Cardinal grapes: variety description, planting, care

Content:

The article highlights the Cardinal grapes: a description of the variety, dignity, planting rules, care.

Black Cardinal grape: today we will tell you about this variety. Its berries are unusually healthy and tasty, and on any table bunches of ripe and aromatic grapes will be a real decoration. In the berries of the Cardinal, as it were, sunlight accumulates, so they shine and glow from the inside. It is believed that this particular variety is one of the most popular among table varieties. It has a generous southern vine and an attractive appearance and great taste. And the Cardinal grape variety was bred in the distant 1930s, in California. A few years later, this variety was also loved in the Soviet Union, and now gardeners are also happy to grow these beautiful and resistant bushes.

But do not think, this is not an Italian guest Cardinal, therefore, despite some heat-loving culture, it can be grown in different climatic conditions. We will tell you about the features of the variety, its advantages and disadvantages, as well as the rules for the care and planting of grape bushes. And, perhaps, you will fall in love with the Cardinal once and for all, and he will definitely settle in your country house.

Cardinal grapes: characteristic of the variety

Cardinal grapes: general characteristics

Cardinal grapes: photo

The first thing that needs to be said is that this variety is early maturing. Its bunches ripen after about 110 days from the beginning of the growing season. Therefore, at the end of summer, you will enjoy this exquisite dessert. The grapes grow rapidly, and in favorable climatic conditions, its vine reaches 3 meters in length. Of course, this is not the limit, but it should be noted: grapes are always compactly located in garden plots, so you will not need a lot of free space to grow this crop. The bark of the grapes is darker. Leaves are light green, 5 lobed, large, serrated along the edges. Over time, they darken, and tender young leaves turn light green. It should be noted that the flowers of the grapes are bisexual, so there is no need to plant additional pollinators on the site. The grapes handle this on their own. But some gardeners still manually pollinate grapes using a powder puff, but this can not be done.

The bunches of grapes are large, up to 25 centimeters long, the leg is quite long, so the brushes are perfectly detached from the branches, moreover, the mass of one such bunch is usually 500 g. It is very convenient, the harvest does not take much time. The Cardinal is noted for its high taste, its berries are sweet and large. They are stored for a long time, so they can be transported over long distances, the product will remain fresh. If we talk about color, then it should be noted: Cardinal's berries are usually dark purple. Sometimes the fruits turn red, it depends on the soil on which the plants grow. The berries, as we noted earlier, are quite large, the weight of one is about 10 g. In shape, they are oval, slightly rounded, on the surface a wax bloom is clearly visible. Thanks to the dense skin, the berries are stored for a long time, the pulp of the grapes is juicy and sweet in taste, with a nutmeg flavor. However, there is still a slight sourness in the fruits, so the product will not be insipid, they make an excellent table wine.

Cardinal grapes: variety description, advantages and disadvantages

Before planting a particular plant, you need to objectively assess all the strengths and weaknesses of this variety, which we will now do. If we note the advantages of the Cardinal, then you need to pay attention to the early ripeness and large-fruited grapes. Its berries are very sweet and tasty, and the clusters almost always ripen. If you take good care of the plantings, then the yield will be high. Due to the fact that the skin of the berries is dense and elastic, the products can be transported over long distances, the berries will remain fresh and whole. You can make jam, compote from grapes, make juice, of course, excellent wine.

However, grapes also have some disadvantages. This variety is not considered winter-hardy, therefore, in harsh climatic conditions, it needs to be looked after more carefully. This plant is very thermophilic. Still grapes are also not very resistant to diseases and pests. Therefore, in order for the plants not to be affected by various diseases, you need to carry out examinations and preventive treatments on time, and, if necessary, use various biological and chemical preparations. If the summer is rainy, then it can settle on berries gray rot, therefore, be careful, grapes do not like waterlogging.

The harvest does not always ripen amicably, therefore, in order to solve this problem, you should treat the plants with iron vitriol. In addition, this event promotes the development of plants. If you spray grape bushes with iron vitriol, they will grow better, and the shoots will always be healthy. Despite these negative aspects, gardeners note: in general, Cardinal is easy to grow on a personal plot, and the yield is really high.

How to plant and care for the Cardinal grape variety

Resistant grape variety Cardinal: photo

Resistant Cardinal grapes can be propagated in a variety of ways. It is best to use grafts and root the layers.

If you propagate grapes by cuttings, it is best to do this in the spring. In the spring, it is preferable to plant autumn cuttings, so they will strengthen well over the summer and adapt to a new place, which means that the plant will develop faster. But remember, keep the cuttings in a cool place.

A few words must be said about the choice of a place for planting grapes. Pay attention to the southern slopes, which are well lit by the sun. The Italian Cardinal grapes also do not like drafts. If we talk about the type of soil, then we note that grapes grow better on black soil. Do not plant this grape near plants that are also not disease resistant. The grapes love moisture, so it is necessary to water it regularly, but remember, an excess of water on the site leads to rotting of the fruit. In this case, it is best to build a drainage system. It is especially important to pay attention to watering during the formation of the ovary and flowers. Gardeners recommend mulching the topsoil in spring and autumn. This is done with sawdust, compost or humus. But remember, this very layer of mulch should be at least 5 cm in thickness. This is done in order to retain moisture, as well as to prevent the appearance of weeds on the site.

In order for the grapes to develop better, it recommends applying complex fertilizers to the soil before flowering. In the fall, organic matter is placed under the roots, so you will kill two birds with one stone, on the one hand, protect the root system from frost, and on the other, enrich the soil with useful substances and trace elements. Due to the fact that this grape variety is not resistant to diseases and pests, it is advisable to treat it with fungicides, sometimes this is done several times per season, regularly prune the vine, it is advisable to leave no more than 6 eyes on one shoot, and the grapes tolerate short pruning perfectly.Before the onset of frost, it is advisable to cover the grapes with straw, sawdust, so that the plants overwinter well.

About the Cardinal black grape family

Breeding is an extremely important event, therefore today many scientists continue to create the most real masterpieces of grape varieties. In our country, Cardinal has a lot of relatives, breeders like to cross this hybrid with other varieties and get unexpected results. So, for example, such well-known varieties as Arcadia, Sofia, Monarch and a number of others are actually direct relatives of the Cardinal. Due to the fact that these grapes are not hardy, breeders love to cross them with more resistant species. For example, this is how Lux grapes were obtained. It is more resistant to diseases and pests, and is also not afraid of frost.

New varieties of grapes, bred through selection, have a greater large-fruited. Their clusters weigh up to a kilogram, but the berries are the same dark pink. Light nutmeg notes and sweetness also delight gardeners. Many new varieties have received double names, but regardless of this, most of the positive characteristics of the Cardinal grapes remain. The berries are always tasty, and the sugar content is high. The bushes are vigorous and high-yielding. Breeders only correct negative touches, adding resistance to pests and diseases to Cardinal's descendants, as well as increasing their frost resistance. Due to the fact that breeders carry out painstaking work every day, relatives of this grape are grown even in the Volga region. Who knows, maybe in the future the Cardinal will settle in Siberia.

Conclusion

Growing grapes is a laborious process. But the work certainly pays off as soon as you pick a ripe bunch of grapes in August and taste their incredibly tasty fruits. The sugar content of sustainable Cardinal grapes is high and the clusters are large. Berries can be transported over long distances, berries are stable and stored for a long time. This grape can be a real decoration for the garden, because its shiny ripe fruits are simply pleasing to the eyes. Yes, this variety is not sufficiently resistant to diseases and pests, not frost-hardy, but the taste and aroma of the fruit compensates for everything. Grapes do need to be well tended, but the work is rewarded, and the Cardinal is sure to pay you with incredibly radiant and delicious fruit. And you will not be able to resist!