The Original grape variety is distinguished by its high yield and unpretentiousness. It can be grown in the climatic conditions of Central Russia. The grapes have a sweet, pleasant taste, without a specific aftertaste. This variety belongs to the table variety, that is, it is originally intended for fresh consumption. Despite this, winegrowers successfully make homemade wine from the Original.
Description and characteristics of the variety
The Original grape variety has several varieties.They have minimal differences in technical characteristics. Experienced winegrowers take into account the characteristics of each species during planting and care.
The variety belongs to the mid-late variety, ripens in an average of 130-145 days, depending on the subspecies. The acidity of the berries is moderate, the sugar content reaches 22% under favorable growing conditions.
A complete description of each individual subspecies is not required. The main difference between the Original varieties is the shade of ripe berries. It can be pink, black or white. Pink grapes, when exposed to intense sunlight, become purple in color, white grapes become greenish, and black grapes become reddish.
Variety selection
The variety was bred more than 40 years ago at the Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking named after V. E. Tairov. This institution is located in Odessa. To create it, two varieties were used, one of which is Damask rose (Turkey), and the second is Datier de Saint-Vallier (France). Both types have good technical characteristics and excellent taste.
The Original variety was included in the State Register only in 2002. By this time, the grapes had passed all variety tests.
Productivity
The original belongs to high-yielding varieties, which is due to the large number of fruiting shoots on each bush. If you grow grapes on an industrial scale, then from one hectare you will get from 80 to 120 centners of harvest. From one bush you can collect, on average, 80 kilograms.
Description of berries
The berries are large, weighing from 7 to 12 grams, measuring 3x2 centimeters. They have an elongated nipple-like shape, tapering towards the tip. The pulp of the fruit is juicy, but under unfavorable growing conditions it is watery. Each berry has 2-3 small seeds. The skin is thin and cannot be felt when eating fresh grapes.The color of ripe fruits depends on the variety.
Description of the bush
The bush is powerful and tall, reaching 2.5-3.5 meters in length. Vigorous, quickly developing. The optimal load per bush is from 30 to 45 buds in the first years of cultivation, with a further increase to 60 buds. The flowers are bisexual, the leaves are five-lobed, dissected. The bush looks decorative.
Description of the bunches
The clusters are large, cone-shaped, reaching 30-40 centimeters in length. The grapes are located loosely, not tightly to each other. Each bunch weighs from 500 grams to 2 kilograms. The lowest weight is observed in the black subspecies of the Original.
Resistance to external factors
The variety was bred in Odessa and adapted to the conditions of this region. The original is a light- and heat-loving grape that does not tolerate persistent and severe frosts. Dies at temperatures of -21 °C and below. The variety survives precipitation well, but under unfavorable conditions it changes its properties.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The grapes have a lot of stepchildren, unripening crops and do not withstand transportation well. Ripe berries sometimes fall off. Waterlogging of the soil, due to heavy rains or excessive watering, leads to grape peas and a decrease in its taste.
Advantages of the Original:
- high productivity;
- ease of care;
- attractive commercial appearance of the bunches;
- long preservation of the crop in its original form (can be stored until the middle or end of winter, depending on the time of planting).
Also, the characteristics of grapes vary depending on the subspecies.White Original is more acidic than the others, black has the least resistance to flying insects (especially wasps), pink, on the contrary, is rarely attacked by pests. The latter is considered the leader in taste among all the Originals.
Features of cultivation
The optimal place for planting the Original: a leeward, sunny area of the garden or vineyard. It is desirable that the soil is moderately moist and nutritious.
High groundwater and a lack of microelements in the soil will lead to a poor harvest.
If necessary, drainage and fertilization of the soil is carried out during planting. The following are used as top dressing: wood ash, peat, humus or special mixtures (for example, Baikal EM-1). It is best to plant grapes in spring or autumn.
For seedlings, deep holes with a length and width of 80 to 100 centimeters are dug. Plants are planted at a distance of 2-6 meters from each other. The more, the better, as the grapes grow quickly and powerfully. After placing the seedling in the hole, the top layer of soil is mulched and watered.
Grape care
The original does not require special care. The grapes must be pruned in the first year, at the end of the first summer month. At least 10 eyes are removed from each fruitful shoot. This is done in order to minimize energy consumption and improve the quality of the crop.
Active watering is carried out during the flowering period of the bush and the appearance of the first fruits on it. On average, the plant is watered once a week. One bush takes a bucket of water. Before watering, 3-4 holes are dug near the roots. The same amount of water is poured into each of them.
The plant is fed, especially if the soil itself is infertile or heavy. For these purposes, mineral mixtures and organic fertilizer (humus, compost) are used. With the onset of cold weather, the grapes must be covered, and a protective layer consisting of brushwood and hay is laid around its roots.
Reproduction methods
The best way to propagate grapes of this variety is to graft cuttings onto a perennial rootstock. The second option is to plant a seedling grown from a cutting on the root system of the plant. The third way is to make a branch from the bush with the largest number of shoots.
Diseases and pests
The original has good resistance to mildew and oidium, average resistance to phylloxera (a disease of the root system) and gray rot. Vine bushes attract flying insects and aphids.
Vaccination, moderate watering and the use of only mineral fertilizers help protect the plant from phylloxera. It is also recommended to burn all leaves that fall in mid-autumn and treat with fungicides. You can use products such as Topaz, Shavit. Copper sulfate has good protective and fertilizing properties.
