From ancient times, grapes were considered one of the best indicators of fertility and wealth. And to this day it is very difficult to find a person who will be absolutely indifferent to these ripe and juicy berries. Grapes can not only be eaten fresh, but also boil amazing jam from it. And also make wine. Since today there is an incredibly large number of bred varieties, each of which has distinctive features, in this article we will separately consider the description of grapes "souvenir". We will talk in detail about planting and growing grapes and study relevant information based on the feedback of the most experienced gardeners.
Grape "souvenir": description of the variety
This variety is also called "satellite", "black souvenir". He is the Odessa souvenir grape. The description of the bush is quite simple - it is a medium-sized, powerful plant with reddish-brown shoots. Young shoots are light green in color. Three-lobed leaves are medium in size and slightly pubescent, similar to bristles. Flowers of this variety are of both sexes. Bunches of grapes "souvenir" have a conical shape, quite loose, reach a weight of three hundred to five hundred grams. The variety is characterized by large berries, egg-shaped and elongated, which at the beginning of ripening have a dark red color, and by the time of collection they turn dark blue, acquiring a white coating. A very dense and rather thick skin hides a juicy and fleshy flesh, with incredibly tasty muscat and thorny shades. In each berry, you can find two or three seeds, which by the time of full ripening become almost invisible.
The history of the cultivation of grape varieties
Obtaining this variety was made possible thanks to the painstaking work of Ukrainian breeders. Crossing of the “Muscat of the Hamburg” Moldavian black hybrid occurred in the walls of the Tairov Scientific Research Institute. Already from Ukraine, the grape variety “souvenir” began to gradually spread throughout the Black Sea region and other regions with a pleasant, warm climate. The creators of the variety themselves claim that the best place to plant this wonderful grape is the territory of Odessa and Kherson, which was originally envisaged.
Yield Characteristic
The undoubted advantage of this variety is high productivity, the ability to easily tolerate transportation and fairly long storage. And, of course, the most important indicator for grapes is the assessment of taste. Variety "souvenir" has a fairly high rate - 8.64 points on a ten-point scale. Sugar content within fifteen grams per milliliter, acidity from seven and a half to eight percent. Berries give more than seventy percent of the juice of the total mass. Such characteristics are most important for winemakers and manufacturers of grape juice.
Reviews about the grape "souvenir"
There are a lot of them. Judging by the most reliable reviews of the grape variety "souvenir", there are a number of advantages:
- high productivity - more than one hundred and twenty centners per hectare;
- stable indicators of acidity and sugar content;
- the highest taste and aromatic qualities;
- high-quality mechanical composition (percentage of juice and unused parts of the berry);
- long-term storage (about three months) and transportation;
- resistance to many diseases (for example, gray rot and bunch leaf).
Undoubtedly, this variety has its drawbacks, which include a long period of full ripening (at least one hundred forty-two days) and complete intolerance to low temperature (below minus twenty degrees Celsius).
Planting grape "souvenir"
For planting, you need to choose the most sunny place. It is best to prefer the hilly area on the south side. Due to its location on a hill, the bush will always be provided with fresh air. Since the bush has a powerful root system, dig a hole for the seedling with a depth and diameter of at least eighty centimeters. At the bottom, it is desirable to pour a layer of the most fertile soil and compost. Only after this should the seedling be filled with ordinary soil. The next step when planting is abundant watering - at least fifteen liters of water for each seedling.
Tips for growing and caring for grapes
The first year of growing grapes is the most troublesome. Mandatory loosening of the soil with the complete removal of weeds is required. Regular as well as regular watering is important. The first watering must be carried out a couple of weeks after the planting. After the first winter, abundant growth and opening of the bush begins. At this point, you need to trim and tie the bush. Cutting young fruitful shoots, leave at least six to seven eyes on each. Garter is best done with a cloth or soft rope, but not fishing line or nylon thread. Fertilizing the soil and top dressing the bush for the first time is done just after the garter. In the future, it is necessary to observe the schedule of fertilizing the bush with mineral and organic fertilizers. Literally from the second year of cultivation, care for the bush is greatly simplified and reduced to autumn pruning of weak and damaged branches.
Diseases, pests and methods of dealing with them
The main pests that continually strive to spoil the crop are wasps and birds. To protect the grapes from birds will help only the establishment of the grid, which will be an obstacle if you want to get on the grape bush. To rid the grapes of the harm caused by wasps, it is necessary to destroy absolutely all the nests located nearby. You can also use baits, which should not have an excessive aroma, because in this case, wasps will quickly understand the substitution. As for the diseases affecting the vine bush, it is worth highlighting three main ones.
The oidium virus is difficult to detect with the naked eye. And the most unpleasant thing is that he suffers even severe cold. It is very important to remove infected branches as quickly as possible, and healthy ones should be sprayed with specialized chemicals. The best time for this procedure is early morning or late evening.
Another misfortune that affects many types of plants, including grapes including powdery mildew. Sulfur-containing drugs such as Karatan or Rubigan can save you from it. It is best to spray with sulfur in the early morning, because with too much heat you can just burn the bush.
Finally, the worst disease is bacterial cancer. Your task is to prevent disease. To do this, it is important to provide the bush with airing and monitor the condition of the shoots in general. Prevent minor damage and scratches. Since it is useless to fight this disease, the infected bush should be destroyed.