Residents of the northern regions of Russia are probably familiar with the sweet and sour taste of Zilga grapes. Perhaps for spoiled natives of the southern regions this is not the most memorable variety. But where little grows, Zilga grapes are one of the best. This is a hybrid variety that has high performance on many points.
History of the variety
The variety in question comes from Latvia, where it was bred by breeder P. Sukatnieks in the mid-60s of the last century.The ancestors of the species were the Smuglyanka, Dvietes, and Yubileiny Novgorod varieties.
Description of Zilga grapes
The first thing that needs to be highlighted in the description of the variety is frost resistance. Indicators of -28 degrees will not frighten winegrowers; the variety will cope with them perfectly. At the same time, the bushes ripen early - the end of July can be devoted to harvesting the first harvest, which, by the way, is quite rich. The berries are large and aromatic. There is a slight mucus in the pulp.
The shape of the clusters is cylindrical, large berries densely adhere to the bunch, which weighs from 320 to 400 grams. This variety is characterized by good bush growth rates. To preserve their appearance, shoots are aimed at rapid and efficient growth. In order not to lose the mass and shape of the bush, it should be pruned several times during the season.
As a result of the tasting assessment, the variety was assigned 7.1 points. Transportability is excellent.
Main characteristics
The grapes boast their own characteristics. It can withstand the maximum possible sub-zero temperatures (up to -25 degrees), has an acidity ranging from 4.5 to 5 grams, and a sugar content from 18 to 20%. The clusters are large, weighing up to 400 grams, cylindrical in shape. One berry weighs, on average, 4 grams. The fruits are deep blue in color, with a faint nutmeg flavor.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantages of the variety are:
- Not subject to wasp damage.
- The vine is unpretentious to natural conditions.
- Resistance to oidium and mildew diseases (4 points). From this it follows only that triple spraying is necessary during the growing season.
- If the grapes grow in the southern regions, they do not need to be covered for the winter.
- Good rooting of cuttings.
- Good resistance to low temperatures.
- A bountiful harvest.
- Multifunctional application.
Disadvantages include sourness in taste, the presence of grains and a fairly hard peel. This also includes the annual need for bush formation. The reason is the rapid growth of numerous shoots.
Selection and planting of seedlings
Purchase the plant immediately before planting. Make sure that the root section is light green and the shoot is brown. Length – from 10 centimeters, height – from 40 centimeters. You need to plant a seedling after it has previously “rested” on the balcony or window of the house - let it stand there for a couple of days. Planting is carried out in autumn or spring, when you are sure that there will be no cold weather in the near future.
Important! If planting is planned for spring, prepare the hole in the fall.
Immediately before planting, install the watering pipe to a depth of 40 centimeters. Place the seedling, straighten the roots, then fill it with soil and water it.
Growing and care
Agricultural technology is not complicated. Watering a young plant should be carried out 4 times: after removing the cover, when buds form, when flowering ends, and before sending the plant for winter. Watering of adult plants is limited to water recharging only. The rest of the time the bush is content with natural precipitation.
Fertilizing for the first time should be carried out only 3 years after planting. Select fertilizers both organic and mineral.
About diseases and pests
Fungal diseases such as mildew and oidium avoid Zilga. But this fact does not mean that you can completely abandon preventive actions, especially if the growing conditions during the season are unfavorable (excessive humidity or drought).
To avoid the occurrence and spread of diseases, adhere to the following measures:
- trim dead wood in a timely manner;
- monitor the timely weeding of weeds around the bush;
- pay attention to the need to trim excess vines.
During the summer, the plant should be treated 2 times with a fungicide solution (as an alternative - Bordeaux mixture, 1% solution). Spraying is carried out in early spring - before the ovaries appear, and in the fall - after harvesting.
Important! If you nevertheless notice the occurrence of a disease, irrigate the bush with a solution of manganese or a half-percent soda solution.
Best Growing Regions
Due to the fact that the variety is frost-resistant, it is grown in the following countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Sweden, Norway. However, it will grow with no less success in the Middle Zone and in the southern regions.
