Table grapes at banquets or other events with a feast perform several functions at once. This is not only a sweet dessert, it is also an exquisite addition to the festive table, giving it a special aesthetic charm. Grapes were served on the table as a decoration back in ancient Greece, and little has changed since then. But sometimes there is a dilemma – which variety to choose to impress guests, because now there are plenty of grape varieties with excellent characteristics? We can advise Cardinal grapes, a very good variety, and in confirmation in this article we will talk about the description of the variety, we will give recommendations regarding cultivation.
Variety description
Cardinal is a grape variety of American origin, first came to our region in the middle of the 20th century, when it was brought to the USSR from France. Most suitable for growing in warm areas – the south of Moldova and Ukraine, the Krasnodar Territory. It belongs to early varieties, ripens in 115-120 days, that is, approximately in the second decade of August. The yield of Cardinal grapes is potentially high, but not stable, as it is very dependent on the conditions for caring for the crop, the main drawback is the uneven ripening of Cardinal berries. The number of fruitful shoots on a bush is 65-70, and the number of clusters on a developed shoot is approximately 1,1-1,4.
The bunch of Cardinal grapes is quite large (the length is about 25-30 cm, and the width is 15-20 cm), but not heavy – the average weight is 350-500 g. It is loose or very loose, has a cylindrical-conical shape. Oval or round-oval berries of medium size, each weighing 5-7 g, contains 3-4 seeds inside. The color of the berries is very attractive – purple-red, with a smoky wax coating. The pulp is juicy, green-white, crispy, the skin is dense. The taste of Cardinal grapes is very pleasant (it is not for nothing that it is a table variety!), There is a light nutmeg aroma. The sugar content of Cardinal at the time of harvest reaches 16-18%, the acidity does not exceed 7-8 hl. The variety is not very resistant to diseases, most often the variety is susceptible to mildew, gray rot. This is explained by the inability of this overseas variety to our climatic conditions. The situation is similar with frost resistance, in winter it requires shelter. But it is distinguished by excellent transportability and satisfactory keeping quality, as for such demanding grapes.
Growing tips
Adhering to the general rules for growing grapes for the Cardinal is not enough, you need to constantly monitor the conditions in which the culture grows. As already mentioned, in the former USSR, it is suitable for cultivation only in a few regions, since it is thermophilic. Choose a sunny open area for planting Cardinal grapes, chernozems are best suited as the richest soils, but can also be grown on light loam or sandy soils (planting temperature should be below 10 degrees). But you can’t do without feeding – it is better to use potassium-phosphorus fertilizers from mineral fertilizers. Do not forget to mulch with humus at least once a year (and since Cardinal grapes are very demanding on conditions, it is better to mulch in spring and autumn).
It is best to plant cuttings, then use perennial wood. Growing from a seedling will take longer, and the plant will be more prone to disease. An important stage of care is pruning, when shaping is done.
For the Cardinal, as a rule, 2 types of shaping are used: fan and Guyot method. It doesn’t matter which one you choose, but make sure that the load on one bush does not exceed the limit of 30 eyes, and there are about 13-15 fruitful shoots. To avoid the death of plants in winter, it must be carefully prepared for wintering. Remember that the variety is not very stable. Therefore, without waiting for the appearance of diseases, carry out preventive spraying.
Industrial production of Cardinal grapes is established only in warm regions, but for your own needs it can be grown in other areas where there are more severe climatic conditions, the main thing is to pay a lot of attention to plant care. We hope that the description of the characteristics of the Cardinal and the features of agricultural technology will help you grow an excellent table variety.
Video “Grapes Cardinal”
In a short but capacious video, a complete description of the Cardinal variety is given: a description of the characteristics of the variety, yield, fruit properties, cultivation and care features.
