Helios grapes

The dream of every grower is an unpretentious variety with large berries, beautiful bunches and excellent taste. Before everyone, sooner or later, the question of choice arises: white or blue, early or late, covering or winter-hardy. Unfortunately, there are rarely grape varieties that have only advantages - at least with one drawback, but you have to put up with it. Of the high-quality and popular varieties, Helios can be distinguished. Strengths of this grape: yield, large size of bunches and berries, delicate nutmeg taste of fruits, resistance to various diseases. Helios also has a small minus: the variety is quite capricious, it needs good care and nutritious soil.

Below is a description of the Helios grape variety, with photos and reviews of experienced gardeners. Here you can also find recommendations for planting and caring for the vine, learn about the strengths and weaknesses of the variety in more detail.

Hybrid characteristics

Helios is the brainchild of an amateur breeder Krainov, who owns the authorship of many varieties and hybrids popular in the country. In fact, Helios is a hybrid, its “parents” are Arcadia and Nakhodka raisins.

Helios is a pink table-type grape with an early ripening period. Recommended for growing in regions with a mild climate - the southern part of the continent from Moldova to the Caucasus. In temperate climates, Helios also shows itself well, but for the winter, the vine must be covered.

Description of Helios grapes:

• for full ripening, Helios needs 110-115 days - usually ripe berries can be harvested at the beginning of August (by autumn, the fruits gain even more sugar and become tastier, so you can not rush to harvest);
• hybrid bushes are distinguished by their high height and high growth rate, therefore Helios is suitable for decorating hedges and gazebos;
• shoots are colored golden brown, internodes are red;
• leaves are large, dark green, heavily indented;
• the flowers of Helios are bisexual (hermaphrodite);
• pollination of grapes goes well even in bad weather conditions;
• the Helios variety is distinguished by a high level of ripening of shoots, good rooting of cuttings, compatibility with different rootstocks;
• the clusters of Pink Arcadia are large, in the form of a cone or a conical cylinder;
• the average weight of one bunch is 600-900 grams (bunches weighing 1.5 kg and more are often found);
• clusters of medium density, not prone to pea berries;
• the berries are large, weighing about 13-15 grams;
• the shape of the fruit is oval, the skin is colored in a light red shade;
• the skin on the berries is dense, not prone to cracking, it is easily chewed during meals;
• one or two seeds are present in the pulp of grapes;
• the structure of the pulp is fleshy, dense, juicy;
• the taste of Helios is nutmeg, sweet, with pleasant fruity and floral notes;
• the yield of the Helios variety is high, it increases even more with frequent feeding and proper care;
• the harvested crop is suitable for long-term storage and transportation over long distances;
• the frost resistance of the hybrid is average - without shelter, the vine can withstand a temperature drop of up to -23-24 degrees;
• Helios has good immunity, this grape rarely suffers from oidium, phylloxera, mildew, is not susceptible to various rot;
• a big plus of the variety is its resistance to wasps - insects cannot damage the dense peel of sweet berries;
• this hybrid of grapes is quite whimsical and needs good nutrition, constant care.

You can use the harvest of Helios in different ways: eat large fresh berries, make rose wine from grapes, various juices, compotes or jams. The sugar content in fruits is high; its amount depends on the light and temperature during the ripening period.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Helios grape variety is very popular with private gardeners and summer residents. This hybrid is also chosen by large farmers who grow grapes for sale or for processing. Such popularity is quite justified, because Arcadia Pink has a lot of advantages:

• high productivity;
• early maturation;
• excellent taste and high sugar content of berries;
• aversion to peas, cracking and attacks of wasps;
• immunity to the most common and dangerous diseases of grapes;
• good frost resistance;
• high commercial qualities (appearance, suitability for storage and transportation);
• ease of reproduction and cultivation.

The grower must remember that Helios is a very capricious variety. Any errors in the care and cultivation of these grapes will surely "notice" and respond with a decrease in yield, deterioration in the quality and taste of berries, and poor condition of the vine.

Planting a capricious hybrid

It is imperative to plant Helios in the right place. It should be a well-lit area with natural protection from the north wind in the form of a house wall, outbuilding, hedge or gazebo. Due to the strong growth and branching of the shoots, the Helios grapes will be an excellent decoration for the garden or local area. The soil at the planting site should be fertile, loose, good moisture and air permeability.

It is equally important to choose high-quality planting material. Helios cuttings should be strong and healthy, with a well-developed root system without traces of damage or infection.

Before planting, grape cuttings should be prepared:

1. Rejuvenate the root system of cuttings by cutting their roots by about 10 cm.
2. Choose the longest and strongest shoot (if there are several of them on the seedling), cut out the rest of the shoots.
3. Prune the remaining main vine shoot to the fourth to fifth bud.
4. A day before planting, place the grape root system in water or in a growth stimulator.

The time for planting Helios grapes can be chosen both in spring and autumn. If the planting is in autumn, you will definitely need to cover the seedling for the winter to prevent it from freezing.

It is advisable to prepare pits for planting grapes in advance (optimally, six months before planting cuttings). The distance between neighboring Helios bushes should be about 2.5-3 meters, since the variety is vigorous and spreading. The dimensions of the landing pit are slightly larger than the standard ones: 80x80x80 cm.

During the planting process, it is very important to properly distribute the soil layers. The top layer (about half) is removed from the pit and mixed with fertilizers: superphosphate, potassium salt, humus or compost. After that, the fertilized soil is placed on the bottom of the pit (a layer of about 35 cm in height should form) and a grape stalk is placed on it.

The roots of the grapes are gently spread, making sure that they are not directed upwards. Then the root system of Helios is sprinkled with soil from the second, lower, layer of soil. The land near the grapes is well compacted.

Water the grapes after planting regularly, pouring about 25 liters of water for every square meter of soil.Before watering, the soil must be loosened or covered with mulching material.

Competent care

As already mentioned, the care for the Helios grape variety needs competent and correct - this hybrid does not forgive mistakes. In principle, the stages of leaving are the same as usual, but here it is important to follow the instructions and do everything in a timely manner.

Helios grapes need the following:

1. To water pink-fruited grapes need to be very careful. For Helios, both the lack of moisture and its excess are equally dangerous. In early spring, the vine needs to be watered as soon as the thermometer lingers above zero. At subzero temperatures, the grapes are not watered, as this may freeze their roots. The second time Helios is watered immediately after the spring pruning, you need to pour about 30 liters per square meter. Before and after flowering, at the stage of berry formation, the vine is watered several more times. The last watering should take place before wintering, then the amount of water is increased to 50 l / m²... It is important to understand that artificial irrigation is only necessary during periods of drought when there is not enough natural rainfall.
   
2. To retain moisture at the roots, to protect the root system of grapes from overheating, it is recommended use mulch... Dry foliage, straw, grass cuttings, sawdust, humus or peat are poured in a thick layer (about 5 cm) around the vine.
3. The high-yielding Helios grapes need quality pruning and rationing, otherwise, its shoots may break, and the berries will become smaller. It is necessary to prune in early spring, until the sap flow in the vine begins. Each shoot should be shortened to a maximum of seven eyes. On each adult bush, in total, there should be 35-40 buds.
   
4. Top dressing for Helios should be regular and abundant enough. At least once a year, mineral fertilizers should be applied to the soil. Organic matter is usually added once every three years. The optimal feeding regime is as follows: ammonium nitrate in early spring, before flowering and after flowering - superphosphate and potassium salt, in the intervals - watering with the addition of organic matter (slurry, bird droppings, wood ash).
5. Disease and pest control should be reduced to prevention, especially since Helios is not susceptible to infection. Effective treatment of the vines before and after flowering with fungicidal agents, such as Bordeaux liquid, for example. Wasps are rarely tempted by Helios berries, but if this happens, you can place the clusters in special protective nets.
6. In regions with harsh or snowless winters, grapes need to be covered. Usually, each bush is divided in half, the vine is tied and laid on the ground, previously covered with agrofibre. Each half of the bush must be pinned to the ground. Metal arcs are installed over the grape shoots, which must be covered with a film. You can also use the ground for cover, but this method is more suitable for regions with snowy winters.
   

If everything is done correctly, the clusters of Helios will grow the same as in the photo. The growers' reviews of this variety are mostly positive, so there should be no problems with the pink hybrid.

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Conclusion

The pink Helios grape is perfect for winegrowers from the southern regions with a mild climate and relatively cold winters. Probably, you should not start this variety for those who are just starting to grow wine berries, and for those who do not have time to take care of the vineyard.Otherwise, the Pink Arcadia hybrid is very good: the yield is high, it rarely gets sick, and bears fruit in large and beautiful bunches.

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