Description and history of the Platovsky grape variety, cultivation, rules for harvesting and storing the harvest

Growing grapes is a healthy and tasty activity. Grapes can be eaten not only raw, but also processed - as juice, compote or wine. For such events, special technical varieties are bred. One of its representatives is the Platovsky grape variety. Why it is loved by gardeners and is gaining more and more popularity, we will discuss below.

Breeding history of the species

The variety first appeared in Novocherkassk, thanks to the efforts of Ya.I. Potapenko. Two varieties were taken as a basis - the Hungarian Zaldande and the Ukrainian Gift of Magaracha. The result exceeded all expectations. The crop turned out to be tasty, productive and frost-resistant.

Thanks to this, today not only residents of warm regions with a mild climate can enjoy grapes.

Advantages and disadvantages

Among the advantages inherent in culture, the following features are distinguished:

1. Systematic yield.
2. Unpretentiousness to environmental conditions.
3. Frost resistance, thanks to which the summer resident does not need to worry about additional safety measures to preserve the variety for the winter.
4. Fungal diseases and insect pests characteristic of the crop bypass Platovsky, thanks to its enhanced immunity.
5. It takes root well in a new place, after which it shows intensive growth.
6. The harvest ripens quickly.

Flaws:

• the berries formed on the bunch do not differ in heroic size;
• Compared to table grape varieties, Platovsky cannot boast of similar harvest volumes.

Features and characteristics of the variety

The description of the variety, for completeness, is divided into two parts:

• description of the appearance of the bush and grape bunch;
• crop yield, size and taste of berries.

Each point deserves special attention.

External parameters of the bush and shoots

The appearance of the bush is important for the gardener. The Platov grape bush is characterized as follows:

• the bush does not take up much space, growing to medium size, relative to other crops;
• the bunch takes on a conical shape;
• The size of the bunch is small, and the berries are not located tightly on it, but with small gaps.

Productivity, size and taste of berries

As for yield and taste, gardeners describe the following parameters:

• Harvest ripening, with proper care, occurs within 110 days. It is very fast, so the variety is considered ultra-early;
• the number of bunches on one branch does not exceed 3 pieces;
• the weight of the bunch fluctuates around 200 grams;
• the berries are small, with juicy pulp;
• the skin is thin, white;
• The weight of one berry does not exceed 2 grams.

Note! The harvest does not have to be harvested on the day it ripens. The bunches can remain on the bush for a month, ripening and gaining sweetness.

Agricultural technology

The technology of planting and caring for grapes matters - the quantity, as well as the quality, of the harvest depends on these factors.

Platovsky, by its nature, is not a capricious grape and does not require reverent, careful care. However, without following the basic principles of planting and basic care, even he will not be able to show a decent harvest.

Selecting a seat

The place on the site that you allocate for planting must meet the following requirements:

• planting is carried out on the south side of the site, away from tall buildings or fences;
• in the case where garden trees grow on the territory, the planting should not be located closer than five meters from them;
• You should not set up a plantation in a lowland. Moisture accumulates there, which will not have a favorable effect on the condition of the bush;
• If the area is not level and a slope is allocated for planting, place it as close to the center as possible.

Seating chart and hole dimensions

The grapes are planted in a specially prepared seedling hole (hole), the minimum size of which is 60 x 60 centimeters. The depth of the pit is also 60 centimeters. We fill the pre-prepared hole with the following mixtures:

• manure - 2 buckets;
• ash - one third of a bucket;
• 2 buckets of fertile soil;
• superphosphate – 150 grams.

The bushes are planted like this:

• distance between bushes – 3.5 meters;
• the distance between rows is 2 meters.

This technique is suitable when using a single-plane trellis. For a two-plane trellis, the distance between the bushes is slightly reduced.

Loosening and watering

It is necessary to water the bushes no more than once within 7-8 days after planting. As soon as the bush grows and gets stronger, the frequency is reduced to once every 14 days. During dry periods, pay attention to the condition of the soil and bushes.

Increase watering frequency if necessary. Do not forget to remove weeds that periodically appear near the bushes and loosen the soil, especially during rainy periods.

Foliar and root fertilizer

It is not recommended to fertilize grape bushes earlier than the third year after planting. During this time, the grape bushes will become sufficiently strong and begin to bear fruit. Priority is given to fertilizers made from organic substances and mineral-based products. Root feeding procedure:

1. In the first half of spring.
2. During the formation of inflorescences.
3. During the ripening period of grapes.

Foliar treatment is carried out by irrigating the leaves with special preparations containing useful compounds. These procedures are performed in cloudy weather or in the late afternoon.

Pinching

The grapes are pinched to speed up the growth of the vine. Pinching is performed in one of the following ways:

• Before flowering, developed shoots break off at the 10th node.This will become a deterrent to growth, which will subsequently result in more intense flowering;
• A couple of centimeters are torn off from the top of each shoot, leaving at least three young leaves on them. This will also enhance the growth of the grapes.

Pruning and formation of fruit-bearing vines

The grapes are pruned as follows:

• in the spring, only leaves that died over the winter are removed from the bush;
• in the fall, the branches are pruned so that no more than 80 eyes remain on one bush;
• on average, each branch is cut into 4 eyes, and this is enough.

In this way, excess shoots are removed and a fruit-bearing vine is formed.

How to cover grapes for the winter

The grapes are a frost-resistant variety, and it is necessary to cover them for the winter only if:

• the temperature in winter drops very low;
• There is little snow in winter.

In such cases, the bushes are covered with a special fabric, and the ground around is mulched. After precipitation falls, as much snow as possible is shoveled onto the planting site, and snowdrifts form on top of the bushes. They will retain heat and prevent the variety from dying.

Fruit ripening time

The bunches ripen within 4 months. Afterwards, for 20-30 days, they can remain unpicked, ripening and gaining sweetness. There is no need to hold the bunches longer, otherwise the grapes will begin to deteriorate and you will lose the harvest.

Harvest and storage

It is better to harvest grapes gradually as they ripen. The clusters are carefully removed from the bush. It is better to cut them with special scissors. Wooden boxes or baskets are suitable as storage containers. Storing product in buckets is not a good idea.

The harvested crop is stored according to the following scheme:

• boxes of grapes are stored at temperatures from 1 ^O up to 4 ^O;
• if necessary, overripe bunches are removed;
• To increase shelf life, sprinkle the bunches with fresh sawdust.

Grape propagation

Grapes propagate in 3 ways:

1. Using seeds.
2. By layering.
3. By cuttings.

Each method has its own strengths and weaknesses. Propagation by seeds is considered the most unproductive method. This happens because shoots grown from seeds lose the key properties of the variety.

Diseases and pests - control and prevention

The variety is resistant to diseases and pests and does not require special treatment. It is enough to carry out systematic inspections for plant infection. If characteristic signs indicating a disease or pest are found, the damaged leaves are removed and the bush is treated with special means.

To protect against birds that peck the berries, the bush is covered with a net. Such security measures are usually more than enough. Do not water the berries with additional chemicals or kill the birds.

Otherwise, you do not need to worry about the safety of the crop. A strong immune system will do its job.