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Georgia can safely be called a large vineyard. There are so many varieties growing here that no one even knows about some. Grapes grow wild in this area, and therefore are particularly resistant to weather fluctuations. A well-known and famous white grape variety is “Rkatsiteli”.
Although it is classified as technical, it is highly valued for its taste and decent characteristics. The homeland of the Rkatsiteli grape is the Kakheti region, but it grows no less successfully in other regions of Georgia. If you grow the variety outside of Georgia, the harvest will be just as aromatic, only the berries ripen a little more sour. Let us dwell on a detailed description of the variety and photos of the Rkatsiteli grapes, so that its cultivation does not cause any difficulties.
Description and characteristics of the variety
One of the important characteristics of the Rkatsiteli grapes is the type of bush structure. Knowing this parameter, winegrowers can plan planting and their employment when caring for the variety.
The bush of "Rkatsiteli" is vigorous and forms a pyramidal shape when mature.
Translated from Georgian, the name of the grape sounds like “red vine”. Annual mature shoots have a characteristic red-yellow color and vertical orientation.
The leaves grow medium or large; there may be three-lobed or five-lobed specimens. The color has a bronze tint.
The flowers are bisexual.The “Rkatsiteli” variety is characterized by good self-pollination and does not require additional efforts by the winegrower to increase the number of ovaries.
A bunch of ripe grapes reaches an average weight of about 170 g, a length of 15-17 cm. Externally it forms a cylindrical or conical shape of medium density.
The berries of the Rkatsiteli grape variety are golden yellow in color with harmonious brown inclusions, round or oval in shape (see photo).
The taste of the berries is sweet with a slight sourness, at the same time juicy and aromatic. The sugar content is high (23%), the variety is famous for its taste among winemakers.
The ripening period of grapes is medium-late. The berries are fully ripe 150 days after bud break. The harvest is harvested in September, in the first half of the month. The ripening rate is 90%, which makes gardeners very happy.
The yield of Rkatsiteli grapes, according to the description of the variety and the experienced observations of gardeners, is 150 c/ha. But this parameter is not fixed; the yield indicator fluctuates for several reasons in different years. One of them is the different number of fruiting shoots, the variability ranges from 20% to 70%. The minimum yield for the season is 90 c/ha.
The frost resistance of the Rkatsiteli grapes is at a high level. It tolerates wintering well on a high trunk without shelter down to -25°C. But this variety is more sensitive to drought and does not tolerate lack of watering.
According to the description, the Rkatsiteli grapes are susceptible to mildew and oidium. And from the list of pests you should be wary of spider mites and grape budworms. The positive aspect is that the variety is resistant to phylloxera and gray rot.
Separately, mention should be made of the Rkatsiteli “Magaracha” grape variety, which has similar characteristics.This is easily explained by the fact that the Rkatsiteli Magarach grapes were grown by crossing the white Rkatsiteli, the Magarach variety and a line of other varieties of the crop. Depending on the parental composition, subspecies of Magarach grapes are divided according to ripening period. “Rkatsiteli Magarach” belongs to the early white wine varieties.
Planting a wine variety
Despite the fact that the Rkatsiteli grapes are unpretentious, you should choose soil of a certain structure for planting. The variety grows well on loam or sandy loam with sufficient moisture. If the site is located in a region with very hot summers, then the “Rkatsiteli” variety is planted on the northern slopes. This will prevent the variety from ripening too quickly.
Winegrowers pay special attention to the possibilities of watering, otherwise they will not get a good harvest. The “Rkatsiteli” variety is a perennial crop, so the choice of planting site must be taken responsibly. The profitability, durability and productivity of the variety depend on the quality of the work performed when planting a vineyard and choosing a site. Mistakes made affect the results even after decades. Moreover, they are often impossible to correct.
Before planting “Rkatsiteli” seedlings, a breakdown is carried out with the marking of planting holes. At least 2 m are left between the bushes, and row spacing is 3-3.5 m.
It is better to choose a cloudy day for planting Rkatsiteli grapes. In this case, young seedlings will be protected from sunlight.
The pits are prepared large; for each seedling you will need to maintain dimensions of 80 cm for each parameter - depth, length and width. You get a cube.
If industrial planting is planned, then this process is carried out mechanized.
Drainage is placed at the bottom of the hole, then a layer of fertile soil and fertilizer. When planting, 3-4 buckets of organic matter, 0.5 kg of nitroammophosphate and wood ash are placed at the bottom of the hole. On top is another layer of earth 10 cm thick. The components are mixed, the seedling is placed in a hole and the roots are straightened. Having filled the hole with soil, compact the top layer a little and water the plant.
Grape care
When growing the Rkatsiteli variety, be sure to monitor the location of the arrows. The main shoots of the grapes are directed upward, so there is a danger of a lack of lighting for the gardens. The arrows are placed horizontally, then the bunches receive enough light. The load is normalized so that no more than 30 fruiting shoots remain on the bush, on which there are 50-60 buds. During the pruning period, 12 eyes are left on one arrow of the Rkatsiteli grapes. If the winegrower grows the variety in conditions of standardless fan formation, then the sleeves are made 70 cm long.
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The following activities are carried out for grape plantings:
- Trimming surface roots. To do this, the soil is raked to a depth of 25 cm and the top roots are trimmed.
- The tops are pinched at the end of summer, and in the fall (mid-October) the unripe part of the vine is cut off on the bushes of the “Rkatsiteli” variety.
- In areas with frosty winters, young grape seedlings are covered. Only dry shoots can be covered.
- In the spring, the “Rkatsiteli” vine is freed from its shelter, dried, and pruned. 2 buds are left on the shoots.
- Vegetative shoots (without flowers) are annually cut to ½ length or carefully broken out.
- Provide sufficient watering. One bush of the Rkatsiteli variety requires at least 2-3 buckets of water.When the plants grow up, water the bushes generously 2 times during the summer and at the beginning of autumn. Before the seedlings become established, water the plants as the top layer of soil dries.
- The grapes are fed in the spring with an infusion of bird droppings, and at the end of August with an infusion or dry powder of wood ash. Adult bushes are fed with ammonium nitrate in the spring. 1 tbsp is enough. l. substances into a bucket of water. Be sure to combine fertilizing with watering (3 buckets of water). This will protect the roots from getting burned.
- The vineyard is regularly loosened and weeded.
Pests and diseases
The main pests that plague the Rkatsiteli grapes are spider mites and grape budworm.
A spider mite infestation can be detected by the appearance of yellow leaves, which then dry out and die. To combat ticks, acaricides are used - “Kleschevit”, “Fitoverm”, “Akarin”, “Tiovit Jet”. The drugs are diluted and used according to instructions.
To destroy leaf rollers, you will need insecticides - “Aliot”, “Decis”, “Inta-Vir”, “Fufanon-Nova”. Spraying is carried out before flowering and after.
The Rkatsiteli grapes will have to be saved from powdery mildew. The variety does not have strong immunity to this disease. To prevent infection, it is necessary to spray the bushes with one of the fungicides - Topaz, Tiovit Jet, Strobi. “Strobe”, “Ridomil Gold”, “Horus” are well suited for preventing downy mildew. The treatment is repeated 3 times a week. To prevent grapes from being exposed to gray rot, use “Fitosporin” or “Alirin”.
Regular inspection of young plants helps to avoid unnecessary treatments. As soon as the first signs of a problem appear on the Rkatsiteli grapes (see photo),
gardener intervention is required.Until this moment, you just need to follow the requirements of agricultural technology, and pests will not appear:
- clear bushes of parts of old bark;
- burn this bark outside the vineyard;
- carry out preventive spraying.
The garlic and onion infusion has proven itself to be excellent. It is prepared from 3-4 heads of garlic, 200 g of onion peel and 5 liters of water. Leave the mixture for 6 days, then spray the grapes.
The Rkatsiteli grape variety is used for making juices and wines. In one technology, only berries are used, in another they are processed together with combs. Such drinks are more tart. Winegrowers value the variety for its unpretentiousness and good yield, so if there is space on the plot, they must plant the famous variety.
