Kuban grapes: variety description, photos, reviews

Content

1 History of selection
2 Description of the variety
3 Agrotechnical features
4 Features of care
5 Reviews from gardeners
6 Conclusion

Unpretentious and early grape varieties are popular among gardeners. Each of them wants to enjoy juicy berries as early as possible. Such varieties are less susceptible to fungal diseases. Kuban is one of the best early varieties black grapes. It appeared quite recently, but has already gained popularity. To have a complete picture of the Kuban grapes, let’s look at its description, photos and reviews from gardeners. Let's learn how to plant it correctly and care for the shrub.

History of selection

The Kuban grapes were bred by domestic breeders of the zonal winemaking and viticulture station, which is located in Anapa. The new variety was obtained by crossing two varieties of berries - Moldova and Cardinal.

Kuban is sometimes called early Moldova. But these are two completely different varieties that differ in many characteristics. The hybrid has successfully passed tests, and it became possible to grow it in many regions of Russia, Ukraine and Moldova.

Description of the variety

Kuban is a table variety that produces an early harvest. The berries ripen in 115-120 days after bud break. In the southern regions, the fruits are harvested in mid-August.In the central and northern parts of Russia, grapes can be tasted closer to September.

Bushes and flowers

Kuban grape bushes are spreading and vigorous, characterized by strong branches and trunk. They can reach from 1.5 to 2.5 meters in height. The leaves are medium in size, bright green in color and have jagged, serrated edges. From 35 to 45 shoots grow on one bush.

The peculiarity of this variety is its small, bisexual flowers, which greatly simplifies the fertilization procedure. They are collected in inflorescences that form a panicle. The petals are yellow-green, cap-shaped. Flowering clusters bear fruit well. But during rains, the pollination process may be disrupted.

The photo shows Kuban grape bushes.

Bunches and berries

The grape bunches are large, have a cylindrical-conical shape and are of medium density. The average weight of the vine is in the range of 0.7-0.9 kg, and the maximum weight of the brush is 1.3-1.5 kg.

The berries are large, oblong, weighing from 10 to 15 grams and measuring 3x2.5 cm. Under the thin black skin there is juicy and aromatic pulp with blue-red veins. The seeds are large and clearly visible. The taste is rich, harmonious, sweet, with a hint of nutmeg and slight sourness. Tasters rate it 8.4 points. The sugar content in Kuban grapes is 20%, acid 5-6 g/l.

Attention! The harvest is harvested in sunny weather, the bunches must be dry. Picked berries should not be left in the sun - they soften, which reduces their shelf life.

Advantages

Grapes of this variety are loved by gardeners due to the following properties:

excellent taste and decorative qualities;
large berries and the large weight of the bunches;
high resistance to mildew, oidium and gray rot;
early harvest;
wasps do not attack ripe fruits;
can be stored for a long time;
does not lose its external and taste qualities during transportation;
berries not prone to shedding and cracking;
55-60% of shoots bear fruit

Kuban is an unpretentious variety that does not require special growing conditions.

Flaws

Like any variety of grapes, Kuban has some disadvantages:

low frost resistance, cannot withstand temperatures below -20 ^OC, therefore, the bushes should be covered for the winter;
berries of this variety can get sunburned, so it is not recommended to pick off the foliage above the bunches;
peas may occur;
To prevent the branches from breaking and becoming overloaded with berries, the bushes need to be pruned;
During prolonged rains, the pollination process may be disrupted.

High-quality care for Kuban grapes will help avoid many problems.

Agrotechnical features

Despite the unpretentiousness of this variety, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of agricultural technology. The volume of the harvest, the health of the berry bush and its resistance to disease depend on this.

Landing dates

Spring planting of grape seedlings is carried out from April 15 to May 15, before the kidneys awaken. By this time the soil should warm up to +10 ^ABOUTC, and air up to +15 ^ABOUTC. Before the cold weather, the grapes will have time to take root and take root.

In autumn, Kuban can be planted from the first days of October. The air temperature should be from +5 ^ABOUTFrom to +15 ^ABOUTC. It is not advisable to delay planting, as the roots may freeze and the bush will die.

Attention! Before winter, it is recommended to plant only cold-resistant varieties.

Selecting a location

This grape variety is sun-loving and grows well in sunny areas. The berry bush does not tolerate sharp cold winds and drafts, so it is placed on southern slopes or near buildings.Plant It is not recommended to plant in lowlands and ravines, since there most often there are fogs, frosts and high humidity.

Kuban grapes love fertile, loose soil. Bushes grow best on black soil. But if you fertilize the planting hole well, then you can plant the plant in any soil.

Preparing the planting hole

The selected area is dug up and cleared of weeds. 1-1.5 months before planting grapes, you should prepare a planting hole.

For this:

Dig a hole 80x80 in size and 0.8-1 meter deep.
5-8 cm of drainage made of crushed stone, gravel or broken brick is poured onto the bottom. This layer protects the root system from high humidity.
An irrigation pipe is installed in the hole, the end of which rises above the ground.
The next layer is chernozem mixed with humus in a ratio of 1 to 1. Its thickness is 20-30 cm.
Pour 150-250 g of potassium fertilizer and superphosphate and a little wood ash on top, lightly mix with the soil.
Cover the hole with a fertile layer of soil, which was removed when they started digging the hole. The place where the grapes are planted is irrigated with water.

Attention! There should be at least 1.5-2 meters between bushes.

Boarding procedure

24 hours before planting, the root system of the seedling is soaked in cold water. Rules for planting a berry bush:

The planting hole is watered with several buckets of water.
Lower the seedling into the hole and straighten its roots.
Cover it with soil to the point of growth and compact it. The soil layer should be 30-40 cm.
Planted grapes are watered at the rate of 25-30 liters per bush.
Mulch with straw, sawdust or branches.

Some gardeners dig a ditch around the bush to drain water.

Features of care

The early ripening hybrid Kuban will regularly bear fruit on any land if it is provided with proper care. It includes: watering, fertilizing, pruning the bush and preventive treatment of diseases.

Trimming

In the spring, weak shoots and dry branches of grapes are cut off and excess buds are removed. After pruning, there should be 35-40 eyes and 30-35 green shoots left on the bush. In the summer, unfruitful stepsons that form in the axils of the leaves are picked off. In the fall, after the leaves have fallen, the main part of the branches is pruned and the bush is covered for the winter.

Top dressing

To increase productivity, Kuban grapes are fed organic and mineral fertilizers. The procedure is carried out three times a year:

in early spring, before the buds open, apply complex fertilizer;
before ripening - superphosphate and potassium supplements;
after flowering - potassium fertilizers.

In autumn, once every three years, apply slurry at the rate of 1 kg/1m².

Watering

Kuban grapes need to be watered rarely, but abundantly. Depending on the soil composition and weather, it is advisable to irrigate once every 25-30 days. In summer, watering is carried out more often, once every 7-14 days, in the evening or morning. In August, when the berries are ripening, the watering is removed. A In the fall, moisture-recharging humidification is carried out.

One bush consumes 5-20 liters of water. It should be warm and settled.

Attention! Watering the grapes can be done using grooves or using a drainage pipe.

Disease Prevention

Grape variety Kuban resistant to gray rot and mildew, but can be affected by other common diseases. Therefore, carefully care for the berry bush: remove weeds and prune.

They also carry out preventive spraying of grapes with special means:

before flowering;
after flowering;
after harvest.

Bordeaux mixture, copper and iron sulfate are used for processing. The most effective against pests are Fitoferm, Fozalon, and Iskra.

Reviews from gardeners

Olga, 45 years old, Yekaterinburg city

When Kuban began to bear fruit, we couldn’t be happier – large, juicy berries, dense pulp, pleasant taste. But this year the grapes bloomed due to rain and cold weather. The clusters set, but the fruits were much smaller. The harvest was harvested two weeks later. I won't leave it to chance anymore. You definitely need to do some pruning. The fruiting shoots of this bush variety are about 60%. Ripe berries can hang in the vineyard for a long time without losing their taste and external qualities.

Anatoly, 32 years old, Volgograd

This year the Kuban grapes began to bear fruit. The impression is ambiguous. Pros: large clusters, large berries, fleshy pulp. Due to their size, the fruits have to be eaten in pieces. Of the minuses: you can immediately feel the seeds, the taste is simple, the berries are a little sticky. I expected more. Most likely, this is due to the fact that I took pity on the plant and left all the inflorescences. This is about 16 bunches weighing up to 1 kg. The vineyard was not sick, only bacteriosis appeared slightly. The berries keep well.

Conclusion

Kuban grapes are a favorite variety of many summer residents and gardeners. It attracts with its unpretentiousness, decorative qualities, large berries and rich taste. The variety is in demand among buyers, so it is quickly sold out on the market. Kuban is suitable for both personal consumption and sale.

Grapes Kuban