Content
Among the new table varieties, variegated grapes are gaining increasing popularity. Description of the variety of photos and reviews from the best side characterize this hybrid form, obtained by a famous Russian breeder during amateur crossing of two famous species.
A valuable quality that allows expanding the geography of growing Variegated grapes is its early ripening. The crop can be harvested as early as three and a half months after the first leaves appear.
Variety characteristic
The Variegated Grape successfully combined the best characteristics of the parent varieties. The bushes are self-pollinated, giving excellent fruiting. They wake up from early spring, as soon as the ambient temperature rises to 10 degrees Celsius. With the onset of sap flow, grape buds swell and leaves appear.
With further warming, flower ovaries and fruit clusters begin to form. However, despite its high frost resistance, the Variegated grape reacts noticeably to spring cold snaps - it can slow down or even completely stop its development.
The hybrid variety Variegated produces large conical clusters, sometimes supplemented by another wing. Large fleshy berries differ:
- oval shape;
- juicy, crispy pulp;
- bright nutmeg taste;
- pink with a touch of violet color;
- high sugar content - up to 25-26%;
- a good tasting score - up to 8.8 points.
Growing features
Description of the variety and photo of the Variegated grape indicate that it is unpretentious in care, but it has some features that should be taken into account when growing it:
- it is better to plant variegated bushes on the south side, where they will receive more sun;
- in shaded areas, a delay in the development of grapes is possible, up to the absence of fruits;
- the place should not be strongly ventilated, since the vine does not like drafts;
- plants will feel comfortable not far from the fence or wall, which, heating up during the day, will give off heat at night;
- next to the variegated grape bush, props must be installed in advance;
- so that each branch receives enough light and heat, you need to periodically thin out the bushes with pruning.
The variegated grape variety grows well on all types of soil, including rocky soils. It develops excellently on sandstones. On fertile chernozem, the fibrous root system branches close to the soil surface, since there is no need to search for food and water in deep layers.
Preparing for landing
Seedlings of the Variegated variety can be planted in the beds at any time from spring to autumn:
- an annual seedling with a lignified stem takes root well from April to the end of spring;
- the best time for rooting young green stepchildren is summer;
- autumn rooting of Variegated grapes is also possible, but requires careful preparation of the seedling for wintering.
For autumn plantings of Variegated grapes, the soil around the plant should be tightly covered with peat or sawdust. Many gardeners use spruce branches as a covering material.
A careful examination of the varietal cuttings will help to select the healthiest and strongest ones. They can be distinguished by some features:
- on the white inner flesh on the cut - brown color is a sign of the disease;
- the cut of an annual seedling is distinguished by a bright green color;
- on a healthy grape cuttings the buds are fresh and do not fall off.
Germination of roots
After the cuttings are selected for planting, they must be prepared for it. Two internodes are left on the cuttings: one is 1.5 cm above the lower end, and the second is 2 cm below the upper end.Motley grape cuttings, as advised by reviews, are placed in a growth stimulator for a day, it can be replaced by a solution of honey in water. Then the slices should lie in a cold room for up to a month. They are preliminarily lubricated with garden varnish so that pathogenic microflora does not settle inside the stem. Next, grape seedlings are planted in containers with fertile soil for the development of the root system.
Planting seedlings
At the same time, work is underway to prepare holes for planting grapes:
- a month before planting, dig holes 0.8x0.8 m in size;
- the bottom of the holes is laid out with a mixture of humus and compost;
- a layer of fertilizers and ash is placed on top of the substrate, which is covered with earth up to 2/3 of the volume of the hole;
- in this form, pits should be left for a month so that the soil is saturated with useful microelements;
- a month later, ready-made seedlings of the Variegated variety are planted in holes;
- for watering, a plastic pipe is installed next to the bush, protruding 15-20 cm above the surface;
- when planting grapes, the roots of the seedlings must be carefully straightened and covered with earth, carefully compacting it;
- tamp the trunk circle well and pour abundantly with warm water.
Grape care
To obtain high and stable yields for the Variegated grape variety, you need to take proper care of it - water it on time, prune it and protect it from disease.
Pruning vines
The pruning procedure not only shapes the shape and volume of the vines, it provides:
- increasing the yield of the variety;
- faster ripening of berries;
- better illumination of the bushes;
- removal of sick and old shoots;
- disease prevention;
- increasing the resistance of grapes to frost.
Pruning of Variegated grapes can be started when the winter frosts leave and the air temperature approaches zero degrees:
- starting from the top of the bush, all weak or frozen branches are gradually removed;
- pruning depends on the thickness of the grape shoots - the thicker it is, the greater the length is removed;
- you need to trim the bushes evenly from all sides;
- in summer, pruning grapes helps to reduce the number of unnecessary shoots, remove excess leaves and improve the access of light to the shoots, creating favorable conditions for the ripening of berries;
- pinching stimulates the growth of new buds and branching of shoots, it is carried out, according to the video, a week before the flowering of the Variegated grapes;
- too many bunches will lead to crushing of the berries, so some of them break off at the beginning of flowering.
Watering bushes
The correct organization of watering has a beneficial effect on the yield of the vine. One of the most common mistakes is watering the bushes with cold water from the mains. It won't do any good. Plants should be watered only with settled water and in the evening. Spring irrigation of grape bushes should be carried out before bud break. Watering with warm water will speed up this process.
During the growing season, the frequency and intensity of watering depends on the weather conditions and the condition of the bushes. It is especially useful to carry it out at the same time as feeding. Before wintering, the variegated grape variety must be watered abundantly, otherwise the cold will penetrate deep into the dry, porous soil. As a result, some of the roots of the grapes die. Watering will not allow deep freezing of the soil, but it will provide a supply of water for the future growing season. but autumn watering of grapes necessary only in dry autumn.
Top dressing of grapes
If, during planting, all the necessary fertilizers were applied to the holes, they will ensure the effective growth and development of the Variegated grape variety during the first 3-4 years. However, over time, the land is depleted and it becomes necessary to regularly feed the vines, and its composition is determined by the growing season:
- nitrogen increases the volume of green mass, it must be applied mainly in the spring;
- phosphorus compounds will bring most benefits to grapes Variegated at the beginning of flowering and ovary formation;
- potassium salts contribute to the accelerated ripening of berries, they are brought in at the end of summer and in autumn - to prepare the grapes for winter.
You need to feed the bushes not only with mineral fertilizers. To stimulate beneficial soil microflora, fertilizing with manure or compost is necessary. They improve the air permeability of the soil, and when decomposed, they provide the necessary minerals. Top dressing of variegated grapes should be carried out:
- early spring before opening the vine;
- 15 days before flowering bushes;
- after the end of the flowering time, before the beginning of the ripening period;
- after harvest, to increase the winter hardiness of the variety.
Disease prevention
Despite the resistance of the Varietal grape variety to typical diseases and pests, their probability cannot be completely ruled out. The most common ones are:
- grape or bunchy leafworm, which hibernates at the base of the roots, and with the arrival of spring feeds on young tender leaves;
- a spider mite that sucks juice from leaves and causes them to fall off;
- a grape mite, the appearance of which stops the development of Variegated grapes;
- bacterial diseases destroying the vineyard;
- fungal diseases.
Preventive treatments for Variegated grapes, as the reviews recommend, should be carried out regularly:
- in spring, before bud break - with a solution of copper sulfate;
- after the appearance of the first leaves - one more time;
- before flowering - colloidal sulfur;
- in the summer - several times with antifungal agents and a solution of potassium permanganate;
- in the fall, after pruning - with a solution of ferrous sulfate.
Reviews of summer residents
Novice and experienced winegrowers confirm the positive characteristics of the Varietal variety.
Of the many early ripening varieties, the Variegated grape stands out for its excellent characteristics, thanks to which it attracts more and more attention of gardeners.
