Moldova grapes produce juicy and nutritious berries even when they are not fully ripe. It is thanks to this advantage that this type of plant is known far beyond the boundaries of the breeding region. The appearance of the bunches is exotic; they are used to decorate dishes on the table on any occasion.
grapes "Moldova"
variety "Moldova" is considered one of the best table species and is successfully cultivated throughout the country
grapes "Moldova" consistently deserve high tasting marks and pleases with large harvests
Breeding history
Moldova - a hybrid variety, parents: Central Asian type of dark berries Guzar kara and French light berries Villard blanc. Breeders call the last variety a unique crop from which it turns out to create unsurpassed white wines. In 1987, grapes were first introduced to the territory of the modern CIS, where they were able to successfully take root in the southern regions of the countries.
Characteristics of grapes Moldova
The main feature is the late ripening period, the berries can be picked only after 5 months. This suggests that a crop planted in March will only yield in September. Full fruiting is observed for 2-3 years.
The harvest is large and useful; it shows excellent results in the southern regions of the countries. It is possible to grow in the northern parts, but due to the late ripening period, the variety will not have time to ripen and the berries remain sour.
Feature of agricultural technology
The plant's germination site plays a special role. The area should be as sunny as possible. The standard scheme for planting grapes Moldova: 4x5 m, with thickening, the branches stretch out, and the berries become smaller.
The grapes take root well from the south side near a high fence or arbor. The planting pit, the composition of the soil mixture, the size of the seedlings - it all depends on the climate in the region and the soil on the site.
If there is black soil in the garden, then it is enough just to dig a hole and plant a plant in it. Poor and heavy clayey lands need a more elaborate design. A 1x1 m depression is dug into them and laid with turf soil mixed with peat, humus and compost.
Berries and ripening period
Fruits are large in size in the form of an oval, the mass of one berry is about 6 g. Fleshy pulp with several seeds. When fully ripe, the color of the berry is dark purple or black. They are covered with a wax layer, which is what distinguishes Moldova from other representatives of cultures. The plaque is felt during meals, but it has a protective function.
The taste of the fruit is sweet. Grapes can be consumed not only fresh, but also used for various preservation. The dense structure of the berries ensures safe transportability. The grapes are easily transported from one place to another, while the bunches do not lose their decorative appearance.
You can store berries for up to six months, which gives the culture another significant plus for growing it. Grapes do not lose their taste over time.
The high sugar content in grapes is about 19%. It accumulates due to prolonged maturation of the fruit. The variety has excellent resistance to fungal diseases and rot, which can damage the grapes, leaves and root system of the bush.
Moldova cannot resist all ailments, some of them attack the culture, so that this does not happen, it is necessary to carry out a number of preventive measures several times in one season.
Yield
Moldova is a late variety of table grapes. The vegetative period, although it takes a long time, does not affect the amount of the crop. Gardeners note - starting from the 8th year of life, the culture brings large yields.
Up to 150 kg of juicy and dense berries can be harvested from one shrub.
For commercial purposes, the cultivation of grapes in Moldova brings the breeder 150 centners from 1 hectare of land. Amateurs can collect about 4 kg from 1 sq. m. These indicators are achieved due to the rapid growth of the plant. It takes root well to the ground and begins to give its first berries already at the 2nd year of life. The flowers are bisexual, so it is not necessary to plant additional crops nearby.
Frost resistance
The temperature is -23 degrees below zero - this is the maximum indicator that the Moldova variety can bear. In the northern regions, shelter for the winter is simply necessary, in the southern regions, you can do without it.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The grapes Moldova brings a big harvest, is famous for its delicious berries, but at the same time it is late type and cannot withstand frosts.
Advantages of the Moldova grape variety:
- Unpretentious care. Basic knowledge of grape care will be enough to grow such a variety in the garden. Culture does not need special conditions.
- Self-pollination. Has male and female flowers, does not need pollination. It is not necessary to plant additional plants near the grapes.
- Long-term storage. The berries will retain their previous appearance and taste even after six months.
- Excellent transportation. If you are thinking of growing Moldova grapes for commercial purposes, then this is a good decision. Berries during transportation do not burst or spoil.
- The bunches can hang on the plant for a long time. Didn't have time to harvest? Not a problem - the fruits can hang on the plant for some time.
- Berries do not have sourness, they have a huge amount of natural sugar.
- The culture is disease resistant. Gray rot, phylloxera is not terrible.
- Recovers quickly from pruning and natural damage.
Disadvantages of the variety:
- Low frost resistance. It is possible to grow in middle regions only if the gardener can provide competent protection of the shrub for the winter. Although some gardeners claim that grapes can withstand temperatures down to -26 degrees.
- Dies from powdery mildew. Preventive measures should be taken regularly.
- The shelf life is reduced. If the bunch is not torn off the bush in time, the storage period and the suitability of the berries are reduced.
- Poorly tolerates overload or underload. As a result, the amount of the crop is reduced.
Features of planting and growing
Planting a culture is a difficult process. The problem is not only in choosing a cutting, the main thing is not to be mistaken with the site and soil for planting. The wrong choice will lead to frequent plant diseases, as a result of its death.
It is better to choose light soil for planting, full of minerals and fertilizers. The bush reacts too sharply to changes in water in the ground, therefore, drainage must be mandatory in the area where the grapes grow. Soil water should not be higher than 1.5 m, otherwise the variety will not get along at all.
A high yield is guaranteed only if the plant was planted in a sunny, not ventilated place. The most dangerous winds for culture are north winds. The territory should be close to canopies or fences, so that Moldova can cling to supports during growth. In this case, the grapes will not thicken, and the berries will be able to get better conditions for gaining mass.
It is recommended to plant grapes in the spring season, for summer and autumn days the plant will be able to take root to the ground, and winter will not be terrible for it. But this refers directly to the comfortable growth of grapes, as for the indicators, the plant turns out to be thick and with an abundant number of bunches, planted in the fall.
The basic rule is that the ideally matched temperature should remain at +15 ° C. The soil temperature should not drop to -10 ° C.
Planting grapes by cuttings: a step by step scheme
The planting scheme is based on the peculiarities of the development of the cuttings. Moldovan grapes are characterized by rapid growth and a tendency to unacceptable leaf density. The planting area should be selected based on this data. For grapes, a favorable plot size: 5x4 m.
The main recommendations for planting varieties Moldova:
- Planting is carried out in two ways: on the roots of its own origin and on the grafted old stock.
- When planting a seedling, keep its root system in water for a long time until the roots form a white shade. Pay attention to the color of the cut, it should be deep green.
- During the purchase, make sure that the root system is not dry or frozen.
- Plant the cutting in a pre-fertilized hole. Place organic fertilizers at the bottom, combine them with the soil, sprinkle with soil and plant the plant. Just be careful with the root collar, you cannot cover it with earth.
- Grafting: cut the seedling with a wedge-shaped look, making 2-3 mm from the eye, place in water for 24 hours. The procedure is carried out by splitting the old stock.
- Before planting, dip the seedlings in the substance "Humate", it helps the plants to take root faster in the soil. To do this, add 8 drops of the product to 1 liter of water, lower the seedlings for 2 minutes.
- Planning a fall landing? Wax up the seedlings. This procedure will help plants survive the winter frosts and winds safely. For the event, take paraffin and melt it in a container with water. Let the mixture boil. The paraffin will rise to the surface, lower the cutting into it for a couple of seconds. After the procedure, place the seedling in cold water for cooling.
- After planting, water the cutting well, use about 5 liters of water.
- Dig in a support near the seedling, which will begin to guide the plant.
Grape care
The soil after planting should not be dry, so take care of watering the seedling. The minimum amount of water is the main reason why the plant can get sick and even die.
Watering
The Moldova grape variety is sensitive to watering, the culture does not like drought, but waterlogging will not benefit it either. Water should be applied 2 times a month. During drought, heat and burning sunlight, the amount of watering increases.
The frequency of water application is adjusted depending on the land in which the plant is planted. To prevent waterlogging, gardeners create drainage systems to remove excess moisture.
Top dressing
The most useful fertilizers are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Top dressing is carried out 4 times in 1 season, it is advisable to combine it with watering. In the spring, use an organic fertilizer - nitrogen, as it stimulates the growth and development of the green mass of the plant. It cannot be brought in in autumn and summer. During these periods of the year, the best feeding is potassium and phosphorus.
Organic matter is applied in late autumn every couple of years. Such fertilizers in the spring can significantly spoil the taste of the berries.
Pruning
Perform pruning while the grapes are still dormant, that is, before sap flow. The best time is early spring or late autumn. 4 sleeves should remain on the bush.
Do not spare the branches of grapes, a large number of them will negatively affect the yield of the bush. During pruning, excess, diseased and dry branches are removed. The grapes recover quickly after the procedure and begin to form even more bunches.
We recommend that you read the additional article on spring grape pruning.
Shelter for the winter
Frost protection for grapes will be required if they germinate in northern regions, where winter temperatures reach -23 ° C and below.
The shelter is carried out according to the following scheme:
- After pruning in the fall, tie the vines together and press to the ground.
- For covering material, use foil, hay or geotextile.
- Mulch the near-trunk soil with wood chips or peat. Remove the mulch in spring. Read more about mulching here.
Harvesting and storage
Often Moldova grapes fully ripen in early autumn. Harvesting begins in the morning with a sharp pruner. The grapes are very carefully folded into boxes, the thick skin of the berries helps the grapes to be stored for a long time, and to tolerate regular transportation well. The grapes may not be removed from the branches immediately after ripening, but this will affect the storage time.
Diseases and pests
The resistance of the Moldova variety to pests and diseases is high. The culture is not subject to such ailments as mildew, powdery mildew and phylloxera. But it is simply necessary to protect the plant from chlorosis and phylloxera. These are the two most dangerous ailments that attack the bush and prevent it from growing and developing normally.
Before purchasing a seedling, be sure to check the root system and the entire branch for fungal infections. In nurseries, disease resistance is low, since some shoots lie on the ground, the plants have little space and moisture.
Gardeners reviews about the variety
Kirill, 28 years old, tractor driver, Krasnodar.Moldova is the best grape I have ever grown in my own garden. All descriptions correspond to reality, the only thing I disagree with is the amount of sugar in the berries. It grows very sour for me, I can't even make wine. After fermentation, the drink evaporates all the sugar and only acid remains.
Andrey, 40 years old, businessman, Sochi.I love this variety. It is late, which means I can sell it in the fall. In the South, there are not enough decent varieties, but this one is stored for a long time, it is one pleasure to transport it, and people quickly buy up berries.
Vadim, 35 years old, programmer, Rostov-on-Don.Mom grows it in our country house. I do not understand why bother with him? And he needs fertilizer, and there is not enough light, and watering is not enough - only problems ... Why was it impossible to plant more unpretentious grapes? Of course, it is delicious, but there is a lot of trouble with it.
Hide
Add your review
The grapes of Moldova give a rich and tasty harvest. But for this you need to properly care for him, do not forget to apply fertilizers and regularly carry out preventive measures aimed at preventing the development of dangerous diseases.