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Not every grape variety is able to survive the harsh Russian winter and at the same time please the owner with a generous harvest with delicious fruits. The difficulty of growing crops in the northern regions is the limitation of the number of warm months. In such conditions, only super-early varieties will have time to ripen. One of them is the Julian grape, which is characterized by unpretentiousness and high yield.
Main characteristics
Julian is a hybrid resulting from the crossing of two well-known varieties: "Kesha" and "Rizamat". The selection result was approved by many growers. It would be more correct to start describing the Julian grape variety with the vine. The bushes are characterized by intensive growth. However, the vine has time to ripen quickly along its entire length, which is important for the northern regions. After all, the summer is quite short here. The root system is highly branched and similarly characterized by rapid growth. Cuttings of the Julian hybrid are distinguished by good survival rate, root quickly, and are also suitable for rootstock for many grape varieties.
According to the photo, the description of the Julian grape variety can be described as a culture that brings large clusters of pink color. Delicious berries are eaten fresh or used to decorate cooked dishes. The Julian variety is considered a dining variety. The very early ripening of the bunches occurs in early August. That is, berries need up to 100 days to be edible.
If you take a closer look at the photo of Julian grapes, then any specialist will determine the similarity of the shape of the bunches with the "Rizamat" variety. And this is so, because he is one of the parents. Julian's berries do not fit tightly to each other. This makes the bunches a little loose. The shape of the berries is even, elongated in the form of a finger. The length of the grape is about 4 cm, and the thickness reaches 2.8 cm. The weight of one berry is 15 g, but there are also larger specimens of 20 g. Bunches of grapes always grow large. With normal care, their weight varies from 0.7 to 1 kg. If you follow all the feeding and care rules, you can get bunches weighing up to 2 kg.
For Julian grapes, gardeners' reviews often begin with a description of the color of the berries. This is due to their unusual beauty. After ripening, the skin becomes pink, but at first, yellowness prevails, beautifully glowing in the sun. The skin of a fully ripe berry may be partially covered with a lilac hue. The pulp is slightly crispy. The taste is reminiscent of a mixture of nutmeg and strawberries. The seeds are quite soft and there are very few of them inside the grape. The skin is firm but thin. It is practically not felt when eating berries.
Mature bunches are stored for a long time without losing their presentation. The grapes are transportable, which allows them to be used commercially. The dense skin does not crack on the berries during storage.
Continuing to consider the description of the Julian grape variety, it is worth noting the frost resistance of the culture. The vine can withstand temperatures as low as -23aboutC. Another important factor is Julian's drought tolerance. Such characteristics make it possible to grow the variety in many regions, even with an unfavorable climate.To protect against frost, the vine is slightly covered for the winter. In the southern regions, the temperature does not drop enough to harm the vine, so here the grapes remain attached to the trellis. There is no point in covering the vine.
Julian, like most hybrids, is weakly affected by fungal diseases. In a favorable summer, the grapes can not be sprayed with chemicals, and you can get a good harvest. However, in the event of an epidemic and a rainy summer, it is advisable not to risk it. It is better to carry out prevention by spraying with preparations to protect berries and foliage.
The video, which we propose to familiarize yourself with, will better characterize the Julian grapes:
As practice shows, after planting grapes by cuttings, the first harvest, with proper care, can be obtained in the fourth year.
Pests and bacteria
Considering the photos, reviews, descriptions of the Julian grape variety, it is worth touching on another important problem - these are crop pests. Some of them are wasps and birds. If the berries are not cracked from oversaturation of moisture, then the insects will not overpower the hard skin. But birds love to feast on sweet grapes. When the bunches begin to ripen, it is advisable to close the Julian plantations with a barrier net.
Bacteria are harder to fight. Even an experienced winegrower is not always able to determine exactly what affects the culture. Despite the fact that this hybrid has good characteristics, unpleasant situations occur during an epidemic of fungal diseases. Julian is not afraid of bacteria that cause gray rot, mildew, mildew, and ticks. However, in the hot, humid summer, when the temperature outside is kept from +25aboutFrom and above, the likelihood of being affected by the fungus increases.
A serious danger for the Julian variety is:
- The emerging alternariosis is defined by many growers as oidium. This is a very dangerous disease. The bacterium infects everything: foliage, young shoots, inflorescences and all clusters. Berries become 100% unfit for human consumption. At the first manifestations of the disease, Julian's bushes must be sprayed with a 2% solution of Bordeaux liquid. The bacterium can even infect mature bunches lying in the basement. Here you just need to follow the rules for storing grapes.
- In warm regions, Julian grapes are exposed to another dangerous bacteria that causes anthracnose spotted. The disease is manifested by darkening of areas of foliage. Over time, they completely die off. The method of struggle is the same - Bordeaux liquid. However, it is necessary to spray the bushes of Julian grapes only after the first shoots have grown up with a length of at least 10 cm.
- Downy mildew, as well as mildew for the Julian hybrid, is practically not scary. However, the risk is not worth it. In hot summer, grape bushes should be treated with drugs for prevention. If suddenly the disease manifests itself, then the vineyard is sprayed with fungicides or a solution of copper sulfate.
Prevention of fungal diseases for the Julian hybrid is mandatory in any case. It is better to prevent the disease than to try to cure it later. Moreover, in some advanced cases, even potent drugs will not help save the crop.
In the video, the Julian grape variety is presented for better acquaintance:
Planting grape seedlings
You can dilute the Julian variety on your site with seedlings. Before disembarking them, you need to conduct a visual inspection. High-quality planting material is distinguished by a developed root system. This allows the grape seedling to quickly adapt to open ground and take root. Planting Julian grapes is best done in spring. This ensures a higher survival rate of the seedling. Julian's landing rules are the same as for all hybrids:
- A place for planting grapes is prepared in the fall. It doesn't matter if it's a hole or a trench, the main thing is to create a nutritious substrate for the root system.It consists of a mixture of humus with fertile soil and the addition of fertilizers. It is important not to forget the grape planting site to equip with a drainage layer.
- In the spring, the roots of the selected seedlings up to 15 cm are cut off. After this procedure, they are immersed in a stimulating solution for rapid growth. If there are weak or damaged shoots on the grape seedling, they are cut with a sharp pruner.
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A support peg is driven into the center of the hole. It can be a steel bar or a wooden stick. The seedling is lowered into a hole, tied to a peg, then covered with a substrate and watered abundantly.
- Pour at least 1.5 buckets of water under each seedling. Over time, the soil in the hole will sink. It will need to be added.
In order for the roots of the grapes to receive oxygen, mulching with sawdust is performed around the seedling. You can add some humus.
Care during cultivation
The Julian hybrid took all the best qualities from the parents. Due to the resistance to diseases, it is usually enough to do preventive treatment with drugs twice per season. The rest of the activities are aimed at watering, feeding and forming a bush. Caring for grapes involves the following:
- Before the beginning of the growing season and preparing the grapes for wintering, abundant watering of the bushes is performed. During this time, moisture is absorbed abundantly by the roots to recharge the vine for the entire period.
- In dry summer, the grapes are watered, guided by the state of the soil.
- If there is no mulching layer in the hole, there is a need for organic matter. To replenish nutrients, it is recommended to add organic compounds once a year.
- The quality and quantity of the grape harvest can be increased by reducing the overload of the bushes. To do this, remove excess clusters and inflorescences. Usually, 40 to 45 eyes are left for each grape bush. Vines are pruned for 8 or 10 eyes.
The Julian hybrid is characterized by one peculiarity. In the oversaturated soil, up to 95% of seedlings take root and develop. And the best quality of the crop is inherent in the grafted culture.
Testimonials
The reviews presented on the cultivation of Julian grapes in Siberia say that this hybrid is able to take root even in such harsh conditions.
