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Those who are fond of viticulture try to find the most the best grape varieties... This is easy and challenging to do. It's all about the huge variety of varieties of this culture. Among them there are varieties bred by professional breeders and amateur breeders. The last group includes Blagovest grapes. It has a number of outstanding characteristics, so it will be of interest to many gardeners. Here will be given a description of the Blagovest grape variety, its photo and reviews of winegrowers about it.
Description
Blagovest is a hybrid form from the Russian lover of this culture VN Krainov, the author of many wonderful grapes. Parental forms - varieties Talisman and Radiant Kishmsh. It is a table variety with an early (115 days) or mid-early ripening period. Ripens approximately in mid-August.
Description of Blagovest grapes with a photo:
- vigorous bush;
- flowers are bisexual;
- brush from large to very large, its shape is cylindrical or elongated-conical;
- the average weight of a bunch is 0.8-1.2 kg, some specimens can weigh 2-3 kg;
- the density of the brushes is different - from very dense to loose;
- very large berries, oval or oval-nipple-shaped, the weight of 1 berry is 12-15 g;
- the skin is quite dense, but eaten, in ripe berries from milky green to yellow-green, amber with a tan on the side facing the sun;
- the pulp is dense, juicy, fleshy;
- the seeds are small.
The taste of the Blagovest grape variety, as noted by its owners, is light nutmeg, with notes of duchess. It manifests itself most vividly some time after the full maturation of the brushes. Ripe bunches of Blagovest can hang on the bush for a long time, the berries do not crack and remain just as attractive and tasty.
Advantages and disadvantages
The description of the Blagovest grape variety also indicates its inherent positive characteristics:
- The vine of this grape ripens perfectly, the cuttings root well.
- The flowers are well pollinated, so there are practically no peas.
- Blagovest has increased resistance to mildew, mildew and mildew diseases - 3.5-4.0 points.
- Frost resistance - above average (up to - 22 ° С), in regions where there is a sharp or prolonged drop in temperatures below this level in winter, grape bushes require shelter.
- There is a good accumulation of sugar in the berries. Wasp damage was not observed.
- The bunches grow large, of excellent presentation. They tolerate transportation well, keep in the refrigerator for a long time, so Blagovest grapes can be grown for sale.
Disadvantages of this hybrid form: the brush may contain incompletely ripe or slightly different taste from all other berries, as well as the fact that the bush does not like overload, which is why it requires rationing.
Features of the
Blagovest grapes differ in that the ripening time of its brushes may depend on the method of cultivation, for example, on the load that the gardener decided to give to the bush. Therefore, the Blagovest can be early, mid-early, or even mid-term.
In the first 2 years of his life, all inflorescences should be cut off and 1-2 signal brushes should be left.
An adult bush should not be overloaded either.On such a plant, the size of the berries can differ from the typical one by half, the harvest will ripen later, the sweetness of the pulp will decrease, and the nutmeg flavor will be lost. Even one season with excessive stress can adversely affect the bush, and it will spend the next several years recuperating. The yield of Blagovest grapes is more than 6 kg per bush, which is considered a good indicator. Fruiting is stable.
Landing
It is permissible to plant young Blagovest bushes both in early spring and in the autumn, since it tolerates minor changes in temperature well. Suitable for planting are seedlings with lignified shoots and developed roots. Before planting, it is necessary to shorten the roots and shoot somewhat, leaving 2-3 eyes. If a grape seedling is more developed and there are 2 or more shoots on it, then the strongest should be left, the rest should be cut out. Dip the roots in a mash made of clay and mullein.
Planting pits for Blagovest grapes should be approximately 0.8 m in length, width and depth. At the bottom, you need to pour the mixture from the soil, which was formed during digging, 2-3 buckets of humus, ash and superphosphate (about 0.3 kg). The height of this layer should be half the depth of the pit. Then you need to put a seedling in it and sprinkle it first with the same mixture, and on top with ordinary soil and compact it. You should not completely fill up the hole so that the water does not spread during watering. After planting, the grapes need to be watered and a layer of mulch made from straw, hay, not rotted wood leaf, sawdust should be placed on the soil, or covered with a dark film or black agrofibre. If you plan to plant several bushes, then they need to be placed at least 1.5-2 m from each other.
Near each Blagovest grape bush, you need to put a solid support on which it will lean. The simplest trellis design is 2 wooden or metal pillars dug in on the sides of the bush and with a wire stretched between them in several rows. You need to tie the vine to them as it forms, giving it the right direction. You can also use other structures made of metal or wood, or plant grapes near buildings, arbors, fences. In such places, it will not only grow well, but also serve as a green decoration.
Growing
You need to water the young Blagovest bushes regularly, especially in the summer heat, until they take root. The approximate frequency of watering is once every 2 weeks, but you need to be guided by the weather. It is better to pour water not at the root, but in several holes, which need to be dug at a distance of 0.5 m from the bush or into plastic bottles or pipe sections installed in these places.
Adult bushes of Blagovest also need to be watered, especially in dry seasons:
- The first watering should be carried out even before the leaves bloom, if the winter was with little snow.
- The second is 2-3 weeks before flowering.
- Carry out the third watering when the berries become the size of a pea.
- The fourth - 3 weeks before the grapes ripen.
- The last watering - moisture charging - must be done after the fall of leaves, if the autumn is dry. If it rains, it is not carried out.
Grapes need a lot of moisture, so you need to pour at least 5-7 buckets of water under each bush.
It is necessary to fertilize the grapes correctly, since its yield depends on what kind of nutrition the plant receives. It is necessary to feed the bushes, starting from the second season, no more than 3 times during the growing season with an interval of a month. Carry out the first top dressing before flowering. It is recommended to use mineral fertilizers. Apply organics once every 2-3 years, 1-1.5 buckets per 1 bush.
You need to prune Blagovest grapes in the fall, around mid-October, after the leaves fall. Spring pruning is less preferable.On each strong adult bush, no more than 25-30 young shoots should be left - this will distribute the load most successfully. Cut the shoots into 8-9 eyes. Pruning can be used to cut cuttings suitable for further propagation. They need to be prepared and lowered for storage in the basement, and in the spring they should be planted in a prepared area. This hybrid form shows good compatibility with rootstocks, so cuttings obtained from shrubs can be grafted onto other varieties.
You need to harvest the Blagovest as it ripens. It is best to cut off ripe bunches with pruning shears, and not pick them off with your hands. So they will retain their appearance, density, the berries will remain intact, they will not be crumpled. Such grapes can be stored longer and better if they are not supposed to be eaten right away or sold. Store the bunches in a dark and cool place.
For the winter, young Blagovest bushes need to be reliably covered. To do this, they need to be tied, put on boards or slate, previously laid on the ground, low arcs made of thick metal wire or wooden rods should be placed on top, covered with burlap, film, tar paper and a little sprinkled with earth. Leave several holes in the covering material for air circulation. In the spring, as soon as the weather is warm enough, the covering material must be removed and the vine again tied to the trellis. It is impossible to be late with this operation, as the grape buds can die from the high temperature and humidity inside the shelter. Mature bushes of this grape do not need shelter for the winter.
Testimonials and videos
Conclusion
The hybrid form of Blagovest grapes can be advised for those gardeners who love light table varieties of early ripening. She has practically no flaws, therefore, subject to all the rules of agricultural technology, any gardener can get a generous harvest of delicious grape berries.
