A powerful bunch of sweet table grapes can be the decoration of any table and at the same time few people will remain indifferent. The appearance of breeding varieties allows you to grow this plant even in the northern regions of the country, in the conditions of a very short summer. One of the well-established hybrid varieties is Harold grapes. Reviews indicate a stable harvest and high taste qualities of this variety.
Variety Harold: description of grapes
Growing grapes for themselves, and not for sale, people are guided by the criteria for high yields, disease resistance and taste. Whereas the size and shape of the berries and the appearance of the cluster itself are important for the market. But all of the above criteria correspond to Harold grapes. The description of the variety should begin with the fact that it has early ripening. From the moment the first buds appear until the grapes brush fully ripens, 90-100 days usually pass. The first fruits can be enjoyed in mid-July.
Clusters hanging for a long time, up to mid-September, are very similar to Harold grapes in the bushes. Reviews of winegrowers indicate that with such storage the bunches do not dry, do not crumble, are not damaged by wasps, the presentation and taste do not deteriorate.
Bushes of this variety are vigorous. Harold grapes have a medium-sized bunch weighing 400-500 grams, its shape is cylindrical. Berries have an interesting ellipsoidal shape with a pointed end. They are located relatively densely to each other. The flesh of the berries is juicy, the skin is slightly dense, yellow-green in color.
The Harold grape variety has a balanced sweet and sour taste and a pronounced nutmeg aroma, which allows winemakers to use it for making Muscat wine.
Another feature of this variety is the need to standardize inflorescences, since grapes are prone to overloading the crop, which can cause unripe bunches or even a deterioration in the number of crops.
Dignity weighing a pound
Harold grapes have a number of undeniable advantages and is characterized by the absence of disadvantages:
- High frost resistance of the variety and a short ripening time allow it to grow even in Siberia. The plant is able to withstand frosts down to -25 ° C.
- The great taste, aroma and beauty that characterize Harold grapes, photos, unfortunately, can not convey.
- The hybrid plant is highly resistant to disease.
- This grape is transported very well.
- High productivity of bushes will please everyone, without exception. From one bush you can collect up to 15 kilograms of grapes.
Features landing Harold
The Harold grape variety is considered unpretentious in terms of soil, and its bushes can be planted on almost any substrate. The plant is very tall, so when planting, you must leave at least two and a half meters between the bushes.
Good frost resistance of the plant allows you to drip seedlings in spring or autumn. The main criterion is the air temperature, which should be above 15 ° C.
When buying a seedling, you need to carefully look at its condition. A good seedling should have at least four long thick roots, without any damage. If there are traces of the disease on the future seedling or it breaks when bent, then a good, healthy bush will not work out of it.
Harold fruit grapes, or rather its annual sapling, should be shortened to four to five eyes before planting. A day or two before planting, the shoot is dipped in water, where it is desirable to add a growth stimulator.
For each seedling, an individual hole of 80 × 80 × 80 centimeters should be dug. When digging a hole, the top layer of the soil should be set aside in order to mix later with humus, which can be replaced with compost or peat, and also add superphosphate and potassium salt. This mixture should fill each hole halfway. A sapling is placed in the recess, sprinkled with a mixture, and then with plain earth. Around the sapling should be organized a small depression, where the mulch will be filled and water will be poured. The depth of this hole should not be less than 5 centimeters, diameter - 50 centimeters.
How to water Harold?
Harold grapes will feel good during a period of small drought, and during an excess of moisture. Therefore, watering should be carried out regularly, from April to October. For proper watering, you should install a drainage system or make several circular trenches near the bush at a distance of 30 centimeters from each and a depth of 20 centimeters, where water will be poured.
Begin the procedure in early spring, immediately after the bushes open after winter. The next watering is important to produce between the buds and the beginning of flowering. This is the moment when the bush most needs enough moisture.
During flowering, it is better not to water the bush. This may result in shedding of flowers. But the formed first clusters need good watering.
The last watering should be done immediately before the bushes take shelter for the winter. If before that the bush took an average of 40 liters, then the water flow before shelter should be 70 liters per bush, which will ensure deep moisture penetration.
Mulching Varieties
The quality of the mulch is similar to organic fertilizers, but performs a completely different function. It is necessary in order to retain moisture in the soil.
As a material for mulch, peat, humus, straw, old fallen leaves or just mowed grass are suitable. Specialized stores offer a rather large selection of special materials that can protect plant roots from dehydration, prevent the development of weeds, and improve aeration.
Harold Grape Shelter
Harold grapes, although it is a frost-resistant hybrid variety, still needs shelter, especially in the harsh northern winters. For winter protection, winegrowers prefer to use polyethylene. Before covering the bush, it must be tied, laid on the ground and fixed. After that, iron arcs are installed above the grapevine, to which a plastic film will be attached. One layer of film for Harold is enough.
In addition to shelter, some winegrowers also sprinkle the vines abundantly with earth. But before you lay the shoots on the ground, you should definitely lay something so that the process of decay does not begin.
How to prune Harold?
Pruning a plant allows it to be formed, to control the growth, quantity and quality of the crop. Before pruning, the condition of the bush is necessarily assessed, and Harold, being a tall-growing bush, feels good with any type of pruning, be it short, medium or long.
Young shoots should be shortened and leave an average of 35 eyes per bush. This is done in order to unload a bush prone to overload. On minor shoots, it is necessary to remove excess inflorescences, which should remain no more than 20 pieces per bush.
How and when to fertilize this variety?
The seedling was planted in fertilized soil, so for the first four years it will not need fertilizer. Adult bushes are most in need of mineral fertilizers, which must be applied annually before removing shelter from the bush and before flowering begins. Adult bushes respond well to the entire spectrum of mineral fertilizers, that is, to nitrogen, and phosphate, and potassium. They are introduced in the form dissolved in ten liters of water (superphosphate, ammonium nitrate, potassium salt in the proportions of 2: 1: 0.5, respectively).
Before the maturation of the brushes, bushes can be fed only with ammonium nitrate. If you feed before the onset of winter, it is better to use potassium. Organic fertilizers should be applied no more than once every several years. As organics, bird droppings, compost, rotted manure and other agricultural products are suitable.
Harold's second crop
The Harold grape variety, the reviews of which from beginner growers and ordinary gardeners are extremely surprised and delighted, will also appreciate the fact that it is capable of giving a double crop. The second crop appears on the stepsons of the bush, but not on the main shoots. If there is a desire to provide yourself with double joy, then you should remove all inflorescences on the stepsons until the beginning of July.
The clusters of the second crop will be slightly inferior in size. The fruits can be harvested in late August. The ability to produce crops in stepsons is very convenient in cases where spring frosts have damaged inflorescences. Crop on minor shoots may well cover losses from beaten inflorescences on the main shoots.
Protect
As already mentioned, the Harold variety is a plant unresponsive to diseases such as mildew, which affects all green aboveground parts, and oidium (powdery mildew). However, even this powerful hybrid will not be damaged by prevention. As a preventative measure, grapes can be treated with a phosphorus-containing fungicide or a one percent solution of boric acid before flowering. Against gray rot, which can affect grapes, a solution of baking soda, which is made from 100 grams of powder dissolved in 10 liters of water, with the addition of 40 grams of laundry soap, helps a lot.
Harold grape variety, the characteristics and description of which were presented in the article, relatively recently rooted in Siberian gardens. And even there I was able to surprise many with its early ripening, excellent quality by weighty bunches, bright unforgettable taste.