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Muscat is one of the most ancient cultivated grapes and one of the most widespread today. Due to their excellent taste characteristics, they enjoy well-deserved respect among connoisseurs of these berries. And against this rich background, the Muscat Hamburg grape variety stands out favorably. It is a detailed description of this variety that our article will be devoted to.
Variety description
The Muscat Hamburg grape (also known as Black Alexandrian Muscat, Hamburg Misket and by some other names) was sectioned, despite its name, in the UK as a greenhouse variety.
Since then, it has become widespread throughout the world. In particular, in our latitudes it is cultivated in Moldova, the south of Ukraine, the Crimea (it has been growing on the Crimean land since the second half of the XNUMXth century), the Krasnodar Territory.
Consider this variety of muscat in more detail.
Common parameters
The variety Muscat Hamburg has the following characteristic features:
- shoots half creeping, covered with dense foliage;
- the leaves are large, wavy structure, sharp teeth are on the edges of the foliage;
- leaves turn yellow in autumn;
- the berries are quite large, deep blue.
The undeniable advantages of this nutmeg include: excellent taste characteristics of fruits, a high level of preservation (at least 2-3 months), good transportability, and in addition to this, it is very well suited for canning (one of the best in many respects).
Traditionally, Hamburg Muscat is considered a table variety, but many experienced growers say that it is better to refer to it as a universal species.
Bushes
Muscat of Hamburg is characterized by bushes of medium height. If the grapes are planted in places with deep fertile soils, then the growth will be above average.
Annual shoots are characterized by a satisfactory degree of maturation. However, their growth is impaired if there is excessive moisture and lack of heat. The crown of young vines is whitish-pink, covered with a thick felt edge. Mature vines are brown with reddish knots. The number of fruiting shoots on a bush is about 60-67% of the total growth.
The leaves are usually large to medium in size, noticeably wavy, heart-shaped with five lobes, which are bordered by not very large pointed triangular teeth. From below, they are covered with thick fluff, resembling felt to the touch, from above the pubescence is not so dense and has a cobweb structure. They have a green color, sometimes interspersed with bronze spots and with a slightly red color of the teeth.
The upper neckline is closed, of medium depth, with an oval clearance. Sometimes they are open and curved, with almost parallel edges. The lower neckline is narrow, in the form of an angle or open.
The petiolate notch is closed, with an oval lumen or with a curved lumen and is open. The flower is bisexual.
Clusters and berries
The clusters of this medium grape are usually medium, but there are also large ones. The length reaches, on average, up to 20 cm, the width is up to 17 cm. The mass is up to 267 g. The grape tassel itself is conical, branched, loose. The stem of the bunch is green, small (approx. 5 cm).
The berries are different in size, mostly oval. The color is rich dark blue, with a significant wax coating. The sizes, as a rule, are average – 14-23×10-16 mm, weight – up to 4 g each with 2-3 large bones. The skin is relatively tough. The pulp is juicy and fleshy. The taste is pleasant, with a characteristic aftertaste and aroma of musk.
Productivity
As for productivity, Muscat Hamburg has a “weak spot” here. It is classified as a species with a potentially high yield (70-120 centners per hectare), but the fruitfulness is unstable, the increase in fruiting fluctuates.
Grapes belong to varieties with medium late ripening. Fruit ripening occurs in September. About 140-150 days pass from the time of bud opening to the moment of full maturation.
Usually one bunch ripens on one shoot, the average weight of the brush is 210 g.
Features of agricultural technology
Such grapes should be planted in fairly warm places. The distance between the bushes should be at least 1,5 m, between the rows you need to leave a space of at least 2,30 m wide.
It is noted that Muscat Hamburg grows well and gives good yields if planted in light sandy, sandy or loamy soils on the southern and southwestern slopes.
Optimally high yields while maintaining the high quality of the fruit gives the formation of a bush like a two-armed Guyot or in a stemless fan form. At the same time, up to 20 green shoots are left on the bush, of which 11-14 are fruit-bearing.
Grapes are prone to oidium, phylloxera, gray rot, mildew, and bacterial cancer. At the same time, it is less prone to cluster leaf rolling.
This variety is quite thermophilic, its frost resistance is small. If the temperature falls below -19°C, then more than half of the eyes of the whole plant are damaged. Therefore, it is recommended to completely cover the plant for the winter.
In seasons characterized by adverse weather conditions, shedding of flowers is possible, as well as the formation of a large number of seedless berries.
Video “Characteristics of grape varieties”
In this video you can get acquainted with the characteristics of a number of varieties, including ours.
Muscat Hamburg is a noble grape variety, one of the best of its kind, which will adorn any garden.