Arcadia grapes (also known as Nastya) are one of the most popular varieties. With proper care, it gives a consistently high yield of large berries with a pleasant nutmeg aroma. It adapts well to different climatic conditions and does not suffer from sudden temperature changes. In the photo below, the crop of the Arcadia variety:
Description of the grape variety Arcadia
The Arcadia grape variety has the following characteristics:
- It is early ripe, the period from bud break to maturation of the first brushes is about 120 days. Depending on the region of growth;
- Arcadia grapes are obtained by crossing 2 varieties: Moldova and Cardinal. And received the best qualities from the parent varieties;
- The berries are quite large, the weight of each approaches 15 g, the shape of the berries is round, the color at the technical ripeness of the fruit is white or light yellow. At biological ripeness – amber. The skin is dense, but thin, covered with a whitish wax coating on top. The taste of berries is moderately sweet, balanced. The pulp is fleshy, juicy. When fully ripe, the fruit develops a nutmeg aroma;
- Brushes tolerate transportation well, have a conical shape. The weight of an individual brush reaches an average of 700 g, although there are record holders, their weight reaches 2 kg;
- Arcadia grape bush is large, leaves are large, 5-lobed, covered with white light pubescence from below,
- Most of the growing shoots (up to 70%) can form fruit clusters;
- The yield of each Arcadia grape bush can reach 20 kg. In a particularly successful vegetative season, you can get 50 kg of berries from 1 grape bush;
- The flower is bisexual, does not need artificial pollination. He can pollinate other varieties;
- The Arcadia grape variety tolerates frosts down to -23 ° C, which makes it suitable for cultivation in central Our Country;
Novice winegrowers are often concerned about the question, for what year does the Arcadia grape variety produce a crop? It all depends on how you land. If you planted grapes with cuttings, then in the second year you will only have signal clusters. They are recommended to leave no more than 2, since a larger number will overload the bush, it will be difficult for it to grow full-fledged shoots and direct forces to the ripening of berries. For 3 years, the Arcadia variety gives a full harvest.
Excellent varietal and commercial characteristics make Arcadia grapes a desirable variety for cultivation in gardens and home gardens. It is a table grape variety, which is also suitable for winemaking.
Arcadia grapes on video:
Planting and care
To get a decent harvest of Arcadia grapes, you should take a responsible approach to choosing a place to grow grapes and properly care for the crop in the future.
Variety Arcadia prefers well-lit, protected from the passage of cold northern winds, areas. Those parts of the garden that are surrounded by tall trees or near buildings will not work. The presence of a shadow will not have the best effect on the taste and ripening time of the berries.
There are no high requirements for soils. They must be well-drained. Stagnation of water will lead to the death of the grape culture. At the bottom of the landing pit, 70×70 cm in size, a layer of expanded clay or broken bricks is laid, which will perform drainage functions.
Further, humus or compost is laid, mixed with the existing soil, a bucket of water is poured out so that there are no voids, and the water is allowed to soak. It is possible, when preparing a planting pit for grapes, to add mineral fertilizers: superphosphate and nitrophoska 50 g each.
Planting Arcadia grapes is best done in the spring, when daytime temperatures will be within + 15 ° C, and the soil will warm up to + 10 ° C. Further, you can plant an existing grape seedling, but this must be done so that the soil level of the near-stem circle is below the level of the edges of the planting pit. According to the advice of experienced growers, in this way you will make it easier for yourself to further water and shelter the grape bush for the winter.
A seedling for spring planting is only suitable for woody, grown independently from a cutting or bought in a nursery.
The preparation of such seedlings will take some time. In autumn, cuttings of Arcadia grapes are cut, up to 30 cm long, about 10 mm thick, treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, dried well, wrapped in linen, and then in polyethylene, stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator until early March.
The cut is refreshed at the cuttings, several longitudinal notches are made on the bark from below, without affecting the wood, they are placed in planting containers (it is convenient to use plastic bottles cut in half), filled with soil, sawdust and humus in equal volumes. In a month, the grape cuttings will take root. For growing, they can be placed on the windowsill. In the spring, with the onset of stable heat, prepared seedlings are planted in a permanent place of growth.
You should immediately take care of organizing a support – a trellis for the Arcadia variety and laying pipes for its further watering and nutrition.
There are several types of tapestries. The simplest ones are made from a dug-in support (wooden or metal poles, 15 cm in diameter) and a wire stretched between them. The distance between the trellis supports is 3 m, and the distance between the rows of wire is 30 cm, the first lower row is at a height of 50 cm from the soil surface.
This type of trellis is called single-plane and is the cheapest, it can be made independently from improvised material.
The presence of support for the grape culture is necessary, since the crop is heavy and difficult for the shoots to hold. Fastening to the trellis makes it possible to obtain a high-quality crop. Clusters of grapes receive the maximum amount of sunlight and heat. There is no crowding in the foliage, there is no threat of fungal diseases.
Grape shoots begin to tie for 2 years of life on a stretched wire, parallel to the ground. The growing shoots are attached to the next line of wire when their length becomes more than 30 cm.
Another important agricultural technique that is necessarily used when growing the Arcadia variety is pruning the bushes. It is carried out in order to rejuvenate the bush, to cause the growth of shoots, which makes it possible to obtain a bountiful harvest of grapes.
Pruning of grapes is carried out in early spring, when the buds are still sleeping, mostly frozen or aged shoots are removed, or in late autumn, in late October – early November. For grapes of the Arcadia variety, pruning in the fall is preferable, if the plant is grown in the middle lane, after pruning, wintering is much easier, and it is easier to cover the formed bushes. Any type of pruning is suitable for the Arcadia variety. Each grower chooses the most suitable for himself.
Overgrown grape seedlings are shortened to 2 buds in autumn. Of these, 2 sleeves will be formed in the future. In the summer, stepchildren are cut out so as not to impede the ripening of the crop.
Pay attention to the condition of the shoots, the vines are those shoots that have borne fruit and should be removed, since there will be no more harvest on them. Always leave the strongest shoots. Pruning is a mandatory event that will allow the grapes to develop properly and produce the richest possible harvest.
Arcadia grapes need regular watering, especially before flowering and before laying the crop. The rest of the time, be guided by the weather conditions.
For the winter, after pruning and water-charging irrigation, all grape shoots are removed from the trellis, laid on the ground and covered with agrofibre and pieces of slate, or simply covered with soil.
In order to prevent disease damage, it is best to take preventive control measures by spraying vines 2 times a season, in spring and autumn, with the most affordable means: Bordeaux mixture.
Conclusion
Arcadia grapes are a favorite of winegrowers. It is not capricious to soils, weather conditions, tolerates winters well, responds with a good harvest for all the efforts made. Novice growers should pay attention to the Arcadia variety.
