The best nutmeg variety for the south - Lily of the valley grape, variety description
If its name is still unknown to many, then the tasty and large sweet berries with an original aroma are already familiar to many. This is one of the novelties of grape selection - the Lily of the Valley grape, the description of the variety of which, due to its young age, has not yet been studied in detail. However, during his 8 years of existence, he has already managed to get many positive characteristics in addition to the basic qualities. Lily of the valley represents the best types of Ukrainian breeding, and famous varieties became its parents Mascot and Kish-Mish radiant. From the first, he took large-fruited and good resistance to diseases and weather conditions. And Kish-Mish passed on high taste qualities to his brainchild.
The grape got its original floral name for the peculiar aroma of berries, reminiscent of a cross between the smell of flowering lilies of the valley or acacia.
Lily of the valley grapes - description of the variety, characteristics of the plant
The variety belongs to the mid-season and is mainly intended for cultivation in warm southern regions. There he ripens in August and hibernates without shelter. But practice shows that it can be successfully grown in the Moscow region and the middle lane. True, in this case, the ripening time is shifted by a month. And the bushes themselves need shelter, because their winter hardiness is declared only at minus 21 ° C.
But Lily of the Valley has good resistance to grape diseases, especially to powdery mildew, to which it has immunity. As for other diseases, it is recommended to protect the plants from them by carrying out preventive spraying 3 times per season.
Taste qualities and yield of grapes
Lily of the valley is a table variety with high and stable yields, which are almost unaffected by weather conditions. The only thing he doesn't like is high humidity during flowering. With prolonged spring rains, its inflorescences crumble, which reduces productivity.
The bunches of the variety are a little loose, cylindrical in shape, but lush thanks to large berries. The average weight of one bunch is about 1 kg, but each berry in it is at least 10, or even all 16 g. The grapes are beautiful, oval, with a dense skin that reliably protects them from wasps and damage. At the stage of full maturity, they turn amber yellow. The fleshy flesh is juicy and sweet, with a subtle sour note and a floral nutmeg aroma.
The bunches can hang on the vine for a long time without crumbling, and they can also be stored. The grapes lie well until the middle of winter in a cool place, but they slightly lose their elasticity and become watery.
Pros and cons of the variety
The main advantages of Lily of the Valley grapes are:
- large-fruited;
- good maturity of the vine;
- high yield and taste;
- disease resistance;
- self-pollination (the bush has both male and female flowers);
- the ability to transport with a minimum of damage due to the dense skin, which also protects against wasps;
- good winter hardiness.
The disadvantages of the variety are not yet well studied, perhaps there may be more of them. But so far, for its young age, Lily of the valley has only a few of them. First of all, do not forget that he can fully reveal his qualities only in the south. In cooler regions, the vineyard freezes and requires shelter. He also does not tolerate rainy weather during flowering. The degree of drought resistance of the variety has not been thoroughly studied either. It is only known that the monthly moisture deficit does not affect it: the bush grows further, does not dry, and the berries deteriorate by only 2% of the total.