The Kodryanka grape berry is valued in different regions of the Federation: the variety ripens well, is a fruitful, early ripening variety. It is easy to recognize by its characteristic elongated berry shape and rich dark blue to violet color. The taste cannot be called exquisite, it is acceptably sweet. But the clusters ripen already in June, earlier than other varieties.
Breeding history
An unpretentious, early-ripening species, in fact, is created from two: Marshall and Moldova.Codryanka, after crossing, inherited the qualities of its “parents” and is included in the category of table grape varieties.
The berry is easily recognized by its flattened, cone-shaped shape; it weighs, on average, up to 8 grams. The hybrid received the taste of the pulp, skin color and general appearance from Moldova. Kodryanka also inherited immunity to cold from her. And from Marshallsky the variety borrowed productivity, growth, and resistance to gray rot.
The hybrid species was developed in Moldova, where grapes have long been cultivated and harvested. The new variety turned out to be successful; Kodryanka is valued by gardeners for its unpretentiousness, early ripening and pleasant taste.
Description of the variety
Any description is replaced by tasting, but if this is not possible, then you will have to imagine the merits of Kodryanka based on other people’s impressions.
The pulp is greenish rather than white, not particularly dense, rich in juice and tasty. The skin (outer shell) is thick so that the grapes can be stored better, but is quite soft. It cannot be compared with the peel of a cucumber or an apple; it is much more tender. There are seeds, but they do not affect the taste of the grapes.
This variety is not suitable for raisins, but is suitable for eating. The sweetness is moderate, not cloying, it is balanced by a slight sourness, resulting in an original, piquant taste. In percentage terms, Codryanka contains up to 19% sugar. The clusters are large, on average 500 grams each, and there are also heavier ones (up to a kilogram). This is considered an undoubted advantage of the variety.
If we are talking about the advantages of the species, then it is worth mentioning the high shelf life of the berries - both on the bush and already collected.Let's add to this early (no more than 120 days) ripening, the ability to eat grapes before full ripeness (there will be no sourness), resistance to gray rot, and the description of the variety for cultivation in all regions of Russia, regardless of the climatic zone, is ready.
The fruiting qualities of Kodryanka appear quickly, in the next (second) year after planting in the ground and rooting. Large, ripe clusters hanging on the bush are pleasing to the eye and full of elongated, dark blue berries. The yield remains unchanged over many seasons, as does the signature taste.
The grapes easily withstand transportation without losing their qualities, withstand severe frosts down to -23 ºС, and are almost free of flaws. But they still exist.
In conditions of lack of heat and light, there is a high probability of changes in the shape and size of the berry (peas). You can combat this problem using phytohormonal supplements. This way it will be possible to stabilize the growth of the berries, and also to “correct” the defects of the breeders by breeding the seedless Kodryanka.
Characteristics
Working on crossing the Marshallsky and Moldova varieties, the creators tried to ensure that the hybrid retained the characteristics of each of them and even increased these qualities. As a result, they got grapes:
- Delicious.
- Sweet.
- Early ripening.
- Fruitful.
- Moderately sour.
- Disease resistant.
- Insensitive to low temperatures.
- Preserving its presentation on the vine and during transportation.
- With good stability of performance from season to season.
Codrianka is recognized by gardeners as an unpretentious and stress-resistant variety that is not afraid of frosts and unfavorable weather, and it will bring owners many heavy bunches filled with large oblong berries.
It is known and appreciated in the Moscow region, Rostov and the Urals: everywhere, subject to careful care, the bush will give a generous harvest, repeated from harvest to harvest.
What are the advantages?
Beginning winegrowers are often interested in what exactly are the obvious advantages of Kodryanka that distinguish it from other species that are similar in appearance. Breeding the perfect berry is not as easy as it seems.
The grapes were originally grown in the southern regions, with mild winters and consistently saturated light, warm summers. Most of the old and newly bred varieties grow there, the sweetest and most delicious. It is not easy to combine resistance to cold and disease, and not to forget about early ripening and berry size.
Codryanka has this: moderate sugar content, grapes 6-8 grams each, the weight of the bunch reaches 600 grams and even a kilogram. And it can also be transported without worrying about the presentation of the crop: thanks to the dense shell, the elongated fruits, tapering at the end, are perfectly preserved on the road.
Few varieties, more refined in taste and appearance, are able to compete with Kodryanka in terms of immunity to gray rot or frosts down to -23 ºС, and the ability to ripen in the short Siberian or Ural summer. The fruiting period (for 2 years) is simply excellent, and emerging peas can be combated by skillfully using phytohormones.
Landing Features
Breeders have created a real miracle by creating this species: any type of soil is suitable for planting - light, heavy, permeable and not very permeable. The adaptation of the variety is fantastic; one-year-old seedlings quickly take root both in the shade and in the sun. It is allowed to use the stepson method. To do this, a previously prepared cutting is grafted onto an existing bush.
Let's look at the first method first.Before planting a seedling, prepare a place: to do this, pour a nutrient mixture of soil and mineral complex fertilizer into a pre-dug hole. All roots of the future bush are carefully straightened, separated from each other and placed in the ground. Next, all that remains is to take care of the support (drive in a pin, a picket fence, or use an existing one) and generously water the seedling by tying the bush to it.
Before pinching, the top of the cutting must be waxed and soaked in a solution of complex fertilizer (“humate” or similar). All that remains is, using a sharp ax or knife, to split the stem of the mother bush (trunk), place the scion there, tie it tightly with a strip of fabric and secure it with clay coating.
When does it ripen?
Kodryanka ripens early: 3-4 months are enough for the berries to fill with juice. You can eat grapes without waiting for the full ripening period. The piquant sourness will add sophistication to the taste, and large, elongated grapes on heavy bunches will decorate the table and make an excellent dessert.
Caring for Codryanka grapes
Care measures include systematic watering, mulching, fertilizing and shelter before the winter season, as well as pruning. This will determine whether the wine shrub will retain excellent characteristics or not. Care begins with watering: 3 buckets of water for a young plant and about 2 times more for an adult.
Advice: to simultaneously retain the liquid in the soil and not oversaturate it, mulch is carried out. Peat and humus are suitable for this, you just need to not confuse the timing - before (after the end) of sap flow, in early spring or late autumn. Under no circumstances in the summer - this will begin to rot the root system.
Codrianka is a cold-resistant species, but at first it, like more heat-loving varieties, is covered for the winter. Available means are suitable for this purpose: straw, hay, tarpaulin, sawdust. Fertilizing (if mulch is used) is not needed at all, but once a year, when the site is dug up in early spring, mineral or organic fertilizers are applied to the soil under the bushes.
It is important to evenly distribute the layer around the stem. The formation of sleeves by trimming is not initially carried out on Kodryanka. This procedure begins after the berries have ripened, removing weak bunches and directing the growth of shoots in the right direction. Over time, when enough branches appear on the adult plant, including dried ones, pruning will be necessary, but the young bush can be left alone.
The hybrid has high natural resistance to most typical diseases, but this does not mean that it is completely protected from them. Of course, the bush will not be affected by powdery mildew, leaf blight or chlorosis, but prevention will have to be carried out.
Diseases and pests
Powdery mildew in various forms, gray rot and spotty necrosis, which are common for other varieties, do not have to be afraid of when growing the variety: the breeders have taken care of the plant’s immunity to most of these diseases. But this does not mean that over time traces of the disease will not appear on the leaves or berries.
To avoid problems, you will need to take measures to protect your pet. Treatment for disease prevention is a standard measure: despite its high resistance to pathogens, Kodryanka needs regular spraying with chemicals.
The use of conventional (non-reinforced) compounds will be quite sufficient.Before hibernation, the following measures are taken: tying the stem with spruce branches, hilling with an earthen mixture to create a dense cushion (to avoid damage by garden pests).
Best Growing Regions
The exclusive property of Kodryanka is its low selectivity in relation to the place of cultivation and climatic zone. The variety grows equally well in the Moscow region, in the south of Russia, in the Krasnodar Territory, Siberia, and the Central Strip - where it has enough warmth and sun to ripen the berries. The shrub easily tolerates winter temperatures down to -23 ºС, and if it is properly covered, it will withstand even lower ones.
The ripening conditions within 110-118 days, heavy clusters with large tasty berries make it possible to recommend this species for cultivation to novice gardeners, as well as to those who doubt the choice of variety for their region.
