Lydia grapes

Grapes are an incredibly tasty treat. It can be obtained around the beginning of autumn. To date, breeders have bred a huge number of a wide variety of varieties. Thanks to this choice, every gardener can find what he likes best. And the variety that will ideally meet his expectations and all possible characteristics. Like Lydia grapes.

Grapes are used to make perhaps the most popular drink - wine. The ability to grow both table and technical varieties separately is a luxury that they have been able to achieve thanks to the hard work of breeders.

The Lydia grape variety was bred by American breeders when crossing varieties of the Isabella group. Unlike Isabella grapes, Lydia is considered both a technical and a table variety. And this is its great advantage.

The bunches are tied early enough. They are of medium size. The mass of one bunch reaches 120 grams. Of course, unlike many other varieties, these clusters are quite small. But they have an incredible appearance and aroma. As well as the taste characteristics, thanks to which wine from Lydia grapes and cognac are so appreciated by gourmets, and recipes from Lydia grapes can be found in a great variety of cookbooks.

Description of the grape variety Lydia and characteristics

Pink grape variety Lydia photo

The grapes have a standard oval shape. They are distinguished by a rich red color. And also the fact that berries contain about 19% sugar. And this is a fairly high figure.

The grapes on the skins have a natural waxy coating. Because of this, the berries have a more purple hue than red. The variety also has a very distinctive flavor. Rather not grape, but more strawberry, berry.

The grape has several significant benefits. They distinguish the variety from all other varieties, which are also very popular:

• brushes ripen very well and evenly. The berries taste great from this. As well as attractive external characteristics;
• the variety can withstand temperature drops, as a rule, up to -22-26 degrees. It is also very resistant to many common diseases;
• the variety is very calm about waterlogged soil. But at the same time, it does not at all welcome stagnant processes. Especially if we are talking about fluid stagnation;
• for the winter, the bushes do not need to be covered additionally, because they normally tolerate the winter. As well as sudden changes in temperature.

There are also some disadvantages of the variety that cannot be ignored. For example, berries are inferior in size to many other popular varieties. And also the berries have a peculiar taste "for an amateur". This cannot be attributed to the unambiguous disadvantages.

It should be borne in mind that every gardener chooses varieties to his liking. And if the choice fell on the Lydia grape variety, then he may or may not like it.

Features of growing grapes

To equip the vineyard in which the Lydia grapes will grow, it is necessary to choose well-lit areas. Windiness and drafts are not encouraged. Because the variety does not tolerate them.

It is best to choose well-lit, sunny slopes. As well as the territory on the south side of buildings and fences. This arrangement would generally be ideal for this variety. The distance between the rows should be large enough. Approximately 90 centimeters. Sometimes more than a meter.If the area of ​​the territory itself allows it.

The planting of grapes can be carried out both in the spring and in the autumn. Much depends solely on climatic conditions. And from the capabilities of the gardener himself. Both spring and autumn options have both their advantages and disadvantages:

• in the fall, you can make a choice from a larger amount of planting material. However, the plants will be very sensitive to low temperatures. So they will need extra care. As well as a shelter in severe frosts;
• spring planting differs in that the plant will have much more time to adapt to new conditions. And also the ability to take root before the onset of autumn and cold weather. But there is also some disadvantage here. In the summer, the bush may lack moisture. And the seedlings can dry out very much because of this, hurt. And also to experience extreme stress.

Lydia grapes: methods and methods of planting

There are winegrowers who practice a special method when planting Lydia grapes. For this, a hole is dug in the fall. Drainage is laid out at its bottom, which can be made from broken brick, gravel or expanded clay. Then the hole is filled with excavated soil. Moreover, each layer of soil should be alternated with a layer of mineral fertilizers.

All layers mix very well with each other to form a homogeneous soil mass. For spring planting, the soil infuses very well in the pit. And planting materials can already be placed there in accordance with all the rules of agricultural technology.

Planting works are carried out in several main stages. Each step must be strictly followed. Because only in this case it is possible to guarantee that the plant will take root and grow perfectly. And then it will yield the harvest, as it should be:

• It is best to prepare a trench for planting planting material in advance. The less fertile the soil on the site, the deeper you should dig a hole for the seedling. If the bushes are poorly covered and shallowly planted, then with the onset of frost, nothing will save them from freezing. Therefore, the hole should be almost a meter in diameter. And in depth up to half a meter;
• when preparing the trench, it is better to set the topsoil aside. Several layers are laid in the trench. Fertile soil first. Then rotted compost. And then a layer of wood ash. The components should be mixed very thoroughly with each other. And from above it is already possible to fill up the less fertile soil. The trench is poured with water to settle the soil;
• after 14-21 days, planting materials can be planted. It is enough for this to make several small holes in the trench for the bushes themselves;
• before planting in open ground, the root system should be carefully examined. And also to straighten. Grape seedlings Lydia are covered with earth. Moisten abundantly with warm, settled water. It is best to mulch around the seedling.

Only one grape variety can be planted in one row. This is a very important rule. If the gardener plans to plant only the Lydia grape bush, then not a trench should be done, but a separate hole.

Lydia grapes: how to care?

The peculiarities of caring for the variety include the fact that the bush should be regularly pinned. And also to carry out minting. Embossing is the removal of a young section of the shoot, on which about eight leaves have already been formed.

It is best to mint a bush in the middle of summer - in July. But you can stepchild much earlier. The gardener focuses on environmental conditions, weather. As well as the climate in the region itself, which is also important.

When it comes to watering, there are no strict rules. But it is best to water the bush in a timely manner. Because that is the essence of leaving. Thanks to timely watering, you can get a good, tasty and, most importantly, high-quality harvest.

You can feed the Lydia grape variety depending on the quality of the soil in which the grapes grow. The timing of top dressing depends largely on this. Two weeks before the grapes begin to bloom, you can add a mixture under the bush.

It consists of ammonium nitrate, superphosphate. And also indispensable for grape crops of potassium salt. When the grapes begin to ripen gradually, you can water the plant with a special solution. It contains water, superphosphate and potassium salt.

When to pick Lydia grapes?

Harvesting takes place approximately 145 days after the first ovaries appear. Usually, the active harvest of Lydia grapes falls at the end of August or at the very beginning of September. From one bush, you can get up to 35 kilograms of excellent fruits, if you follow all the rules of agricultural technology and, of course, all the rules and regulations for caring for the plant. The peculiarity of the variety is that ripe berries can peel off very easily. This is a great difficulty, therefore, brushes are best produced in dry and, preferably, in calm weather, so that the berries simply do not crumble to the ground.

When the hands are cut off, they should be examined carefully. Berries that are damaged are best set aside immediately. The crops are harvested in containers, in which holes are made to ventilate the harvested crop. No more than 13 kilograms of fruit can be collected in a box. If there are more of them in the container, then the berries can wrinkle and, accordingly, in this form they can deteriorate much faster, and this is a big drawback.
One of the advantages of the Lydia grape variety is that it can be consumed simply fresh, or can be preserved. The variety is great for making grape preserves or jams, as well as berry compotes or fruit drinks.

In the second year of growth, the bush is best pruned, and this is done at least three times during the entire season. In the spring, sanitary pruning of Lydia grapes is carried out - dry, damaged and non-viable shoots are removed. In the summer, the procedure is carried out in order to thin out the bush and make it more neat. In addition, pruning is another step in preparing the grapes for wintering. It is worth noting that Lydia grapes have a frost resistance higher than many other varieties, but it is still better to use additional shelter, especially for young seedlings, it will not be superfluous at all.

Lydia grape diseases and pests

Separately, I would like to talk about diseases and pests of the Lydia grape variety. One of the advantages of the variety is that it is resistant to damage from dangerous fungi, including mildew. To protect the plant from other dangerous diseases, it is best to resort to some preventive measures.

Anthracnose is a fungal disease that can be detected by the dark spots that appear on the leafy part of the plant. In addition, then the fungus spreads to shoots and leaves, trunks and to the fruits themselves. As a preventive measure, the affected plant parts should be promptly removed and burned together with plant residues.

Gray rot - a fungus, which is especially dangerous because grapes can get sick with it quite suddenly. Usually the disease develops due to the fact that the bush is not pruned, and the vines begin to ventilate with difficulty. Also, gray rot can be provoked by prolonged damp weather and high humidity. You can fight the disease by treating the bush with chemicals - Ronilan or Rovral. If we talk about preventive measures, then it is best to completely abandon nitrogen-containing fertilizers, and also remove the leaves in September. It is especially better to remove those leaves that are located near the bunches themselves and below their level.

If we talk about the most common pests, then among them one can distinguish a spider mite (to combat it, the plant is sprayed with DNOC, and for prevention it is necessary to promptly remove damaged leaves and burn them; weeds are breeding grounds for ticks, so they should also be removed very quickly get rid). Leaf rollers are caterpillars that love to feed on the deciduous part of the grape, as well as its fruits.

To combat the pest, DNOC is also used, but for prevention, the bushes should be well ventilated and illuminated by direct sunlight. We also highlight such a pest as phylloxera - this is an insect that penetrates the root system itself, and from there begins to eat and destroy the grapes. The bush should be sprayed with a solution called Confidor, but for prevention it would be great to cover the soil next to the bushes with fine-grained sand.

Thus, it will be possible to get rid of pests, but it is always easier to take some preventive measures, because it is even easier to prevent disease or the development of pests.