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Every year in August, beautiful almost black grapes, collected in large clusters, appear in the markets of Russian cities. This is the Codryanka grape, one of the best varieties. There is no need to buy it on the market. This Moldovan variety grows well in central Russia and Belarus, not to mention the southern regions. Of all fruits, grapes are distinguished by their special benefits, varied uses and dessert taste. That is why varieties that can grow not only in the south, but also in the northern regions are so valuable.
The hybrid grape variety Codryanka appeared in Moldova, a country where grapes are one of the main industrial crops. Parents are varieties Marshallsky and Moldova. Another name for the variety is Black Magic. He received it for a combination of many excellent qualities.
Description of the Codryanka grape variety
- The ripening period is very early. From the opening of the buds to the collection of the first clusters, only 110 to 120 days pass. These terms depend on the load of the vine with the harvest. The larger it is, the later the berries will ripen. By rationing the crop, very early ripening can be achieved.
- The perennial vine of the Codryanka variety has great growth vigor. It ripens completely, so it does not need pinching in the fall for shoots to ripen.
- The grapes of this variety begin to bear fruit in the second year.
- Bushes are prone to overload with harvest, so the number of brushes needs to be normalized.
- The Codryanka grape has a bisexual flower. But despite this, pollination does not always occur completely. Therefore, some of the berries remain underdeveloped, i.e. the variety has a tendency to pea. Unpollinated berries do not have seeds and have a sweeter taste. It is easy to combat peas if, during flowering, you spray the brushes with the phytohormone gibberellin, intended specifically for grapes. It is necessary to spray at the stage when half of the flowers have bloomed at a temperature not lower than plus 15 and not higher than plus 26 degrees.
- Kodryanka's brushes are large, on average 0.5 kg, but with proper care, they can be heavier than 1 kg. They are not very dense and stick well to the bushes.
- The variety has good frost resistance and is not damaged by frosts less than -22 degrees, so in places with high snow cover it does not need shelter for the winter. A feature of the Kodryanka grape is its good resistance to spring frosts, which is very rare for this crop.
- Good resistance to major grape diseases - up to 3 points for both mildew and mildew.
- In terms of taste, it belongs to table varieties.
- Characteristics of the berries: large - from 6 to 8 g, elongated, beautiful dark purple, almost black when fully ripe. Hence the second name – Black Magic. The taste is simple, without nutmeg notes, but very pleasant. The tasting score of the berries is 9.1 points out of 10. A very high score! The skin of the berries is quite dense, but quite edible; a prunic coating is clearly visible on it, giving the berries a bluish tint. The seeds inside the berry are quite large, but there are only 2 of them, they are easily separated from the pulp.The berries adhere well to the stalk, so they are not prone to shedding and are easily transported. Berries begin to accumulate sugar early, so even not quite ripe ones have a good taste. If they are left on the bush until fully ripened, they will accumulate about 16% sugar. This is not a very high indicator, but the taste is balanced by a low acid content - up to 7 g/l. In unfavorable years, the berries may crack.
A description of the Kodryanka variety would be incomplete without mentioning its extraordinary unpretentiousness. It is capable of producing good yields even on poor and rocky soils. Moreover, the taste of berries improves in such conditions.
In the photo there are Kodryanka grapes.
More details about the varietal characteristics of this grape can be seen in the video:
In order for a grape variety to reach its full potential, it must be properly cared for. Detailed description of caring for Codryanka grapes.
Reproduction
To get the first harvest faster, it is better to plant annual seedlings, but propagation by cuttings is also quite possible. Treated with root formation stimulants, they take root well.
Plant the cuttings with a slope to the north. The soil around it is mulched.
The seedlings are planted in holes filled with fertile soil mixed with humus with the addition of superphosphate and potassium salt, about 300 g of each fertilizer. Drainage at the bottom of the hole must be required.
The planted plant must be watered well, at least 2 buckets per bush. Grapes are planted before the sap begins to flow, that is, before the buds open. During the first weeks, the planted bush should be watered regularly.
Watering and fertilizing
In spring, grape shoots grow vigorously. To develop leaf mass, plants require fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen. During flowering, grapes need nitrogen and potassium more, and 2 weeks before technical ripeness they are fed with a mixture of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
Watering is a must in a vineyard. In order for the bushes to bear fruit well, the top layer of soil must not be allowed to dry out completely. The watering norm for an adult bush is up to 6 buckets of water.
Shaping and trimming
Without this operation you will not get a good harvest. In the first 2-3 years of life, Kodryanka bushes are not pruned. In autumn, you can only remove annual shoots that do not have time to ripen. In the future, pruning of the grapes is carried out according to the chosen scheme, taking into account that for Kodryanka it is necessary to leave from 7 to 9 eyes.
Summer shaping consists of removing excess shoots and pinching shoots. Consider the individual characteristics of each bush and its crop load.
Winter shelter
Codryanka can only be left unsheltered for the winter in regions with warm winters. In all other cases, the grapes will have to be covered.Some winegrowers simply cover the vines lowered onto the soil with soil. But with this method of shelter there is a danger of the shoots being damaged by rodents and damping them out. This is especially dangerous if the grapes are planted where meltwater accumulates in the spring. You can arrange a dry-air shelter from pine spruce branches, reed or straw mats. If the frosts are severe and the snow cover is low, the grapes will have to be covered more thoroughly for the winter. It would be a good idea to throw additional plastic film over the main shelter.
Practice shows that often the cause of death of grapes in winter is not frost, but damping off. Therefore, there should be no dampness under the shelter.
Insulate the roots of the grapes with a layer of soil. You need to take it not next to the bushes, but bring it from other beds that did not have diseased plants.
If the Codryanka grapes are planted correctly and are properly cared for, the harvest of tasty and healthy berries will not be long in coming.
I’ve been cultivating Codriana for about 20 years, everything in the article is correct, except for the statement that the bush does not need to be cut for the first three years. But in three years the taiga will grow, which will not be easy to bring back to its original form. It is necessary to cut and break excess green shoots not only from the first year, but also from the first months, then at the end of the first season you can already get 1-2 full-fledged vines and the next year you can enjoy the first signal tassels. And a bush that is constantly brought to the standard is much easier to care for.
Excellent article, reflects all the features of the variety and specific tips for growing Kodryanka! Respekt to the authors of this review!