Crystal grapes: variety description, cultivation

The article presents Crystal grapes: description of the variety, growing rules.

Today we will tell you about an amazing grape variety with an unusually attractive name - Crystal. When planting a vineyard, many are afraid to plant technical grape varieties. Gardeners believe that the berries are unsuitable for food, therefore, only wine is prepared from the fruits after appropriate processing. However, this is far from the case, and many varieties of technical grapes have high taste qualities. And, of course, the wine from these varieties is also excellent. Many gardeners notice that small children eat better precisely technical grapes, since these berries are the sweetest. And most adults like these grapes. High-quality wine is made from it, and when consumed fresh, the berries of technical varieties are much sweeter than table ones. It should also be noted that such grapes contain more nutrients and trace elements that are so necessary for the human body. Therefore, try to plant this culture on your site, and it will amaze you with its taste and simplicity. And our article will finally help you decide: is it worth planting Crystal grapes in your country house or, nevertheless, not.

Grape Crystal: variety description

Crystal grapes: photo of the variety

The Crystal grapes described by us are also technical. But this does not prevent you from using it not only for its intended purpose, you can make wonderful juice, compote, jam from the Crystal. In addition, these grapes are very unpretentious, so they do not require the same care as many capricious table varieties. Many drinks can be made from these berries and consumed fresh.

And the Kritall grape was bred in Hungary, as a result of crossing grapes with different characteristics. It is thanks to this that the Crystal is noted for its high frost resistance and undemandingness to unfavorable natural conditions, as well as to many pests and diseases. The berries of this grape variety have excellent taste, but the gray rot does not strike them at all. From this he is very fond of many gardeners. And it is recommended to grow it in the south of our country, as well as in the Lower Volga regions. Note that the Black Crystal grape variety, known in Ukraine, has nothing to do with Crystal, they are not relatives, remember this. Of course, the new form of grapes, bred by amateur gardeners, is very interesting, however, we do not have official information describing the characteristics of the new variety, therefore we will not talk about the Black Crystal.

Let's go back to the Crystal grape variety. According to the ripening period, it should be noted that the grapes are early ripening. Its berries have an excellent presentation, and the taste and aroma are simply impeccable. You can pick the first bunches of grapes as soon as 110 days after the start of the growing season. So already at the end of summer you will enjoy these fruits of the sun. Fresh grapes can be consumed in August, but if you decide to make wine from it, then you should harvest the fruits much later. This is done so that the berries accumulate as much sugar as possible, which is so necessary for the preparation of quality wine. Let the grapes hang on the twigs, and they will become even sweeter. But if you eat fresh grapes, then pick the berries early. Experienced gardeners note: grapes do not fall until frost, and berries do not lose their presentation.And this is exactly what we told you at the beginning, technical varieties are more unpretentious than canteens. If you do not collect the fruits of any exquisite variety in time, then in a couple of weeks they will crumble, but the Crystal can not be removed for months. And nothing will come of it. But over time, their acidity may decrease slightly, so the quality of the wine may suffer.

Kristall fruit grape bushes grow quite actively. Interestingly, leaves with different levels of dissection can form on the same vine. The bark of the plants is dark brown, the flowers are collected in inflorescences. The shoots basically all bear fruit, so the Crystal's yield is high. On an industrial scale, up to 200 quintals of berries are harvested from one hectare of vineyard. Moreover, the ripeness of the shoots is simply excellent, reaching 100%. And on each shoot, about 1 bunch of ripe berries is formed.

Grape Crystal: care features

Fruit grapes Crystal: photo of the variety

It should be noted that the plant must be cut off in time, as the bushes often thicken. Remove stepchildren in time so that the extra green mass does not take away from the plants the forces that they need so much for flowering and fruit formation. Another little trick, when the harvest begins to ripen, remove the leaves near the bunches, so the sugar content in the berries will increase. If we talk about reproduction, gardeners say: cuttings are the best way. Cuttings do not even need to be treated with a growth stimulant, they root perfectly in the soil without the use of biological and chemical preparations. Cuttings grow well on any rootstocks.

It should also be said that the flowers of this grape variety are bisexual, so there is no need to plant additional pollinators next to the plants. It will also save you space on the lot. But the Crystal itself can even be a wonderful pollinator for other varieties. As we noted earlier, this variety also has good winter hardiness. If you grow grapes in central Russia, then you will not have to cover it. The plant will overwinter well without an additional blanket.

We also noted that Crystal grapes are resistant to pests and diseases, therefore gray rot does not spread on the surface of berries, which is indisputably important in a rainy summer. Don't worry, heavy rainfall will not harm the grapes in any way. Crystal also does not suffer from fungal diseases, it is very stable due to genetic predisposition and high immunity.

Crystal grape variety: characteristics of berries

Grape variety Crystal: photo of the variety

If we talk about the Crystal grape, then first of all, it should be said about the characteristics of the fruit. The bunches of this variety have a conical shape, according to the arrangement of the berries, they are loose. But they are medium in size, the mass of one such bunch is not large. However, it should be noted that the berries do not crumble for a very long time, so you can take your time with the harvest. The berries are round in shape, and are usually pale green in color. But over time, with good lighting, the grapes turn pink. On the berries, a waxy bloom is clearly visible, which covers the skin and protects the fruits from the penetration of various microorganisms. The flesh of the grapes is juicy and tasty, and the skin is strong, so the fruits can be transported over long distances and not be afraid, they will not lose their attractive presentation and will not deteriorate. The taste of the berries is pronounced, there are no impurities.

The sugar content is quite high, but the acidity is low at first. It is advisable to grow grapes on the southern slopes, where the berries will be tastier. You can make dry table wine from it, and the taste of this drink will be simply impeccable. Many tasters, evaluating this wine, give grapes the highest mark. Due to the fact that the flesh of the grapes is very juicy, the hostesses often prepare excellent juice from this variety.

An undoubted advantage is the fact that the seeds are practically not felt during the consumption of grapes. And the berries do not shrink or crack over time, so even the lower bunches will be used. Rest assured, the grapes will not disappoint you.

The Crystal grape variety begins to bear fruit in the second or third year after planting. If you buy Crystal grape seedlings in a nursery or in a special store, then carefully examine the plants. Their root system should be well developed, the kidneys are active, and the bark is soft. If you want to check the quality of the seedlings, then scratch the top layer of the stem a little, if you see a greenish tint on the scratch, then the Crystal grape seedling is good. In the early years, it is advisable to cover the bushes so that the root system does not freeze.

Growing

After planting near Crystal grapes, it is advisable to immediately install supports so that the plants can curl. In some regions of Russia, even in winter, gardeners leave the vine on the trellis.

Pruning is usually carried out for several eyes; an adult bush should have no more than 60 buds. You will also need to water your plants regularly, as the grapes love moisture. However, it is still not worth overdoing it, various diseases can develop on the crop from waterlogging of the soil, but this grape variety has high immunity, therefore, for example, gray rot is not afraid of it.

It is also advisable to feed the grapes in order to enrich the soil with nutrients and trace elements. This is best done in early spring and late autumn. If the plant lacks boron, then the ovaries will form poorly.

In late autumn, it is recommended to cover the root table with humus, so you will enrich the soil with nitrogen, and also protect the plants from frost. When the bushes are thickened, the ovaries often fall off, so the yield decreases, so you prune on time. Many gardeners recommend combing grapes with a regular paint brush, so you can remove excess debris, as well as diseased fruits, but the quality of the remaining berries will improve significantly.

Conclusion

Crystal fruit grapes are easy to grow, so they are popular with both experienced winegrowers and novice gardeners. If you have never grown grapes, then you should start with this variety. Technical plants do not require careful maintenance, they are not capricious, so it is with them that you should start your "horticultural career".

The berries of the Kristall grape variety are small, but their taste is not inferior to table varieties. And you can enjoy the first fruits already at the beginning of August. In addition, the variety is frost-resistant and resistant to pests and diseases. It can be grown without shelter. But young plants should still be protected from freezing. If during flowering you will actively water the bushes of grapes, then the ovary is usually formed a lot.

Many gardeners note that they practically do not carry out preventive treatments, therefore, the high immunity of plants deserves special attention. In general, this is a completely problem-free variety. In addition, it is versatile, from berries you can make both excellent wine and eat the harvest fresh. Yes, Crystal grapes do not have a very good presentation, but they keep well, and you can easily transport the product over long distances. Another plus is that grapes are perfectly propagated by cuttings. In any case, for cultivation on a personal plot, Crystal grapes can be considered a worthy candidate among other varieties.

Grape Crystal: video about the variety