Among grape varieties, gardeners give special preference to mid-late hybrids. They are valued for their convenient ripening period and quality characteristics obtained by crossing parental species. One of the popular and sought-after varieties is the Strashensky grape.
Some winegrowers know it as the Moldovan hybrid “Consul”. Thanks to its excellent characteristics, the popularity of the variety is growing every year. To grow the famous Strashensky grapes on the plot, let’s turn to the description of the variety, as well as photos, reviews and videos of gardeners:
Description
The Strashensky grape variety belongs to the table mid-season hybrids. Some winegrowers consider it mid-early, others mid-late. Some differences in the ripening period are due to the climatic conditions of the regions in which the grapes are grown. Gardeners consider the fact that there are no negative reviews and disappointments when cultivating the Strashensky variety to be an important advantage. Therefore, in almost every garden you can find several bushes of the famous grapes. What qualities has this variety won the appreciation of winegrowers?
Productivity, large fruit and unpretentiousness.
The yield of the Strashensky grape variety, according to gardeners, is consistently high. Makes up about 30 kg from one adult bush.If the harvest is harvested on time and is not left on the bush, then gray rot of the berries is not a problem for the grape variety.
The clusters are formed large, the average weight is 1.5 kg. With good care, more than half of the brushes weigh 2.2 kg. The density of the soil is more loose than average. Depends on growing conditions. The bunches are of high quality and consist of round, beautiful fruits.
The berries are very large, each as big as a five-kopeck coin.
The skin color is dark purple, but can be almost black. The weight of one berry of the Strashensky grape variety varies from 8 g to 14 g. The pulp is juicy and fleshy, the taste is sweet with a slight sourness. Tasting score 8 points. The skin on the grapes is thin, almost imperceptible when eating.
The bush of the variety is tall and powerful. The leaves are slightly elongated, large, the lower plate is covered with fluff. Flowers are bisexual, pollination is good. Shoot ripening is 85%, fruiting coefficient is 2.0. The load on one shoot is 1.2 kg.
According to the description, the distinctive characteristic of the Strashensky grape variety is high frost resistance. The vine is not damaged even in frosts down to -24°C. Drought resistance is not so high, but for some time the bushes can do without additional watering.
The description of the variety states that Strashensky grapes have increased resistance to spider mites and phylloxera. It demonstrates average resistance to mildew and rot, but gray rot and oidium can be found quite often on Strashensky grapes. Especially if the clusters change on the bush.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of the Strashensky grape variety are easy to list, based on the description of the variety and reviews from gardeners. These include:
- high yield, which is easily confirmed by photos of Strashensky grape bushes;
- commercial and taste qualities of berries;
- resistance to a number of crop diseases;
- increased resistance to pests – spider mites and phylloxera;
- frost resistance down to a temperature of -24° C;
- average drought resistance, which is important for moisture-loving crops;
- Transportability is average, which allows the variety to be transported over short distances.
The disadvantages of Strashensky grapes are:
- delay in berry ripening due to a long flowering period;
- frequent damage by oidium and gray rot;
- damage by birds and wasps due to slow ripening;
- unsuitability of the grape variety for storage.
The appearance of the second disease listed (gray rot) can be prevented by timely picking of berries. Preventive spraying of seedlings during planting against diseases is very useful for Strashensky grapes. Copper sulfate solution works well in this case. Subsequently, 3 more treatments are carried out, the last of which occurs a month before the start of harvest. The nets that winegrowers put on the grapes help save the grapes from attacks by birds and insects. You can see what grapes with protective nets look like in the video:
And in order to reduce the duration of the flowering period, the very first brush on the bush is removed.
Landing
It will be more difficult to grow Strashensky grapes correctly if you do not use a detailed description of the variety and agricultural technology, photos of the plant and reviews from gardeners. It is necessary to familiarize yourself in detail with each stage in the development of a grape bush. The first important activity is planting a seedling.
The grapes prefer sunny places without sharp gusts of wind. It is important to pay attention to the depth of groundwater and the levelness of the surface of the site. The roots of the Strashensky variety do not like stagnant moisture, which leads to rotting of the system.
In addition, you need to provide the soil with sufficient nutrients. The more fertile the land, the better the grape harvest. Planting can be scheduled for both autumn and spring. The main thing is to prepare the seat in advance.
For spring planting, fertilizers are applied during autumn digging. Compost or humus is best. For one planting hole you need 1 bucket of organic matter and 500 g of superphosphate. If it is decided to plant Strashensky grape seedlings in the fall, then fertilizers are added to the hole prepared in advance 3 weeks before the event.
The dimensions of the planting hole should be such that the roots can be placed in it sufficiently freely. Parameters less than 0.75 m should not be made. The distance between pits is left at least 2.5 m, and between rows of plants - at least 3 m.
If the site has clay soil, black soil or close groundwater, then a drainage layer is necessary. It is placed at the bottom of the pit using crushed stone or other suitable material.
On sandy or light soil you can do without drainage.
A layer of organic matter is placed on top and a support is installed in the center of the pit. Strashensky grape bushes are characterized by powerful growth, so support for the seedling at first will not be superfluous.
The seedling is placed in the middle, the roots are straightened and sprinkled with fertile soil.
The earth is lightly compacted and the newly planted plant is watered. It is recommended to mulch the area around the trunk to retain moisture longer.Planting seedlings allows the grapes to take root faster. For planting, healthy planting material is selected without signs of disease or pest damage, with a good root system.
Nuances of care
Gardeners are always interested in the result. Tips for growing Strashensky grapes will help you achieve a good harvest. This could be a description of the Strashensky grape variety, photos or reviews from gardeners.
In the first month after planting, the seedlings are watered as the top layer dries. Once the plants take root and grow, you can reduce the amount of watering. For mature grapes, three full waterings per season plus an autumn moisture recharging are enough.
In areas with sandy soil, you will have to water more often, once a month.
And at the beginning of fruit ripening, it is necessary to carry out selective cutting of the crowns to reduce the load. In this case, the remaining bunches will be well ripened. A feature of the Strashensky variety is the uneven ripening of the bunch. This is when the upper part of the bunch is ripe, but the lower part remains green. To prevent this from happening, at the moment of tying the berries, you can safely cut off 1/3 of the length of the brush. The volume of the bunch will decrease and all the berries will ripen on time and evenly.
One more feature. Enough shoots are left on the Strashensky grape bushes so that the plant can form more leaves. This will allow you to get a high-quality harvest.
Grape pruning is done as standard with 4-6 buds, alternating inflorescences and single buds. At the same time, it is taken into account that large clusters are formed at level 2. No more than 18 eyes are left on one.
To prevent the spread of diseases, preventive spraying of plantings is mandatory.
If you do 3-4 treatments, then further treatment will not be needed. “Strashensky” is a resistant variety, so proper prevention is enough for it.
To prevent wasps and birds from spoiling the crop, they install traps or put a net on the bunches, which protects them from pests.
Although the variety is considered quite frost-resistant, in regions with harsh winters it is recommended to remove it from its supports and cover it until spring. This is indicated in the description of the Strashensky grape variety, and the photo shows how to do this.
