Description and characteristics of Krasa Nikopol grapes, planting and care
A young table variety with dark pink berries has already caught the fancy of gardeners. It is grown both by summer residents on their personal plot and by professional growers for sale. The popularity of Krasa Nikopol grapes is due to its non-capriciousness, immunity to adverse conditions, good transportability, annual abundance and harmony of the harvest.
The history of the creation of the variety
The Krasa Nikopol variety was created by a non-professional in the 1950s. The creator is the gardener Alexey Sidun from the Ukrainian city of Nikopol. The grapes were obtained by combining the Pearl Saba and Rish Baba varieties.
Description and characteristics of the variety
Grapes Krasa Nikopol belongs to the category of pink table varieties. At the stage of late maturity, the skin of the fruit acquires a dark pink, almost purple color.
The variety is popular, resistant to unfavorable conditions, although the taste of the berries is simple. The popularity is due to the considerable yield even in seasons when there is no fruiting of other varieties.
Bush
Plants are either tall or medium in height. Each forms up to 70% of the fruit-bearing shoots.
The flowers are bisexual. Many inflorescences are formed on the shoot, but it is advisable to keep only the lower one.
Fruit
The bunch is cone-shaped, weighs about 500 g. The fruits do not adhere very tightly to each other, sometimes even loose. But the commercial attractiveness of the bunch is not lost from this.
The berries ripen together. The fruit is oval, weighs 4-5 g. Length - 2 cm, width - 1.7 cm. The pulp is elastic, with seeds. The skin is thin but firm. The taste is soft, sweet with sourness, there is a nutmeg note. Sugar content is high, but with late harvest the fruits do not turn into raisins.
Maturation
The variety from Nikopol is super early. For fruit ripening, 105 days are enough.
Sustainability
The Krasa Nikopol grape is notable for its immunity to powdery mildew. However, resistance to other fungal infections is low. The indicator of immunity to mildew is only 3.5 points. Therefore, preventive measures are required.
Frost resistance is moderate. The grapes easily tolerate frosts down to -22 ° C in the absence of snow cover.
The main positive and negative sides of grapes
Advantages of the Krasa Nikopol variety:
- rapid maturation;
- good seasonal yield;
- lack of transformation into raisins with prolonged hanging on a branch;
- good safety during transportation;
- non-capriciousness in relation to soil conditions;
- insect attack;
- sufficient resistance to frost;
- immunity to powdery mildew.
Of the minuses, it should be noted:
- susceptibility to mildew and other infections;
- the need for pruning and pre-winter preparation.
The nuances of growing varieties Krasa Nikopol
Grape seedlings from Nikopol take root well, but planting rules must still be followed. Without their observance, there is a great risk that the plant will not take root or will develop inadequately, will not give rich harvests.
Preparing for landing
The first step is to prepare the ground. 2 months before the planned planting, it is necessary to fertilize the land in the selected area with potassium salt.
The soil must be nutritious, free of infection and harmful insects. For its preparation, mullein, peat, lime and earth are combined from the site.
The seedlings prepared for planting are hardened within 10 days. It is advisable to cut off the thickening shoots that will draw forces out of the plant and slow down its rooting.
Planting a bush
Planting grapes Krasa Nikopol is carried out according to the standard algorithm:
- dig a landing hole;
- drainage 10 cm thick is placed on its bottom, gravel is used;
- a peg is placed in the hole for support, a seedling is lowered;
- the plant is tied to a stake, watered with a pale manganese solution to disinfect the roots;
- the hole is buried;
- to retain moisture, the ground is mulched with sawdust.
Plant care rules
Krasa Nikopol's variety is not capricious. Caring for him is not difficult.
Watering and feeding
The grapes are irrigated 3 or 4 times during the growing season. For one adult plant, take 20 liters of water. The procedure is carried out in the evening. After watering, the soil is loosened, weeds are pulled out.
Watering frequency is determined by the weather. Water often and heavily during the dry season.
Grapes are fed 3 times per season. The culture needs a potassium-phosphorus-nitrogen complex. At the end of summer, after harvesting, it is useful to feed the bushes with organic matter (a bucket of compost per plant).
Pruning
Pruning is a mandatory step in leaving. Without it, the yield will decline from season to season.
The grapes are pruned in two stages:
- in the fall, after harvesting, the non-fruiting and injured shoots are cut off, which only draws strength from the plant;
- in the spring, frozen and diseased shoots are removed.
Preparing for the winter period
For the winter period, the grapes must be covered. The shelter is organized according to the following algorithm:
- the shoots remaining after the autumn pruning are detached from the support, placed on fertilized soil;
- to prevent decay, shoots are treated with copper sulfate;
- cover the plant with any insulating material - agrofibre, straw, leaf litter.
Protection of varieties from diseases and pests
Powdery mildew does not threaten Krasa Nikopol grapes. To prevent fungus, spraying with a 1% solution of copper sulfate is carried out. They are processed 3 or 4 times per season. It is unacceptable to spray grapes in the flowering phase and when the berries are ripe. Also, prevention consists in thinning the shoots, since there is a high risk of a fungal infection in dense greenery.
Wasps rarely attack this grape, since it ripens early, and the fruits have a dense skin.
But sometimes winegrowers have to fight with sparrows.
Collection and storage technology
Harvest in the second half of July. The bunches are cut with shears. Store the crop in a wooden container in a cool place. Shelf life - up to 5 days.
The fruits do not crack, do not crumple during long-term transportation. Therefore, the variety is often grown by farmers for sale.
