Grape Valek

Ukraine is considered to be the birthplace of grapes of the hybrid form Valek. The culture was brought out by an amateur N. Vishnevetsky. A variety with amber berries quickly spread throughout the expanses of the Crimea. In Our Country, Valek grapes first appeared among residents of the southern regions. Now the variety is gradually adapting in the northern regions and the central strip.

Distinctive characteristics of the variety

To develop a hybrid form, varieties with a good pedigree were taken: “Kesha 1”, “Star”, and also “Rizamat”. When crossing three parents, an excellent grape was obtained, the berries of which are intended for fresh consumption. Initially, the variety was zoned for northern Ukraine, but the grapes adapt well to different weather conditions.

It is worth starting to consider Valek grapes, a description of the variety, photos, reviews with a review of the brushes. Huge clusters weighing 1,5–2,5 kg are the main advantage of the hybrid. In terms of large-fruitedness, Valek confidently competes with popular high-yielding varieties. Brushes are formed with a tight fit of berries.

Oval-shaped berries are elongated up to 3 cm in length, and the width reaches 2,8 cm. The weight of one fruit is about 14 g. The color of the berries is green. When fully ripe, the flesh with the skin turns yellow to amber. In the sun, the barrels turn a little brown.

The taste of Valek grapes is sweet. The aroma is reminiscent of a mixture of muscat and pear. The pulp is tender, fleshy, resistant to cracking due to the thick skin, but when eaten, it is faintly felt.

Good fruiting cannot occur without strong vine growth. The grape bushes of the Valek variety are sprawling, characterized by intensive growth of the vine. Shoots for the season have time to ripen. Throwing bisexual flowers increases the percentage of self-pollination. The color lasts for about 10 days. Pollination will occur even in rainy summer without the participation of bees.

In terms of ripening, the Valek variety is considered an early grape. The first bunches can be plucked in the first decade of August. From the awakening of the kidneys to the harvest, it usually takes 105 days. In the south of Ukraine, the bunches of the Valek hybrid ripen earlier than those of the popular early variety Arcadia.

Positive and negative qualities

Reviewing the description of the Valek grape variety, photos, reviews, videos, as a summary, consider the positive and negative features of the culture. Among the advantages can be identified:

• original taste qualities that are not inherent in other varieties;
• high yield, stable fruiting, large clusters and fruits;
• good presentation of grapes;
• early maturation;
• bisexual flowers are able to pollinate neighboring bushes, not without the participation of bees;
• there is no pea of ​​berries in the brushes;
• Valek grape harvest can be transported and stored;
• resistance to fungal diseases;
• the vine winters well, even if it has undergone hypothermia to a temperature of -24^оC.

Valek is bred from the top three grape varieties, which are difficult to find negative traits. The downside is the weak compatibility of the stock with the scion. Valek grapes are best propagated by cuttings on their roots than grafting.

On the video you can get acquainted with the Valek variety:

Breeding options

The Valek grape variety can be propagated in different ways. The grower chooses the most affordable and easy option for himself. It is best to purchase seedlings or grow them from cuttings, but other methods can be used.

For the propagation of Valek grapes, the following methods are used:

• Growing on own roots. For the Valek variety, this is the most effective breeding method, given that the culture is a hybrid. A seedling is bought in a nursery or in the market. If the neighbors have an adult Valek grape bush growing on the site, then in the fall you can ask for a cutting. In the spring, a segment of the vine is planted in a flower pot, and an excellent seedling is obtained from it.
• Propagation by grafting allows for rapid growth. However, Valek is poorly compatible with other varieties. For the sake of interest, you can try to plant a couple of cuttings or buds on another bush, but you should not rely on this method of reproduction.
• Reproduction by branches for the Valek variety is also acceptable, since the new seedling will grow on its own root. The method is based on digging a section of a matured vine without cutting off the lash from the bush. Over time, in damp soil, layering will take root. Now it can be cut off with a pruner from the bush and transplanted for further rooting.

There is a variant of propagation of grapes with a seed. The method is suitable if it was not possible to get seedlings or cuttings. From the berries of the purchased bunch, large ripened bones are removed and planted in the ground. After 2 years, an excellent seedling is obtained. However, for hybrid varieties, the option with a stone is not well suited. Grapes can only grow with the characteristics of one parent.

Features of care

Considering the grapes Valek, a description of the variety, it is worth noting the light-loving culture. Bushes develop only in a free area, unshaded by large trees. Proximity to any buildings similarly depresses grapes.

Elevations are chosen on the site for seedlings, especially if there is a high location of groundwater. Optimally choose the south side without drafts. Strong wind currents reduce the percentage of self-pollination of flowers, which affects the yield.

There are no special requirements for the composition of the soil of Valek grapes, but the bush grows better on light soil. The fertility of the land is increased by fertilizing during the planting of the seedling and throughout the entire period of the crop’s life.

Adult bushes of Valek grapes are vigorous. When planting seedlings, a distance of at least 3 m is kept. On large plantations, a minimum row spacing of 4 m is observed. Free space is required not only for the growth of the vine. The horse system also needs to develop and receive a full portion of nutrients.

The breeding season of grapes begins in the third decade of March and ends in November. The time for planting the planting material and the method of reproduction are determined individually. Vaccinations, as well as planting dormant seedlings, are carried out in early spring. With the establishment of constant heat in late spring, grapes are planted with blossoming leaves and green shoots. At the beginning of summer, green seedlings can also be planted, but this time is better suited for propagation by offshoots.

In autumn, planting seedlings should not be delayed, especially in cold regions. The grapes should already be in the winter dormancy stage, but still have the ability to root. The optimal time for the autumn landing is mid-October. The sap flow is already suspended in the grapes, but before the onset of frost, the seedling will have time to take root and stock up on nutrients.

Good rooting and development of the bush depends on a properly prepared hole. It is important to initially lay down the nutrients that the seedling will have enough for the first years of life. The hole is dug at least 80 cm deep. The shape can be round or square, but the hole is also made up to 80 cm wide.

At the bottom of the hole, a drainage layer about 20 cm thick is laid out of stones and sand. If there is loose sandy soil on the site, then drainage can be abandoned. For further backfilling, a nutrient mixture is prepared. Chernozem is mixed in equal amounts with humus or compost, dry granules of mineral fertilizer are added. Superphosphate and potassium are usually used. The hole is filled with a nutrient mixture so that a depth of about 50 cm remains for planting a seedling.

When buying a grape seedling of the Valek variety, its appearance is carefully examined. The root should be more than 10 cm long without dry branches. The aerial part without cortical lesions and with at least four developed buds.

Before planting, the seedling is immersed in water for a couple of hours. You can add a root growth stimulator. The seedling is lowered into the hole with the heel on the mound, and the roots are straightened along the slopes. The aerial part is turned to the north by the kidneys. The root heel faces south. The seedling is carefully covered with loose soil, without burying above the level of the root collar. After powdering, up to three buckets of water are poured into the hole. After the liquid has been absorbed, the soil is topped up to the desired level, and mulch is poured on top.

Further care for Valek grapes includes watering, fertilizing, weeding, pruning, spraying with fungicides.

Valek grapes are watered as the soil dries and always before flowering, during the ovary of berries, and also in late autumn. The soil is constantly loosened, weeds are weeded, mulch is poured from sawdust or peat.

Top dressing with mineral complexes depends on the condition of the soil, and organic matter is in demand every season. Bushes are poured with a solution of bird droppings, sprinkled with dry rotted manure or compost instead of mulch.

Fungicides are used for preventive spraying. Good results in the fight against fungus are shown by colloidal sulfur and Bordeaux liquid.

Reviews

Reviews of gardeners and summer residents will help to learn more about Valek grapes.