Taifi grapes have been known since ancient times. The variety has been cultivated in the Arab states for a long time. The culture has spread throughout the world over time and is now grown in many areas, especially in Crimea, Georgia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. By cultivating the crop, winegrowers in the southern regions supply healthy berries to residents of the northern regions.
Description
Vigorous bushes, juicy berries, sweet with a slight sourness make up the main description of the variety.Grape seedlings are easy to cultivate and take root quickly. The dark red branches have many leaves with a smooth plate on top and a fluffy plate on the bottom. Taifi produces flowers of both sexes in the spring, so there are no problems with pollination. Although the variety bears fruit late, its yields are always high.
Characteristics of the variety
To get a better idea of the variety, it is worth studying its main characteristics.
Vine
The vine variety is characterized by rapid growth. Strong shoots are covered with reddish bark when mature, and the stems of young vines are green and fluffy. The leaves are decorative and look like large rounded blades.
The vine grows quickly, creating shade, so it is used to create arbors and arches.
Bunch
Taifi grape clusters are different:
- looseness;
- weighing from 600 grams to 1 kilogram;
- elongated berries weighing up to 8 grams;
- Fruit color ranges from light green to deep pink.
The color of the berries depends on the variety and lighting. It is richer if there is a lot of sun. The pulp of the fruit is valued for its density and harmonious taste. It crunches and gives a lot of juice.
Productivity
Each bush of the Taifi variety can produce up to 6-8 clusters. They harvest up to 7 kilograms of grapes per vine, more in sunny summers and favorable growing conditions. The vine begins to bear fruit only from the 2-3rd year of life. The berries ripen within 160 days.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the variety include the fact that the grapes:
- bears fruit abundantly;
- berries with thick skin can easily be transported;
- grows well in areas with poor soil;
- drought resistant;
- useful for the human body.
Among the disadvantages of the culture, low disease resistance is noted.The fruits take a long time to ripen, so grapes can only be grown in the southern regions.
Varieties of culture
Two main varieties of Taifi have been developed - white and pink. They differ quite a bit from each other. In addition to differences in color, there are slight differences in the shape of the berry and the quality of the vine.
White
This variety of Taifi, or Ak Taifi, Monty, has light green clusters on its branches with a harmonious taste. The fruit has a characteristic groove dividing the surface of the berry. The weight of the brush sometimes reaches 3-4 kilograms under favorable cultivation conditions. The variety is weakly resistant to disease and is often damaged by spider mites and aphids.
Pink
Oval fruits in loose clusters have a rich pink to purple color. The berry weighs 7-9 grams. And the weight of one bunch can reach from 300 grams to 2 kilograms. There are specimens weighing 6 kilograms.
Typhi pink is less resistant to frost than the white variety.
Properties
The Taifi variety is recommended to be consumed as food, as it benefits the human body.
Calorie content
Juicy Taifi fruits often decorate holiday and dinner tables. It is recommended to be used as food for those who want to lose weight. The dessert contains only 65 calories per 100 grams of product. They can fill you up and quench your thirst. The berries contain a high carbohydrate content. For 100 grams of fruit there will be up to 16 grams.
Benefits and harms
It was not for nothing that the ancients valued Taifi grapes, because they help:
- saturate the body with vitamins, mineral salts, amino acids;
- recover from physical activity and illness;
- increase tone and strengthen the nervous system;
- refresh yourself, quench your thirst.
But the product is contraindicated for people with diabetes mellitus or gastrointestinal ulcers. Grape juice enhances fermentation processes in the intestines. This causes unpleasant sensations and leads to discomfort.
Acidity
Despite the high percentage of sugar in Taifi grapes, up to 23%, the fruits have an average acidity of 7 g/l. This combination of sweet and sour gives the berries a harmonious tart taste. You can use the fruits to make juice and wine. But the caloric content of drinks increases.
Growing
Areas with a lot of sunny days are suitable for cultivating the crop.
Planting period
For the variety, choose well-lit areas on southern slopes. The soil must be fertile, with neutral acidity. Grapes bear fruit better in loose, well-permeable places.
Planting is carried out in early spring or autumn. Holes or grooves are prepared 2-3 weeks before planting. The depth of the planting hole should be 70-80 centimeters. The distance between bushes is 3 meters. A seedling is selected with a strong root system. If the roots are long, then they are shortened, leaving 20 centimeters.
When planting, immediately tie the cutting to a peg. After watering, it is better to mulch the soil to retain moisture.
Ripening time
Taifi is characterized by late maturation. In order for the berries to delight with a harmonious taste and rich color, the vine needs 165-170 days after flowering. Ripening will occur faster during periods of hot, sunny summer.
Care
The variety is unpretentious to care and can produce crops during drought, without fertilizing. But to improve the quality of the berries, you need to regularly water the bushes. It is better to feed during flowering and fruiting with mineral complexes containing phosphorus and potassium.
Disease Prevention
Taifi grapes are poorly resistant to disease. Therefore, preventive measures are needed.They are held in spring and autumn. Most often, the vine is treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture. When the first signs of mildew or oidium appear, they are sprayed with Topaz and Skor.
Trimming
Vine formation plays an important role in improving the quality of grapes. The shoots are pruned annually, trying to relieve the bushes. Up to 5-6 eyes are left on each shoot. By shortening the vine, they help its growth, development, and high-quality fruiting.
