes. If you can, run your fingers through your hair and gently shake it out.[1]
- Be gentle when doing this. You don't want to accidentally rub the glitter into your scalp and risk irritating your skin.
- Apply a natural oil to your hair from roots to tips. Use either olive oil or coconut oil and work it through your dry hair until it is completely covered. As you do this, you may notice glitter starting to come off on your hands—that's totally okay! Just keep working and ignore your hands for now. You'll wash them later.[2]
- Baby oil also works well for this process.
- Massage the oil into your hair for 2 to 3 minutes. Use your fingers to really work that oil into the parts of your hair that are most saturated with glitter. Whether it's your scalp or the tips of your hair, gently massage the areas to loosen the glitter as much as possible.[3]
- Once you're done, wash your hands with gentle soap and warm water to get the oil and glitter off of your hands.
- Let your hair soak in the oil for 10 to 15 minutes. The oil will loosen the glitter and get between it and your hair. Avoid setting your head against furniture or pillows so that the oil doesn't stain the fabric. If you want, clip your hair up on top of your head so that it doesn't get on your clothes.[4]
- Don't brush your hair out yet. You may be tempted to work the oil through your hair with a brush, but doing so will just make the brush oily and glittery.
- Shampoo your hair as normal to remove the glitter. After the 10 minutes are up, use your normal shampoo and warm water to wash your hair. Avoid using cold water, as it will make it harder to wash all the oil out of your hair. Make sure to really spend a few minutes massaging your scalp and thoroughly rinsing out the shampoo to make sure all the glitter is gone.[5]
- If it feels like your hair is still oily after the shampoo has been rinsed out, wash your hair a second time.
EditBlotting Glitter with Hairspray - Spray a paper towel with hairspray until it is saturated. It doesn't matter what kind of hairspray you use for this glitter-removing process. What matters the most is that you really saturate the power towel so that it's damp and completely covered.[6]
- If you're sensitive to the smell of hairspray, try doing this outside or in a well-ventilated space.
- Blot your scalp with the paper towel to remove glitter. Work along your part line and focus on the sections that have the most build-up. Use an up-and-down motion rather than a back-and-forth rubbing motion.[7]
- Because the glitter might fall off of the paper towel at some point, try to do this while standing in the shower or over a towel so that the excess glitter doesn't get all over your home.
- If the paper towel is covered with glitter and there are no more clean areas available, go ahead and prepare a new paper towel.
- Pat the strands of your hair with the paper towel to dislodge more glitter. Once you've dislodged most of the glitter from your scalp, go ahead and start working on the rest of your hair. Take the hairspray-soaked paper towel and wrap it around sections of your hair to blot up more glitter.[8]
- Work in sections so that you do the most thorough job possible.
- Repeat the process until the paper towel is coming away clean. This may take 10 to 15 minutes, but it'll really help to dislodge a lot of glitter and make the clean-up process that much easier.[9]
- Shower to remove any glitter that remains behind. Showering will remove whatever glitter is still on your hair, plus it'll get rid of the hairspray residue. Make sure to massage the shampoo into your scalp really well and thoroughly rinse away all the suds.[10]
- Glitter and hairspray have the potential to really dry out your hair, so make sure to condition your locks. You could even apply a hydrating hair mask to give your hair some extra TLC.
EditApplying Easy-to-Remove Glitter - Style your hair before applying any glitter to make sure it's visible. Instead of putting glitter all over your hair first, get your locks into the look you prefer, whether that's a straight down-the-middle part, beautiful braids, or space buns.[11]
- If you were to put glitter all over your hair and then pull it back, most of the glitter wouldn't be visible. This is why it's a great idea to style your hair first, then put on glitter.
- Spray a light coat of hairspray to create a barrier between your hair and the glitter. The hairspray will also help keep your hair in place. At the end of the day, it'll make it a little easier to remove.[12]
- All you need for this part of the process is a light dusting of hairspray. You'll be able to add more later once the glitter is in place to really lock in your style.
- Apply some oil to your roots before putting on the glitter. Use a clean makeup brush to evenly spread a really thin layer of coconut oil or olive oil along your roots. The oil will help the glitter stick in place, plus it'll make it easier to wash off later.[13]
- Avoid using oil over your entire head of hair. It could make it look greasy and ruin the look you're going for.
- Shake, spread, and disperse the glitter over the oil to create your look. There are tons of different kinds of glitter to choose from, from fine glitter to chunky glitter to myriads of colors. Use the glitter as a fine dusting or really pile it on for a glamorous effect.[14]
- Some hair glitters come in a gel form already. If that's the case, you don't need to worry about putting oil on your roots.
- You can also use tape or a lint roller to remove excess glitter from your hair. Just be careful—your hair could get tangled in the tape.
- If you really need all the glitter out of your hair ASAP, consider booking a wash at a Salon. They'll be able to wash, rinse, and repeat until all the glitter is gone.
EditThings You'll Need EditRemoving Glitter with Oil and Shampoo - Coconut or olive oil
- Shampoo
EditBlotting Glitter with Hairspray - Paper towels
- Hairspray
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
EditApplying Easy-to-Remove Glitter - Hairspray
- Coconut or olive oil
- Clean makeup brush
- Glitter
EditReferences
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