A detailed description of the ultra-early and unpretentious Elegant grape variety
For beginner gardeners and for those looking for an unpretentious culture, it is simply a must to study the description of the Elegant grape variety. The plant is frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to -25 degrees, while it does not need careful maintenance. Also, the grapes are early maturing. Sweet berries can be picked in late July - early August.
Description of elegant grapes
"Elegant" is a very early grape variety, which ripens only 100-110 days. Berries cannot be used for production guilt, so they are used for fresh food or for making raisins. In the description of the Elegant grape variety, it is indicated that the mass of the bunch varies from 300 to 600 g, and the grapes are up to 2 cm long. The color of the berries is beautiful: from light green to amber white.
The first harvest after planting can be harvested as early as 4-5 years. Each season, the shoots grow up to 3 meters, and the yield reaches 15 kg per bush.
The flesh of the grapes is dense, fleshy, with a nutmeg aftertaste. The berries of this variety are rich in sugar: from 19 to 22 g per cubic centimeter. The combination of sweet flesh and thin skin makes Elegant a favorite treat for children. The seeds are rather small and few in number, so they do not affect the taste. The berries do not crunch when bitten. The fruits are keeping quality and may not deteriorate under the right conditions within a month.
The advantages of an early maturing variety
This grape variety has many advantages that distinguish it from other types.:
- The main advantage of the Elegant variety is its early ripening. Harvest in southern Russia can be harvested at the end of July. In addition, Elegant can be planted in the Non-Black Earth Zone.
- Another positive characteristic of grapes is its frost resistance. In winter, the vines are able to withstand temperatures up to -25 degrees, provided they are covered with film or branches. In the southern stripes this is not necessary: the plants tolerate light frosts well.
- Gardeners love Elegant for their productivity - the percentage of fruiting shoots reaches 95%, and additional pollination is not required. The variety is quite unpretentious: the lack of some of the agrotechnical measures still allows you to get a sufficient harvest.
- Harvested berries do not spoil long enough, which allows them to be transported to other cities. If you leave the grapes on the vine, then it gains sugar and acquires a rich taste.
- The hybrid is not at all inclined to cracking: it is not afraid of either a change in soil moisture or rain. Berries do not lose their firmness even in dry seasons.
Disadvantages of the variety
There are not so many disadvantages of Elegant grapes:
- Appearance. Unfortunately, the color of Elegance is not as noble as that of other varieties. The greenish tint often scares off buyers who do not risk buying them, thinking that this indicates a sour taste.
- Grape shoots often suffer from pests - spider mites that drink juice from the leaves. Also, the hybrid is often affected by powdery mildew, due to which the leaves are covered with bloom.But insecticide treatment helps prevent these troubles.
Planting and caring for elegant grapes
In open ground, the plant should be planted only in regions with a mild warm climate without a sharp temperature drop. Elegant frost-resistant variety, but in late spring and short summer, the berries on it either do not ripen, or they are not sweet enough.
When planting, it is worth considering that cuttings of this variety take root poorly, so it is better to prefer propagation by seedlings. So that the plants do not get sick and take root quickly, before planting it is necessary to cut the stem of the seedling, and the ground must be disinfected beforehand. Grapes planted in spring take root best of all. However, in warm climates, this rule can be neglected.
Planting rules for seedlings:
- The site is prepared at least 3 weeks before planting.
- Fertilizers and drainage are laid in holes 20-50 cm deep, on top of which drainage from rubble or expanded clay is placed.
- Plants are planted in the holes.
- The soil around the seedlings is cultivated.
- To protect young vines from frost and sunburn, they are covered with a black foil with cut holes.
The optimum distance between seedlings is 1.5 meters.
Features of caring for elegant grapes
Elegant grapes are unpretentious, so it grows even with minimal care. But for greater productivity it is worth spending in the fall sanitary pruning and thin out the bunches to avoid overloading the vines.
In dry and hot summers, the Elegant requires additional watering. In this case, moisture should not get on the leaves. In this case, the drops act like a magnifying glass, causing burns.
Bushes of any age need watering in winter. To prevent freezing, moisture is introduced in late autumn. For top dressing, both organic and mineral fertilizers are used, which are best used in spring when buds open or in summer after removing the bunches.
Vine formation and harvest
To increase the yield and improve the taste of the fruit a year after planting, they resort to the formation of the vine:
- Cut off the stem, leaving 3-9 eyes. The length of the cut depends on the region: in warm climates, it is more expedient to cut it short, and in cold climate it is more appropriate.
- A fruit arrow is formed: the shoot from the opposite side is cut off so that 9-12 eyes remain.
This approach allows you to increase the bunches by reducing the load on the plants.
Elegant does not always need to be tied, but overloading can lead to a decrease in yield. Therefore, a fruiting vine should be tied to a post for greater reliability.
The grapes are harvested at the end of July in the south and in mid-August in central Russia. The main sign of ripeness is golden color and easy separation of the berries from the branch. At the same time, the peel begins to shine through. Harvesting is best done on a dry day to extend the shelf life of the grapes.
The very early elegant grape variety ripens 3 months after the flowers appear. Oval berries of white-golden oval color do not deteriorate for a long time and tolerate transportation well. This is what makes the Elegant a popular choice among agronomists.