Description and characteristics of the Nastya grape variety, pros and cons, growing rules

The Nastya grape variety is loved not only by summer residents, but also by professional farmers due to its unpretentiousness and excellent taste. Winegrowers know it under the name Arcadia. The plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and good commercial qualities, as well as the versatility of using the harvested crop.

The history of breeding the hybrid Nastya

The hybrid grape variety Nastya was bred at the Institute of Viticulture. V. E. Tairov, located in the Ukrainian city of Odessa. Breeder E.N. Dokuchaeva worked on it, who crossed the popular table varieties Cardinal and Moldova. The miracles of genetics led to the development of a new one with white berries from two plants with dark fruits.

Today, Nastya grapes are popular not only in their homeland and in the countries of the former USSR, but are also successfully cultivated in France. This once again proves that the variety really deserves increased attention.

Pros and cons of the variety

Nastya grapes stand out among other varieties for their many advantages:

• yield and ripening of the harvest occur together;
• high yield (about 20 kg of berries from each bush);
• beautiful appearance of bunches and fruits;
• excellent taste;
• excellent frost resistance (up to -24 ° C);
• increased resistance to fungal diseases;
• It tolerates transportation well over long distances, is a record holder in this regard and occupies a leading position in the market.

Among the disadvantages, practicing winegrowers point out the tendency of the variety to overload the vine with the harvest and the high probability of infection by oidium without timely prevention.

External data

The attractive appearance of Nastya’s grape bunches immediately attracts attention. Based on some characteristics, it can be distinguished from the crowd and recognized among its competitors.

Description of the bush and vine

Depending on the region in which cultivation is carried out Arcadia grape variety, bushes can grow medium and tall.

Clusters with fruits are formed on 75% of the shoots. In the middle zone, during the summer period, the shoots fully ripen along their entire length, which can be quite large. The bush requires constant shaping and pruning. As soon as the vine reaches a length of 2 m, it is recommended to pinch it.

Leaves

The leaf of the Nastya grape has a slight pubescence, five lobes, and a rich green color. Closer to autumn it may change color to yellow.

Taste and appearance of berries

Arcadia berries grow ovoid, although, according to the characteristics, their shape should be round. The diameter of the fetus exceeds 25 mm, in some cases reaching 35 mm. The weight of one berry ranges from 8 to 16 g.

The pulp of the grapes is juicy, dense, with a thin and almost imperceptible skin. When ripe, the berries acquire a beautiful yellowish tint, and when fully ripe they become amber-yellow with a waxy coating.

The taste of Nastya grapes is very good. The content of acids and sugars is in perfect balance. Sugar content is no more than 17%, and acidity does not exceed 6 g/l.

These fruits are recommended for people who are on a diet or watching their weight. When eating Arcadia grapes, a light muscat aroma is felt.

Technical characteristics of Arcadia Pink

In terms of technical characteristics, the Nastya grape variety is not inferior to famous foreign hybrids. It demonstrates excellent results with minimal cost and maintenance.

Productivity

Arcadia grapes have very good yields. About 20 kg of berries are harvested from one mature bush, but record cases have been recorded when the yield reached 40 kg. Such overload does not have a very good effect on the future condition of the bush, so the yield must be normalized.

Pollinability

Nastya’s flowers are bisexual, so for pollination she does not require the presence of other varieties nearby, and the plant itself can also act as a pollinator.

Frost resistance

Nastya grapes have very good frost resistance and can withstand temperatures down to -24 ° C, but it is recommended to cover them in winter.

Immunity to disease

Arcadia is famous for its excellent resistance to diseases and pests, but requires timely preventive spraying, which eliminates the possibility of infection by oidium and mildew.

How to propagate grapes

The plant is a hybrid, therefore it can only be propagated by cuttings, grafting or layering. The survival rate is almost 100%.

Cultivation

Growing grapes Nastya has some features that you should definitely familiarize yourself with.

Landing technology

It is important to choose the right place and time of planting for the seedlings so that they have time to take root well and develop normally in the future.

Planting dates

It is better to plant grape bushes in spring or early summer so that they have enough time to take root. In the fall, such work is carried out extremely rarely. But vaccinations are done just towards the end of autumn.

Seating chart

To plant Arcadia, prepare a hole measuring 70 x 70 x 70 cm. If several bushes of this variety are planted on a plot, then the distance between them is left at least 1.5 meters.

Optimal soil composition

The soil for planting Nastya grapes is prepared in advance. To do this, add manure, ash and superphosphate to the site, and also clean the soil from weed roots.Next, they dig a hole and lay a drainage layer at the bottom, on top of which they pour fertile soil mixed with any humus, ash and azofoska. Only clean soil is poured under the roots.

Regularity of watering

Vineyards do not like excess moisture, but in drought conditions irrigation is necessary. During the period of flowering and fruit formation, watering is carried out more intensively, but at the end of July it is stopped altogether so that the berries can gain sugar. If the autumn turns out to be dry, then pre-winter watering is also carried out before the shelter.

Fertilizer

In the first year after planting, Nastya does not need to be fertilized. Then, 2 liters of wood ash are added annually to each bush. Once every 2 years in the spring, add a couple of buckets of compost or humus. In summer, foliar feeding is carried out by spraying foliage.

Before flowering begins and after its completion, complex mineral fertilizers are sprayed, and then potassium and phosphorus.

Garter to supports

Arcadia grapes reach great heights, so you can’t do without a garter. You will need to plan ahead and install supports or build trellises to which the vines will be attached.

Formation of a fruiting vine

Fruiting vines are formed in such a way that each Nastya grape bush has up to 45 eyes. Pruning is done into 8 or 10 eyes, depending on the thickness of the branch. A fan-type bush is formed, at the base of which 3-4 sleeves are left. All work is planned for a time when the vine is dormant.

Mulching

To prevent excessive evaporation of moisture from the soil, it is advisable to mulch. Straw, sawdust, peat or other similar materials are suitable for these purposes.Mown hay is also used.

Fruit ripening and harvesting period

The fruits of Nastya grapes ripen 115-120 days after flowering. The berries are harvested in early September. On the bushes they are stored without loss of taste and marketability until the beginning of October, if there is no frost.

The harvested crop is stored for a couple of months, and in the refrigerator the fruits do not lose their characteristics for up to 3 months. They are eaten fresh and also used for processing or making wine.