Content
Every year in August, beautiful almost black grapes, collected in large clusters, appear on the markets of Russian cities. This is the Codrianka grape, one of the best varieties. It is not at all necessary to buy it on the market. This moldavian variety grows well in central Russia and Belarus, not to mention the southern regions. Of all the fruit grapes, it is distinguished by its special benefits, diverse application and dessert taste. Therefore, varieties that can grow not only in the south, but also in the northern regions are so valuable.
A hybrid grape variety Codreanka appeared in Moldova, a country where grapes are one of the main industrial crops. Parents - varieties Marshal and Moldova. Another name for the variety is Black Magic. He received it for the combination of many wonderful qualities.
Description of the grape variety Codryanka
- Ripening period is very early. From bud break to collection of the first brushes, it takes only 110 to 120 days. These terms depend on the load of the vine with the harvest. The larger it is, the later the berries will ripen. By rationing the crop, you can achieve very early ripening.
- The perennial vine of the Kodryanka variety has great vigor. It ripens completely, so it does not need a pinch in the fall to ripen the shoots.
- Grapes of this variety begin to bear fruit in the second year.
- Bushes are prone to crop overload, so the number of brushes should be normalized.
- The Codryanka grape has a bisexual flower. Despite this, pollination does not always take place completely. Therefore, some of the berries remain underdeveloped, that is, the variety has a tendency to pea. Non-pollinated berries are seedless and have a sweeter taste. It is easy to fight peas if, during flowering, you spray the brushes with the phytohormone gibberellin, designed specifically for grapes. It is necessary to spray at the stage when half of the flowers have blossomed at a temperature not lower than plus 15 and not higher than plus 26 degrees.
- Kodryanka's brushes are large, on average 0.5 kg, but with proper care, they can be heavier than 1 kg. They are not very dense, they stick well to bushes.
- The variety has good frost resistance, is not damaged by frosts less than -22 degrees, therefore, in places with high snow cover, it does not need shelter for the winter. A feature of Codrianka grapes is good resistance to spring frosts, which is a rarity for this culture.
- Quite good resistance to the main diseases of grapes - up to 3 points to both oidimus and mildew.
- In terms of taste, it belongs to table varieties.
- Characteristics of berries: large - from 6 to 8 g, elongated, beautiful dark purple, almost black when fully ripe. Hence the second name - Black Magic. The taste is simple, without nutmeg notes, but very pleasant. Tasting assessment of berries - 9.1 points out of 10. Very high score! The peel of the berries is quite dense, but completely eaten; a prune bloom is clearly visible on it, giving the berries a bluish tint. The seeds inside the berry are quite large, but there are only 2 of them, they are easily separated from the pulp. The berries hold well on the stalk, therefore they are not prone to shedding and are perfectly transported. Berries begin to accumulate sugar early, so even not fully ripe berries have a good taste. If left on the bush until fully ripe, they will accumulate about 16% sugar. This is not a very high indicator, but the taste is balanced by a low acid content - up to 7 g / l. In unfavorable years, the berries can crack.
The description of the Kodryanka variety would be incomplete, if not to say about its extraordinary unpretentiousness.It is capable of producing good yields even on poor and stony soils. Moreover, the taste of berries improves under such conditions.
In the photo the grapes are Codryanka.
More details about the varietal characteristics of this grape can be seen in the video:
In order for a grape variety to reach its full potential, it needs to be cared for properly. A detailed description of the care of the Codreanca grapes.
Reproduction
To get the first harvest faster, it is better to plant annual seedlings, but propagation by cuttings is quite possible. Treated with stimulants of root formation, they take root well.
A cutting is planted with a slope to the north. The soil around it is mulched.
The seedlings are planted in pits filled with fertile soil mixed with humus with the addition of superphosphate and potassium salt, each fertilizer is about 300 g. Drainage at the bottom of the pit must be mandatory.
The planted plant must be watered well, at least 2 buckets per bush. The grapes are planted before the start of sap flow, that is, before bud break. For the first weeks, the planted bush should be watered regularly.
Watering and feeding
In spring, the shoots grow vigorously in the grapes. For the development of leaf mass, plants need fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen. During flowering, grapes need more nitrogen and potassium, and 2 weeks before technical ripeness, they are fed with a mixture of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
Watering is a must in the vineyard. In order for the bushes to bear fruit well, it is impossible to allow the topsoil to completely dry out. The watering rate for an adult bush is up to 6 buckets of water.
Shaping and pruning
Without this operation, a good harvest cannot be obtained. In the first 2-3 years of life, Codryanka bushes are not cut off. In autumn, you can only remove annual shoots that do not have time to ripen. In the future, pruning of grapes is carried out according to the selected scheme, taking into account that for Codryanka you need to leave from 7 to 9 eyes.
Summer shaping consists of removing unnecessary stepsons and pinching off shoots. Consider the individual characteristics of each bush and its crop load.
Winter shelter
Leaving Codryanka for the winter without shelter is possible only in regions with warm winters. In all other cases, the grapes will have to be covered. Some growers simply sprinkle the soil on the vines dropped to the soil. But with this method of shelter, there is a danger of damaging the shoots by rodents and damping them out. This is especially dangerous if the grapes are planted where melt water accumulates in spring. You can arrange a dry-air shelter from pine spruce branches, reed or straw mats. If the frosts are severe, and the snow cover is low, you will have to cover the grapes more thoroughly for the winter. It will not be superfluous to throw additional plastic wrap over the main shelter.
Practice shows that often the reason for the death of grapes in winter is not frost, but damping. Therefore, there should be no dampness under the shelter.
Insulate the roots of the grapes with a layer of earth. You need to take it not next to the bushes, but bring it from other beds where there were no diseased plants.
If the Codreanca grapes are planted correctly and properly tended, the harvest of tasty and healthy berries will not keep you waiting.
An excellent article, reflecting all the features of the variety and specific tips for growing Codryanka! Respekt to the authors of this review!