Among the many varieties of grapes, frost-tolerant varieties that can be grown in a non-covering way attract a lot of attention of winegrowers in the northern regions. One of them is Zilga grapes.
Creators
Zilga grapes were created in 1964 by the Latvian breeder P. Sukatnieks. The Smuglyanka grape variety was pollinated with a mixture of pollen from the varieties of the Russian selection Yubileiny Novgorod and the Latvian Dvies.
It is widely distributed in Lithuania and Latvia. It is used in Belarus, other regions with a harsh climate, where most varieties can not be grown even in a covering way. Zilga grapes are successfully grown there.
Grade description
Zilga grapes are a Euro-American hybrid. Matures very early, in 120-125 days. A grafted bush of medium height, root-growing - above average.
The leaves are whole or slightly dissected, with three lobes. They are large, dense, covered with a small coating on the bottom. The vine is ripening well. This is valuable Zilga grapes. A description of its berries is presented below.
Berries
Zilga grape flowers are bisexual. After pollination, medium-sized berries are formed in their place, up to 3 g. The name of the variety indicates the color of the berries. "Zilga" in Russian means "bluish." The berries are indeed bluish, purple, covered with a bluish bloom.
Taste qualities of Zilga grapes tasters rated at 3.2 points. It notes the famous Isabella. The pulp of ripe berries is jelly-like, mucous. The juice is purple, fragrant. The peel is thick has a Zilga grape variety. User reviews say that it is removed from the berry in the form of a bag. Each berry contains 2-3 rather large grains.
On each shoot, 2 or even 3 short loose clusters are formed. On average, there is 1.3 per shoot. The shape of the bunch can be conical, with a cylindrical base, less often - lobed or winged. The number of berries in one bunch is up to 50. Weight - up to 120 g, average - 88 g.
On average, up to 12 kg of berries are obtained from one bush.
Zilga grapes ripen in late August. Reviews gardeners say that if the berries are not picked, then they will hang for a long time, tanning in the sun. If the wasps do not spoil them, the berries will become sweeter and may even turn into raisins.
Frost resistance
Winter hardiness is very high. Bushes can withstand temperatures of up to 32 degrees below zero. Therefore, they can not be harbored in regions where such colds are rare.
Disease
The variety is quite resistant to disease. But in the rainy summer, when fungi develop actively, it can be affected by mildew, oidium and gray rot. They are treated with drugs designed to combat these diseases.
Using
Zilga grapes are created specifically for regions with a harsh climate. It is intended for uncultivated cultivation in the northern regions.
Used in different ways:
- eat fresh;
- stewed compotes;
- crush juice;
- make wine.
Growing
Zilga grapes can be grown in several ways:
- it is easy to grow grapes from cuttings;
- layering is the best way to get a young vine bush. Unfortunately, such an opportunity is not always there;
- from acquired seedlings. Of course, before that, someone must grow a seedling in one of the above ways.
You need to plant a bush of grapes in places where the sum of average daily temperatures will be as high as possible. Grapes are very picky about heat and light. It can grow in the shade, but it is problematic to wait for the crop. In addition, there he is more often affected by diseases.
Planting Zilga grapes
If you plant a rooted seedling from a container, you need to consider that the heel roots there are located at a distance of 15 cm below the soil level. They need to be placed at a depth of 40 cm.
If this cannot be done because the vine is too short, do not fill the hole for planting completely until the vine grows to the desired height. And it is better to buy a seedling longer than 40 cm.
A hole for planting grapes is dug at least 60 cm in depth. Prepare the soil by adding nutrients and trace elements. The Zilga grape variety belongs to Euro-American hybrids that grow better in neutral soil with a pH of 7. But the presence of an isabel shade in taste indicates a kinship with the American species of Labrusca. And such varieties grow better on slightly acidic soils with a pH of 5.5-6.5. Therefore, liming the soil will certainly be out of place. The deoxidizing agent needs to be added in the future, in the process of growth.
The distance between the bushes is from 1.25 to 2 m in a row. Bushes of the Zilga cultivar are strongly grown, so you need to look where their crown will be located.
In the northern regions, Zilga grapes are best planted on the south side of a stone wall. It will protect the bush from the wind, and the sun's rays, reflected from the wall, will increase the temperature on the surface of the soil near the bush.
You need to plant a bush so that in the future its base does not stand in the water. Grapes really do not like getting wet.
Care
Grapes need to be fertilized, but not with granular fertilizers, in which there is a large amount of salt. From organic, it is better to use rotted manure.
The plot where the grapes grow must be completely free of weeds and grass. This helps the earth warm up better, which is very useful for the growth, fruiting and ripening of grapes.
Weeds can inhibit grapes, which is why it grows poorly and tolerates winter even worse. Some wild plants produce substances that are harmful to grapes.
The same effect is exerted by some crops: eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers.
Each bush can create more comfortable conditions for growth. There are many ways to do this: laying bricks on the bottom of the pit before planting, pouring a hill of land on the north side, using dark plastic bottles, dark film.
Watering grapes is an important part of caring for the bush. Do not allow the soil to dry out.
Pruning
The grape bush begins to form from the second year of life. Prior to this, he is allowed to grow freely. In the third year, select some of the strongest stems that are allowed on the sleeves. The remaining shoots are removed. The number of sleeves is determined by the strength of the bush and growing conditions.
Like any early variety, Zilga grapes tend to form a large number of lashes. If they are not removed, then in the northern regions the vine will not have time to ripen and freeze in the winter. In the south it will not be damaged by frost, but the bush will turn into a ball of woven branches. Even if the berries are tied and ripened there, it will be extremely difficult to collect them.
It turns out that every year significantly more branches are removed than remains. Sometimes it even seems that the bush will need to be restored for several years. But it goes to the bush and the harvest is only good.
Cut Zilga grapes shortly. 5-7 kidneys are left on one lash. Pruning is best done in the fall, before the bushes are sheltered for the winter. Perhaps in the spring part of the lashes will be unsuitable. Then they can be safely removed. But do not rush to clean the branches on the bush, which was damaged by frost. There is a high probability that the kidneys will depart a little later.
If for some reason it was not possible to cut the grape bush in autumn, do it in early spring. After pruning, the vine will surely “cry”, but still the result will be better than on an uncircumcised bush.
Cropping performs another function. Thanks to this operation, the volume of an adult bush can be maintained within the framework you need.