Winegrowers always expect the most comfortable variety from breeders - fruitful, beautiful, tasty, unpretentious. With such a plant, all costs are repaid many times over. To plant a bush on the site that meets these requirements, opt for Shakhtar grapes. In some areas it is known as "Aphrodite's Gift" or T-6-13. This is a Moldovan variety that has an amazing rich taste, high yield and bears fruit well in the regions of the middle lane. The appearance of the variety is shown in an introductory video:
How to properly grow the popular Shakhtar grapes, will tell you the description of the variety and the photo of the plant.
Main characteristics
It should be noted right away that even minimal care of Shakhtar's grape bushes leads to an increase in yield. Of course, you shouldn't leave the grapes completely unattended. But if it is not possible to be often present on the site, then the variety will still give a decent harvest. In order to navigate the quality indicators of Shakhtar grapes, we will list the main characteristics.
Purpose - table grapes.
This means that it is consumed fresh. Table grape varieties react to soil fertility, climatic conditions, and the quality of care. However, they are the most popular among summer residents.
Shakhtar grapes ripening period is medium late. 135 days after the start of the growing season, you can feast on beautiful berries. Late ripening varieties are less susceptible to diseases, are better stored, and have a rich taste.
Shakhtar's bush is powerful, vigorous. The vine reaches a thickness of 3 cm, ripens perfectly. Forms well on gazebos. It gives up to 80% of fruitful shoots, the fruiting coefficient of the variety is 1.7-1.8. The cuttings take root easily; the Shakhtar variety has an excellent regenerative ability.
The trunks are cylindro-conical, the mass of one reaches 1.2 kg or more. The size of the bunch is large. Although under unfavorable growing conditions, the size can decrease simultaneously with the mass. Depending on the strength of the bush and the quality of pollination, the bunches of the varieties have a high density or medium.
The main advantage of Shakhtar grapes, according to consumers, is berries. They are very beautiful dark blue (almost black) in color. The mass of one berry is about 10 g. The grapes are regular round or slightly oval, large up to 24 mm in diameter. When ripe, the grapes taste like ripe cherries, while unripe berries have a tart thorny flavor. The pulp is juicy and fleshy. Berries with good sugar content (18 g per 100 cm3). The skin is quite dense, but it saves the crop from the encroachment of wasps and protects the berries during transportation.
Shakhtar's storage capacity is average. The berries are stored for a rather short time, but this is already very good for a table variety.
The grape disease resistance is classified as good. Variety "Shakhtar" is almost not affected by gray rot and powdery mildew, and has strong immunity against mildew.
Frost resistance. It hibernates normally without shelter when the temperature drops to -26 ° C. If the vine is slightly frozen, then recovery occurs quickly.
The formation of a grape bush is carried out using an average pruning of 6-8 eyes.
The only drawback of Shakhtar, which is noted by the growers, is the short shelf life of the grapes on the vine. For this reason, you have to immediately harvest the crop without leaving it on the vines.
In the description of the Shakhtar grape variety, such worthy characteristics should be noted:
- The plant needs pollinators due to the presence of female flowers. But in practice, gardeners testify that grapes are perfectly pollinated by themselves.
- The variety has no peas.
- In some cases, it is necessary to thin out grooves, but Shakhtar does not suffer from overload. Therefore, it can give a high-quality harvest even with a large number of bunches.
- The variety does not make excessive demands on watering and nutrition. This applies to soils with an average fertility rate. On low-fertile lands, it is better to support the grapes with high-quality irrigation and mineral fertilizing.
- If preventive treatments are carried out in a timely manner, there are no signs of disease on Shakhtar's bushes.
- The variety is not damaged by birds, leaf rollers and wasps.
The list of the advantages of Shakhtar grapes can be continued, but we will get acquainted with the rest of the characteristics in the process of describing planting and care. And the main parameters are confirmed by the video about the variety:
Landing
Purchased grafted seedlings of Shakhtar grapes or self-rooted seedlings are suitable for planting the variety. It is better to buy in specialized nurseries or reliable firms. Particular attention should be paid to the condition of the root system and the entire seedling. It is good if the roots of the grapes are dipped in a clay mash and well packed. In this form, they will last 7 days or more.
To prepare the planting material with your own hands, the shanks are cut and placed in water. As soon as the roots appear, the planting material is transplanted into the ground and watered regularly. The Shakhtar grape variety should be planted in spring in March-April and in autumn in November.
The main recommendations for gardeners when planting Shakhtar grapes:
- When marking the vineyard, give preference to places without close groundwater. The roots of the Shakhtar variety mainly grow in depth, so the depth of the water should not be less than 2.5 m. Otherwise, provide the bushes with good drainage.
- Shakhtar does not impose any special requirements on the composition of the soil, but planting in black soil is very welcome.
- Choose seedlings with strong, moist roots. If the root is overdried, then there is a danger of death of the grape seedling after planting.
- Before planting, shorten the roots of the grapes, leaving no more than 10 cm. Leave 3 eyes on the stem, remove the rest with pruning shears.
- For a medium-sized grape variety, leave at least 2 m in the row between the plants, and mark the row spacing at a distance of 2.5 m.
- Prepare planting holes with a diameter of 0.8 m and the same depth. Lay a layer of compost on the bottom, then fertile soil and mix them well. Now leave the hole for a week for the earth to sink.
- After a week, place the grape seedling in the hole, cover it with earth and water it abundantly. Then mulch.
- To provide Shakhtar grape seedlings with a good survival rate, spill the bushes with a rooting agent. Both powdery and sticky preparations will do.
Photo of a young Shakhtar grape seedling.
Seedlings planted in autumn, shelter for the winter period from freezing. For autumn planting of grapes, it is good to use layering. Select the bottom vine that lies on the ground. Dig a small depression (20 cm) about 0.5 m long under it. Add humus to it and lay the vine. Cover with earth, leaving the top and 3 leaves out. Drizzle with water (2-3 buckets). Tamp the earth, mulch, cover the future bush before the onset of cold weather.
Care
The Shakhtar variety bears excellent fruit with minimal maintenance. But the basic parameters of care must be fulfilled.
Watering. When planting grapes, many gardeners insert a plastic pipe into the hole for the convenience of watering the plants. If this is not possible, you can make a depression along the edges of the planting hole and pour 2-3 buckets of water with each watering.In the spring, for the Shakhtar variety, be sure to carry out water-charging irrigation, especially after a winter with little snow. In the hot dry season, water the bushes weekly.
Top dressing. For Shakhtar, use mineral complexes at the beginning of the growing season, before flowering and after fruiting. Once every 2-3 years, add organic matter when digging soil in the vineyard. Granular "Argumin" helps to strengthen the immunity of grape seedlings, which is applied according to the instructions.
Processing. To prevent diseases and pests, regularly inspect Shakhtar's bushes and do preventive spraying. Use Ridomil Gold against the spread of fungal infections on the cultivar. Perform the first spraying when 3-4 leaves are formed, then several times after 10-12 days.
Pruning. Normal average for 7-8 eyes. In southern regions, prune grapes in the fall. To keep the vines from sagging, tie them to the trellis or frame of the structure.
In the northern regions, protect the vine from freezing.
Testimonials
The description of the Shakhtar grape variety will not be entirely complete without photos and reviews from gardeners.
I bought Shakhtar grapes in the fall, planted it, and in the summer he already gave his first 4 tassels, a very good tasty variety, I'm happy. I'm waiting for the harvest.