Advantages and disadvantages of Charlie grapes, variety description and cultivation

The advantages of cultivated grape varieties, such as the Charlie grape variety, are known to experienced and novices alike. It is unpretentious, productive, beautiful - what more could you want? In addition, it is not afraid of the snowy, icy winter typical of the northern regions of Russia. A distinctive feature of the variety is the dark, almost charcoal color of the berries.

History of crop selection

The variety is relatively young: it was bred and registered in 2015. The second name, reflecting the shade of the peel, is Anthracite. The grapes were obtained by crossing the species Nadezhda AZOS and Victoria, the authorship belongs to E.G. Pavlovsky and the employees of the Kuban University of the Russian Federation who helped him.

Both varieties have been known for more than 40 years and are distinguished by their resistance to temperature changes. Charlie inherited the traits of both “parents”, generalized and improved them. The tests, during which the preliminary conclusions about the exceptional qualities of the grapes were fully confirmed, were carried out for about 10 years.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The hybrid turned out to be very successful; in brief, its advantages are expressed as follows:

• high yield from season to season;
• resistance to minor damage to the bunch, tolerates transportation well;
• takes root equally well in small plots and large-scale vineyards;
• peas are minimal;
• not demanding regarding watering, fertilizing, protection from pests;
• uniform ripening of berries in a bunch;
• rarely affected by insects (wasps);
• frost resistance – up to -24 degrees;
• the buds are not afraid of spring cold snaps, the bush quickly adapts.

Charlie is exceptionally beautiful: elongated, full clusters densely packed with black, shiny berries. With such obvious advantages, the variety is not without its disadvantages. This is a slight “nightshade” taste, which not everyone likes, as well as little study of its use in garden plots.But the variety has every opportunity to rehabilitate itself and win the trust of winegrowers.

Features and external parameters of the hybrid

When describing the hybrid, a score of 8.4 points out of 10 is mentioned - quite high for grape varieties. It refers to taste, sweetness, bouquet, and the presence of acid. According to official statistics, Charlie brings up to 140 kilograms of ripe berries per hectare.

Unfortunately, when growing at home, this indicator is difficult to confirm (refute) - it’s not on the same scale.

In reality, amateurs get up to 20 kilograms of grapes from one bush. The variety is cultivated not only in Russia; gardeners from Ukraine and Belarus are experimenting with it.

Externally, the bush is indistinguishable from its counterparts of other species: medium height, unremarkable leaf shape of 5 petals. A special feature of the variety is the uniform ripening of the berries in the bunch and the ovaries along the entire length of the shoot, which is not so easy to achieve during breeding.

The declared growing season (105-115 days) is actually even shorter, so the species is suitable even for a short summer. Grapes are successfully grown both from seedlings and cuttings. Shoots develop like an avalanche; on young bushes there are up to 30 of them. The proportion of successfully ripening shoots is 0.9-0.95, this is a good result.

Another important feature: Charlie does not need forced pollination; he has bisexual flowers that cope with this themselves. Each shoot grows up to 7 rows of grapes, but for better ripening it is recommended to cut 5 of them.

The declared frost resistance is -25 (according to other sources - 24) degrees, this allows the vine to endure the winter without shelter. In the southern regions it is not required at all.The variety shows sufficient endurance, even with inevitable damage to the foliage and tendrils during spring frosts, the bush is restored, returning to its normal state.

Hail Charlie reacts to rain by slowing down its development. As soon as the bad weather subsides, the plant will immediately make up for lost time. The clusters are large, the average weight is up to 800 grams (cases of ripening 2 kilogram specimens are noted). The length is almost half a meter - 40 centimeters of a conical, tightly packed crown with berries of black color and the same size. The harvest will not be long in coming: already a year after planting the seedlings, juicy, ripe grapes appear that can last for several days without shedding.

Bush and shoots

The bushes are medium-sized, exhibit high growth rates, and easily tolerate pruning and damage from precipitation. Charlie's shoots quickly begin to develop; their number has to be limited (especially in young plants) so that the remaining ones can form and grow berries.

Characteristics of berries and clusters

The berries have a characteristic ellipsoidal shape, rich anthracite color, large size and weight (up to 9 grams each). The juice is clear, sweet, with a slight tart aftertaste. The core of the berry is not loose, it contains up to 22% sugar and almost no acid. There are few seeds - 2-3, the peel is dense, but you can hardly feel it, it is easy to chew.

The clusters are heavy, full of fruit, and elongated (usually conical) in shape. Sometimes they reach a length of up to 40 centimeters and weigh more than a kilogram.

Productivity

The variety demonstrates high yields; this indicator does not change from season to season. At first, you have to artificially limit the growth of “extra” bunches and berries by removing them. This measure is forced, otherwise the grapes will not be able to ripen at all.

The yield indicator does not depend on temperature fluctuations in the region and the place of planting; the variety copes well with “atmospheric problems” and demonstrates stable growth and fertility.

Resistance to frost and disease

Charlie inherited from his grandparents a low sensitivity to low temperatures. In the southern regions they do not cover it at all for the winter, in the northern regions they gradually accustom it to the cold. The vine is able to withstand frost down to -24 degrees without damage; slightly damaged leaves are quickly restored as soon as the sun warms up. The variety is not afraid of the most “formidable” and widespread grape diseases – mildew and oidium.

How to plant seedlings

Charlie's planting is no different from that of other varieties. The rule is to choose a place that is sunny but sheltered from the wind - that’s where the bush feels best. Two methods of cultivation are practiced - seedlings and cuttings.

Cuttings

The simplest known method. The length of the prepared cutting is limited to 50-60 centimeters; before planting, the root part is soaked in water (or in a solution of a growth stimulator). An important condition is the air temperature - at least 16 degrees Celsius.

Seedlings

Seedlings are rooted in spring (not recommended in autumn due to poor survival rate). It is advisable not to use weak and sick ones - this will affect the growth of grapes. This method is more reliable and more familiar than planting cuttings; it is recommended for beginning gardeners.

Landing technology

Charlie plants like other grape varieties: in dry, windless weather, better in spring than autumn. It is not necessary to scrupulously dig up and fertilize the entire area; it is enough to prepare the place where the seedling will grow.It is allowed, as protection from gusts of wind, to use nearby bushes of other plants: they will help the grapes to strengthen and not be afraid of cold air.

Choosing a landing site

This should be a light, moderately moist area. Any stagnation of liquid in the soil is excluded; it will lead to rotting of the roots. It is better with well-fertilized soil, drainage and breathability. If you plant grapes under the wall of a building, this will serve as additional protection from the wind.

Required soil composition

Charlie likes dry, light earthen mixtures that are not clayey or waterlogged. The balance of minerals is ensured by timely fertilization with organic matter or mineral complexes. Drainage during planting is one of the necessary measures. Crushed stone, small broken bricks, and sand are used. A uniformly mixed “pie” is made from soil and fertilizers, which fills the internal volume of the hole.

Seating pattern and hole depth

For a seedling, a small hole measuring 60x60 centimeters with the same depth is enough. The distance between neighboring bushes is maintained within 1-1.5 meters. If you immediately dig a trench and prepare it, it will be more convenient to plant the bushes.

Feeding young grapes after planting

The bush needs complete feeding in the 3rd year of growth, when it has already sufficiently depleted the supply of fertilizers provided during planting. The main thing here is not to overdo it, adding compost and ash to the root zone, or spraying the foliage with a weak solution of mineral compounds.

Liana care

Grapes do not require special attention: watering, fertilizing, loosening the root zone and preventing parasites. It is better not to add water than to overfill it.“Thirst” in the variety manifests itself during the period of growth and ripening of berries; Before the autumn harvest (15-20 days in advance), watering is stopped.

Garter bushes

The shoots develop intensively, therefore, to prevent them from breaking under the weight of the bunches, you should take care of supports - trellises, stretched rows of wire, pipes or picket fences driven into the ground. The vine is not tied up immediately, but 2 years after planting. Fabric strips are used for this; it is important not to pinch the delicate sleeves and shoots so that they do not dry out.

Trimming

Charlie is circumcised 3 times a year: in spring, summer and fall. Each stage has its own goals: first, branches that have died during the winter are removed, then “sanitary” pruning is carried out to form the profile of the bush, and finally preparations are made for the cold.

Watering rules

Watering is a delicate procedure: too much liquid will cause the roots to rot, while too little will not allow the berries to develop. Experienced gardeners advise not to add water, so as not to create a wetland area under the stem.

Top dressing

Standard feeding with manure, compost, and minerals is used. Typically, the dose given during planting lasts for 3 years, and only then does the need for additional fertilizer arise.

Formation of a fruiting vine

This is done by pruning: successively removing “extra” eyes, leaving no more than 30-35 on the bush. It is important to open the bunches to the sun during the summer procedure, getting rid of weak and inferior ones.

Preventative treatments

This group of activities includes spraying with chemicals, loosening, pruning, and fertilizing. The variety is resistant to most diseases, but as preventive care measures you will have to take care of protection from possible manifestations of fungi and lesions.

Preparing for winter

The variety is frost-resistant; it is often covered in the northern regions (sometimes, to train the vine, it is advised to protect it in the first 2 years of its existence). In the fall, before the first frost, the vine is untied from the support, lowered to the ground and lightly buried. It is very important to ensure the stability of the bush in a bent position so that gusts of wind do not lift it, damaging delicate branches and buds.

Diseases and pests - ways to combat them

Charlie is not afraid of mildew, oidium, and most pests - it is enough to carry out preventive treatment with insecticides and antifungal drugs. Sometimes it is advised to dig in the vine for the winter, creating a roller of soil, and laying traps with poison around it to prevent damage by garden rodents.