Grapes Elegant: a description of the variety, characteristics, features of cultivation. How to Plant Grapes in Spring

Grapes are one of the most loved crops of every gardener. Fragrant, sweet berries are great as a dessert. Why did we choose Elegant grapes as the main hero of our article? The answer is easy to find, especially if you ask the gardeners who already have experience of growing it on their site. He feels great even in the northern regions and ripens well in a short summer period. And most importantly, its dignity is surprisingly tender and juicy pulp, which is usually distinguished by southern varieties.

general description

The first characteristic that the grapes received was Elegant: super early. And this is not surprising, because the ripening of berries occurs already for 100-110 days. This is a hybrid form, which was developed by the Institute named after I. I. Potapenko. A variety was created for cultivation in the conditions of the middle belt and the north of Russia. Therefore, the focus was on the timing of aging. Only three months is required for the flowers to turn into juicy bunches.

Origin

Grapes Elegant was bred by crossing Frumoasa Albe and Delight. The result so pleased gardeners that he quickly got into the top ten varieties. The hybrid took all the best from both ancestors. Delight gave resistance to disease and the ability to store sugar, and Frumoasa Albe - a unique muscat. Light-colored table sort is very useful in the garden areas of our compatriots. It is recommended for cultivation in the south of the country, but is successfully cultivated almost on the whole territory.

Characteristics of the bush

Grapes Elegant pleases summer residents not only with tasty, but also very early berries. By the end of July - beginning of August, you will have beautiful and fragrant bunches on your table. It can be grown on a stretched mesh or set up special supports. The bush grows slowly, during the warm season, not reaching large sizes. Vines perfectly mature. The bush can be attributed to stunted, especially if it is well cared for, in time removing the axillary shoots.

Characteristics of grapes

The plant blooms in early spring, after which umbellate brushes are formed, on which the berries will develop. This is the main thing for which the Elegant grapes are grown. The variety description confirms that this is the best that Russian selection can offer. The cluster forms a cylindrical shape, very neat, perfectly suited for feeding to the table. Usually the brush is dense, but under adverse conditions it can become loose. One bunch weighs about 400 g.

Berry ripening

They are large enough, each weighing up to 7 g. Light green, after full ripening, they become almost transparent, golden. It is at this time the most strongly felt muscat taste. The shape of the berry is slightly elongated, with a sharp tip. The berries are formed white, almost milky. But as you mature, the shade changes to almost yellow. To do this, it is very important that sunlight falls on them. Therefore, when the bunches are poured, the leaves around them need to be cut off. Thus, the optimal appearance of the berries is achieved. Without sunlight, they remain pale and, despite being edible, will not stand the competition in the market.

How to Plant Grapes in Spring

With the onset of the first sunny days you can go to the market or to the nearest agricultural nursery to get quality seedlings. Over the summer, they will gain strength in order to winter well, and with the onset of a new spring will quickly move into growth.

Since planting grapes in the spring is recommended not earlier than April, you can prepare planting holes directly before buying seedlings, without bothering yourself with autumn work. Elegant is very fond of heat, so plant the plant on the south side. Very good, if there is a brick wall next to it. She will accumulate heat, and at night give it to the plant. In winter, it will serve as protection from the cold wind.

You can not plant plants on wetlands where the groundwater is very close. Optimal option will be planting on light soils. However, if on your site the soil is not the most suitable, do not despair. You can build a high bed and fill it with a mixture of sand, humus and peat. Grapes are very fond of good food and enough oxygen, so the bush will certainly thank you for the excellent harvest.

Before buying make sure that the seedling is really healthy and strong. To do this, assess the size of the kidneys and the state of the root system. The ideal option is a sapling grown in a container. So he will suffer the least from the transplant. The first bunch in this case will appear the next year, and after two or three you will already enjoy delicious fruits. If you believe the reviews, this is the best table grapes of Russian selection.

Care

And now let's talk about the difficulties the summer resident will face, who planted Elegant grapes on his plot. Cultivation is quite simple, even a beginner can cope with this cultivar. The main thing that I want to note: the variety is resistant to the most formidable diseases - it is mildew and gray rot. Therefore, even if you forget about preventive treatment with fungicides, the vineyard will calmly transfer it. Of course, it is better not to abandon prevention completely, to get a guaranteed good harvest.

This variety is so unpretentious that it will suffer even a lack of fertilizing. But if you want to get a really good harvest, you should take care of the vine feed a little more carefully. A lot of time you will not take it, just feed the bush in the fall with potash salt, and in the spring with ammonium nitrate. During active vegetation it is recommended to introduce bird droppings. Once a year, it is recommended to feed ash - it is an excellent source of mineral fertilizers. However, it is not necessary to get involved, otherwise the plant will burn out.

Watering

Cool weather allows you to do without additional watering. The roots of the vines allow you to collect moisture at a great distance. If the summer turned out to be dry and hot, then the grapes need to be supplied every day with a new portion of precious moisture. But you need to do it right. This variety does not like very much when water gets on the leaves. They are covered with brown leaves, as if they were affected by a fungus. Therefore, automatic sprinkler irrigation systems for the vineyard are not suitable.

Mold on the trunk is another consequence of improper irrigation. She can destroy the vine. Therefore, water it so as not to touch the green part, and then necessarily loosen the soil.

Wintering

This is another point for which it is worth paying attention to the Elegant grape variety. Parental varieties gave the best qualities to the variety, resulting in a plant with large berries that can last long on the bush, and high fertility. In winter, shoots are stable and viable, and fruit buds can withstand frosts to -25 degrees. But it does not hurt to turn off the well, put it up and cover it with lapnik. There are other special methods that will help protect the plant from temperature, wind and precipitation changes. This is the installation of a wooden box into which the plant is folded, and then all the space is filled with sawdust or leaves.

Reviews

Grapes Elegant is one of the favorite varieties of Russian gardeners. Experienced summer residents say that it is the most delicious of all that they had to plant on their site. It always ripens early and does not get sick, the vine ripens to its full length. The flesh is tender, with a good nutmeg, but it tastes the best when it is overripe. A relatively small vine can yield up to 15 kg of harvest, which is a fantastic result.

The variety is not only good, but also transportable, which is especially important if you plan to send berries to the market. Delicate and juicy, they are protected by a dense shell. Therefore, even a few days on the road are easily transferred. Wasps are practically not damaged, in contrast to later varieties. The only negative - seedlings of this variety is quite difficult to find on sale. Not so many nurseries are engaged in its breeding, and in the market it is easy to buy not at all what you wanted.