Grapes Citron Magaracha: variety description and characteristics, cultivation

Gardeners who want to grow grapes, first of all, must decide what they are doing it for. This is due to the fact that the culture is divided into two types - technical and dessert. Technical varieties are used in winemaking and conservation, dessert varieties are used fresh. There are varieties that, with a stretch, can be attributed to both types at once. These include Citron Magaracha grapes. Let's see what its advantages are and how it is grown.

History of variety breeding

For the first time, the variety was born at the Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking Magarach, by crossing three varieties: Ukrainian Early, Madeleine Angevins and Magarach hybrid.Later it was registered as a grape used for cultivation for industrial purposes. Loved by gardeners and winemakers for its good taste and stable harvest.

Pros and cons

The plant gained its fame thanks to its worthy characteristics, among which the following stand out:

high yield;
pleasant smell;
rich taste;
not only wine is made from Citron Magarach, its berries are quite edible fresh;
calmly reacts to sub-zero temperatures;
weakly attacked by fungal diseases and pests.

No pronounced shortcomings were identified. With proper care, the grapes will please gardeners with a tasty and plentiful harvest.

Pay attention! The variety belongs to the category of self-pollinating, and planting of additional varieties in one area is not required to obtain a crop.

External parameters

Description of the variety is divided into two stages:

description of the appearance of the bush and its shoots;
description of leaves and fruits.

Let's take a closer look at them.

Bush and shoots

The Magaracha Citron Bush, with intensive care and favorable conditions, grows above average. The young vine is a delicate, pale green color, while mature plants change color and the vine becomes a rich, red color.

Leaves and fruits

The leaves have three rounded lobes and are colored green. A bunch of conical shape, its average weight reaches 300 grams.The berries are round, medium in size. Their skin is thin, but strong. The color of the berries is yellow, with a greenish tinge. The pulp is juicy, and each berry contains 3-4 seeds.

Specifications

Among the technical characteristics of the bush, an important role is played by:

resistance to fungal diseases and parasite attacks;
yield;
resistance to cold climate, which is especially important for Russia.

The breeders who developed the Citron Magaracha variety did their best, and all three characteristics are at a high level.

Yields

The yield is admirable, because from one bush the gardener will collect about 9 kilograms of grapes. Accordingly, about 10-11 tons of grapes are harvested from a plot of 1 hectare.Not every variety can boast of such indicators, and coupled with its versatility and excellent taste, such an abundance causes only a joyful smile.

Disease resistance

Good, strong immunity, grafted on the Citron Magarach bush, allows gardeners not to worry about diseases common to the culture, such as:

grey rot;
oidium;
mildew.

The dangers that threaten the variety and its yield include defeat by grape phylloxera. To combat this pest, the seedlings are wrapped in polyethylene, after which they are planted on the site. In this form, they remain until such time as the bush does not get stronger. As a preventive measure, it is enough to carry out periodic inspections of plantings and remove damaged leaves.

Once every few seasons, it is allowed to treat plantings with special antifungal drugs.

Frost resistance

In theory, the bush is able to withstand frosts with air temperatures down to -25 ^{o. In practice, things are a little worse, and experienced gardeners advise to cover the grapes every winter, no matter how severe the winter is in your area of residence.}

As an effective method that increases resistance to negative temperatures, is katarka. The meaning of the method is as follows:

pruner cuts the upper roots of the bush, lying at a depth of up to 5 centimeters;
the plant begins to react to such actions and strengthen the lower part of the root system, so that freezing of the soil does not have a strong negative effect.

Pay attention! Remember to mulch the soil around the bush in preparation for the winter season.

Planting and growing grapes

Grape Citron Magaracha is not considered a capricious variety, the cultivation of which requires a lot of time and effort. However, illiterate planting and caring for a bush is not recommended. Follow the basic requirements when planting and caring for a plant, and it will reciprocate, bringing a stable harvest.

Before purchasing seeds or seedlings of Magarach, pay attention to the following points:

favorable growing regions;
landing dates;
selection and preparation of the site;
care for vine bushes.

Which regions are suitable for cultivation

Growing bushes is possible in many regions of Russia, the temperature of which in winter does not fall below -25 ^{о. Favorable for breeding are:}

Northern Caucasus;
Crimea;
Volgograd region;
Rostov region;
Central Asia;
Far East.

In the Moscow region and other regions located closer to the north, conditions are not so rosy, so when planting, choose a sunny place, preferably on the south side of the summer cottage.

How to choose a he althy and strong seedling

When buying seedlings, pay attention to:

Root system. Choose seedlings with a lot of roots. They should be whole and well formed.
The bark of the seedling must be intact, without signs of damage.
Pay attention to whether the seedling is grafted or not. A grafted seedling is much better.
Kidneys, when lightly pressed, should not fall off or peel off.

Important! Saplings on which leaves have formed should be avoided. Plants whose root system is outdoors, without any shelter, are also not the best purchase.

Timing and landing pattern

When planting bushes, use one of the following schemes:

distance between bushes - 3 meters, distance between beds - 1.5 meters;
distance between bushes - 3 meters, distance between beds - 2 meters.

Seedlings are planted in mid-spring-early summer. It all depends on the region of residence and the method of boarding.

Soil preparation

The preparation process is as follows:

A hole 50-60 centimeters wide and the same depth is dug at the landing site.
A thin layer of gravel is poured on the bottom.
The next layer is a mixture of earth dug out of a hole, with manure, sand and peat.
The earth needs to be tamped every 20-30 centimeters.
The bush is planted at a slight slope.

Choosing a seat

The place for grapes must meet the following conditions:

good lighting;
wind protection;
should not plant bushes in places where water stagnates. This will cause root rot;
the soil on the site should be with neutral acidity. Loamy or sandy loamy areas are suitable for this.

Fertilizer

Feed the plant with fertilizers should be in the spring. Fertilizers can be both organic and inorganic.As an organic top dressing, horse manure is the best option. For a young plant, the dosage per bush is 4 liters of manure, for an adult plant - 8-9 liters.

Irrigation mode

Water the bushes no more than once a week. A couple of buckets of water are poured onto the bush. Most of all, the plant needs watering during bud break and during the formation of berries in clusters.

Pay attention! Before flowering and during it, it is required to stop the artificial irrigation of grapes. Otherwise, the flowers from the bush will begin to fall off quickly, and you can not expect a good harvest.

Do not water the grapes with ice water, this will badly affect its condition. The bush itself should not be watered either.

Processing vines from pathogens

Thanks to a strong immune system, Citron Magaracha does not need special treatment with chemicals. For prevention, you can spray the bush no more than once every 2-3 years.

Cutting

This variety is cut into 3-4 buds, which stimulates growth and the formation of a bountiful harvest. It is required to leave up to 30 eyes on the vine, this number will help form full-fledged bunches of grapes, and the bush will not be overloaded.

Preparing for winter

When landing in the southern regions, you don't have to bother with special preparations for the winter season. The plant will cope with bad weather on its own. For the Moscow region and neighboring regions, the plant will not have enough of its own strength, and for the winter it needs to be covered with a special cloth.

Fruiting period and harvesting

There are two types of grape ripening:

medium;
medium-late.

Medium-aged grapes are suitable for table wine production, and medium-late harvest is used for dessert wines. Harvest carefully, without damaging the vine on which the clusters grow.

Where berries are used

The main use of Citron Magaracha is winemaking. Great for making dry and dessert wines. Can be consumed fresh as the variety is versatile and rich in flavor.