Among grape varieties, gardeners give special preference to mid-late hybrids. They are valued for a convenient ripening period and quality characteristics obtained by crossing parental species. Strashensky grapes should be noted as one of the most popular and sought-after varieties.
Some growers know it as the Moldavian hybrid “Consul”. Due to its excellent characteristics, the popularity of the variety is growing every year. To grow the famous Strashensky grapes on the site, we turn to the description of the variety, as well as photos, reviews and videos of gardeners:
Description
Grape variety “Strashensky” refers to table mid-season hybrids. Some growers consider it medium-early, others medium-late. Some difference in the ripening period is due to the climatic conditions of the regions in which the grapes are grown. Gardeners consider the fact that negative reviews and disappointments when cultivating the Strashensky variety is unknown as an important plus. Therefore, in almost every garden you can find several bushes of the famous grapes. With what qualities did this variety win the appreciation of winegrowers?
Productivity, large-fruitedness and unpretentiousness.
The yield of Strashensky grapes, according to gardeners, is stable and high. It is about 30 kg from one adult bush. If the crop is harvested on time and not overexposed on the bush, then the gray rot of berries is not terrible for the grape variety.
Clusters are formed large, the average weight is 1,5 kg. With good care, more than half of the brushes weigh 2,2 kg. Gross density is more loose than average. Depends on growing conditions. Clusters have a high quality presentation and consist of round beautiful fruits.
The berries are very large, each level with a five-kopeck coin.
The skin color is dark purple, but can be almost black. The mass of one berry of Strashensky grape variety varies from 8 g to 14 g. The pulp is juicy and fleshy, the taste is sweet with a slight sourness. Tasting score 8 points. The skin on the grapes is thin, almost imperceptible while eating.
The bush of the variety is tall and powerful. The leaves are slightly elongated, large, the lower plate is covered with fluff. The flowers are bisexual, pollination is good. Ripening of shoots at the level of 85%, fruiting coefficient 2,0. The load on one shoot is 1,2 kg.
According to the description, a distinctive characteristic of the Strashensky grape variety is high frost resistance. The vine is not damaged even in frost down to -24°C. Drought resistance is not as high, but for some time the bushes can do without additional watering.
The description of the variety indicates that the Strashensky grape has an increased resistance to spider mites and phylloxera. It demonstrates average resistance to mildew and rot, but gray rot, oidium can be quite common on Strashensky grapes. Especially if the bunches are rearranged on the bush.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of Strashensky grapes are easy to list, based on the description of the variety and the reviews of gardeners. These include:
- high yield, which is easily confirmed by photos of Strashensky grape bushes;
- commodity and taste qualities of berries;
- resistance to a number of cultural diseases;
- increased resistance to pests – spider mites and phylloxera;
- frost resistance to a temperature value of -24 ° C;
- medium drought resistance, which is important for moisture-loving crops;
- medium-level transportability, which allows transporting the variety over short distances.
The disadvantages of Strashensky grapes are:
- delay in ripening of berries due to a long flowering period;
- frequent defeat by oidium and gray rot;
- damage by birds and wasps due to slow maturation;
- the unsuitability of the grape variety for storage.
The appearance of the second disease listed (gray rot) can be prevented by the timely collection of berries. Very useful for Strashensky grapes are preventive spraying of seedlings when planting against diseases. Well in this case, a solution of copper sulfate works. In the future, 3 more treatments are carried out, the last of which falls on the time one month before the start of the harvest. The nets that growers put on the hrons help to save the bunches from the raids of birds and insects. What grapes look like with protective nets can be seen in the video:
And in order to reduce the duration of the flowering period, the very first brush is removed on the bush.
Landing
It will be more difficult to grow Strashensky grapes correctly if you do not use a detailed description of the variety and agricultural technology, a photo of the plant and gardeners’ reviews. It is necessary to familiarize yourself in detail with each stage in the development of a grape bush. The first important event is planting a seedling.
Grapes prefer sunny places without sudden gusts of wind. It is important to pay attention to the depth of groundwater and the evenness of the surface of the site. The roots of the Strashensky variety do not like moisture stagnation, which leads to rotting of the system.
In addition, you need to provide the soil with a sufficient amount of nutrients. The more fertile the land, the better the grape harvest. Landing can be scheduled for both autumn and spring. The main thing is to prepare the seat in advance.
For spring planting, fertilizers are applied during autumn digging. Compost or manure is best. For one planting pit, you need 1 bucket of organic matter and 500 g of superphosphate. If it is decided to plant seedlings of Strashensky grapes in the fall, then fertilizers are applied to the pit prepared in advance 3 weeks before the event.
The dimensions of the planting pit should be such that the roots can be placed freely enough in it. Parameters less than 0,75 m should not be done. The distance between the pits is left at least 2,5 m, and between the rows of plants – at least 3 m.
If the site has clay soil, black soil or a close location of groundwater, then a drainage layer is required. It is placed at the bottom of the pit using crushed stone or other suitable material.
On sandy or light soil, drainage can be dispensed with.
A layer of organic matter is laid on top and a support is installed in the center of the pit. Strashensky grape bushes are distinguished by powerful growth, so support for the seedling at first will not be superfluous.
The seedling is placed in the middle, the roots are straightened and sprinkled with fertile soil.
The earth is lightly tamped and the newly planted plant is watered. It is recommended to mulch the near-stem circle to retain moisture longer. Planting seedlings allows the grapes to take root faster. For planting, healthy planting material is selected without signs of disease or pest damage, with a good root system.
The nuances of care
Gardeners are always interested in the result. Tips on growing Strashensky grapes will help to achieve a good harvest. This may be a description of the Strashensky grape variety, a photo or reviews of gardeners.
In the first month after planting, seedlings are watered as the top layer dries. When the plants take root and grow, you can reduce the amount of watering. For adult grapes, three full-fledged waterings per season are enough, plus an autumn moisture recharge.
On a site with sandy soil, you will have to water more often, once a month.
And at the beginning of fruit ripening, it is required to carry out a selective cutting of the crowns in order to reduce the load. In this case, the remaining bunches will be well ripened. A feature of the Strashensky variety is the uneven ripening of the bunch. This is when the top of the bunch is ripe while the bottom remains green. To prevent this from happening, at the time of tying the berries, you can safely cut off 1/3 of the length of the brush. The volume of the bunch will decrease and all the berries will ripen on time and evenly.
One more feature. Enough stepchildren are left on the Strashensky grape bushes for the plant to form more leaves. This will allow you to get a quality crop.
Grape pruning is done standard for 4-6 eyes, alternating inflorescences and single eyes. At the same time, it is taken into account that large clusters are formed at level 2. No more than 18 eyes are left on one.
To prevent the spread of diseases, preventive spraying of plantings is mandatory.
If you do 3-4 treatments, then further treatment is not needed. “Strashensky” refers to resistant varieties, so well-conducted prevention is enough for him.
To prevent wasps and birds from spoiling the crop, they set traps or put a net on the bunches, which protects them from pests.
Although the variety is considered quite frost-resistant, it is still recommended to remove it from its supports in regions with harsh winters and cover it until spring. This is indicated in the description of the Strashensky grape variety, and the photo shows how to do it.
