The presence of zoned selection products in the arsenal of summer residents and gardeners allows them to grow vineyards even in areas with pronounced seasonality. The Carmen grape variety is distinguished by its resistance to cold climates, unpretentiousness to cultivation conditions and high yield. Ease of care and excellent taste of the fruit explain the popularity of the hybrid among agricultural technicians and home garden owners.
Description, characteristics of the variety
The Carmen variety, obtained as a result of selective crossing, is not demanding on the composition of the soil and is able to tolerate low temperatures and lack of moisture without consequences. An adult plant with bright green foliage takes the form of a large bush with two-meter shoots, along the entire length of which fruits form and ripen.
The high yield is due to the self-pollinating nature of the hybrid. Bisexual flowers bloom in May, and the fruits ripen in August. The variety forms large clusters weighing up to 2 kilograms with a wide base at the point of attachment to the stem and tapering towards the end.
Characteristics of Carmen grapes:
| Parameter | Description |
| Purpose of grapes | Dining room |
| Average bunch weight | 0.6-1.0 kilograms |
| Berry size | up to 3.6 centimeters in length |
| Berry weight | 8-12 grams |
| Average bush yield | 6 kilograms |
| Fruit ripening period | 100-110 days |
| Limit of the lower limit of temperature resistance of a plant | -25 °C |
Cuttings with good rooting ability grow quickly. The unpretentiousness of the plant and the quality of the berries, which ripen relatively early, set the variety apart from its competitors.
Advantages and disadvantages of Carmen grapes
The Carmen variety is distinguished by a list of undeniable advantages coupled with a few disadvantages that must be taken into account when growing the plant.
The advantages of Carmen grapes with minimal restrictions in cultivation become the reason for the variety’s demand in regions with different climatic conditions.
Landing Features
Grapes are propagated by cuttings, layering and rootstock. Viable seedlings take root quickly. The optimal season for planting is spring, when the average daily air temperature does not fall below +10 °C.
For the vineyard, choose a sunny area, preferably on the south, southwest side.
The planting site is prepared in the fall by digging up the soil with the addition of complex fertilizer or humus. The plant is undemanding to the soil, but areas with stagnant groundwater should be avoided or their level should be adjusted by forming an embankment.
In the spring, dig a planting hole with a diameter of 0.5-0.6 meters and a depth of 0.7 meters. A layer of manure is placed at the bottom of the depression, which is covered with a layer of soil. The seedling is placed in the prepared hole so that the root collar is visible above the surface. Sprinkle the plant with soil, tamp it down and water it.
Further care of the crop
Growing a variety on the site will not require much time and effort from the owner. Post-planting care for Carmen grapes includes:
- removal of weeds;
- loosening the soil around the bushes;
- watering;
- feeding;
- vine pruning;
- fight against infections.
Watering is done as the soil dries out. During the dry period - once every 405 days. Water the bushes before the fruits begin to ripen.Then watering is stopped, but the need to loosen the soil remains.
Fertilizing is carried out twice a year. In the fall, organic matter is applied under the bushes, and in the spring, mineral fertilizers rich in potassium and phosphorus are applied. Trim the vine in early spring, before sap begins to flow, leaving no more than 8 buds.
To avoid diseases affecting grapes, in the spring, before flowering, preventive treatment of plantings against infections and pests is carried out.
Diseases and pests
Carmen grapes are susceptible to some fungal and viral infections and are attractive to insect pests. Provoking factors for infection are:
- high humidity;
- hot weather;
- lack of nutrition and mineral components;
- moisture stagnation;
- no loosening of the soil.
To avoid crop loss, it is necessary to carry out timely preventive treatment of bushes and provide the plants with proper care.
Signs of infection and ways to combat common grape diseases:
| Disease | Signs | Control measures |
| Mildew | Whitish spots on the outside of the leaf blade, fine-grained light coating on the inside of the leaf. Over time, the lesions become necrotic, and the infection spreads to the inflorescences, which eventually die. | 1. Removing affected leaves.
2. Fungicidal treatment. 3. Mulching the soil. 4. Application of mineral fertilizers. |
| Oidium | Slowdown in the rate of vegetative growth, leaf curl, the appearance of a whitish coating on leaves, shoots, and inflorescences. At an early stage, the fruits dry out, at a late stage they rot and crack. Rotting is accompanied by the smell of rotten fish. | 1. Treatment with fungicides.
2. Providing air access to the bushes by tying and pruning. 3. Loosening the soil. |
| Anthracnose | Brown spots with a white border appear on the leaves. The affected areas darken and deteriorate over time. Shoots and inflorescences darken and die. | 1. Removal and destruction of clearly affected parts of the bush.
2. Fungicidal treatment. |
| Phylloxera | Grape aphids attack leaves or roots. Root phylloxera destroys roots and trunks, while leaf phylloxera infects leaves, shoots, and inflorescences. | 1. Destruction of affected bushes.
2. Insecticidal treatment. |
The best ways to protect against vineyard diseases remain preventative treatment of plants, rational watering, regular loosening of the soil and application of fertilizers. Fungicides and insecticides are best used in advance, in the spring, before flowering and fruiting.
Cleaning and storage
Harvesting is carried out as the cluster ripens, from the first to the third ten days of August. If good weather continues, the collection period is extended until the end of the first week of September. It must be taken into account that unripe fruits do not ripen after being picked from the bush. The color of ripe fruits is rich and uniform, the seeds are brown.
Ripe bunches are cut with scissors in the morning, in dry weather, and placed in one layer in wooden or plastic boxes covered with paper. Rotten and dried berries are removed. The harvest is stored in a refrigerator or cellar, with regular inspections of the brushes for spoilage.
