Athos grapes: description and characteristics of the variety, features of cultivation and care

When planning to grow grape bushes in a garden plot, they study the characteristics and characteristics of the varieties. Based on the description, a variety is selected that meets the requirements of a particular region. If you take into account all the rules for growing and caring for the vine in advance, you will be able to harvest the crop declared by the manufacturer and keep the plant he althy. Grape varieties Athos refers to hybrid types of early ripening. Its advantages are obvious, and the disadvantages are eliminated with the help of well-conducted agricultural technology.

History of species selection

The grape variety bearing the name of one of the Musketeers was born in the Lugansk region. Its author is the Starobelsk breeder Bondarchuk V.K. He crossed two popular varieties of grapes: Kodryanka and Talisman and offered seedlings for experimental cultivation. In 2012, the first fruits were harvested from Athos, and it turned out that the hybrid fully confirmed the characteristics declared by the breeder.

Today it occupies a leading position among winegrowers and is grown in Ukraine, in the southern regions of Russia and in the Crimea.

Grape characteristics

Athos grape variety is the best for those gardeners who like to enjoy the fruits of the vine in the summer. The hybrid belongs to early ripening, the first berries are sung on the bushes in mid-July in favorable weather. The average time to harvest is up to 110 days.

In addition to this advantage, there is also a sweet taste and rich aroma of berries.

Using Athos grapes

Although the hybrid belongs to table varieties, due to the balanced composition of sugars and acids, it is successfully used to make aromatic wine. Housewives close grape juice, compotes for the winter, and the children eat ripe berries with pleasure almost the entire second half of summer.

Botanical description

Before you buy an Athos seedling, you should study its botanical description. This will help you make the right choice and take into account all the nuances of caring for the bush.

Bushes and shoots

The bushes are vigorous, when fully ripe, the shoots are brown in color with reddish internodes. Powerful vines are characterized by almost 100th maturation per season.

Yield and fruit description

Athos can also boast of high yields, with competent agricultural technology, up to 120-130 centners of berries are harvested from 1 hectare.A bunch of grapes has a conical shape, and the weight reaches 1.5 kilograms. Unlike the parent variety (Codryanka), Athos has practically no tendency to pea.

Hybrid berries are large (up to 12 g), finger-shaped. The flesh is burgundy, and the color of the peel is dark blue. The fruits of Athos taste sweet, crunchy when biting, there is a slight sourness. Gardeners unanimously call the advantage of Athos berries the ability of fruits to hang on bushes for a long time, without crumbling or cracking. Also, the advantages include good transportability of bunches.

Disease resistance

To the most common fungal diseases of the vine, the Athos hybrid has a resistance of 7 points. The variety is rarely affected by powdery mildew, but regular prophylaxis will have to be carried out against gray rot.

Growing place

For the cultivation of Athos, a sunny site, protected from drafts, is selected. This may be a place along buildings, but at least 1.5 meters must be retreated from the wall. In a shaded place, the hybrid berries will not ripen in time and will have a sour taste and small size.

Boarding rules

Before planting a hybrid, they study the rules of planting in order to avoid mistakes and not harm the young bush. Experienced gardeners usually plant Athos by cuttings, and those who first decide to do this business are advised to purchase annual seedlings in special nurseries.

How to choose a seedling

Before purchasing planting material, carefully examine its root system:

• It should not have damage, growths.
• A seedling must have at least 3 roots.
• The absence of spots on the leaves, shoots is a sign of a he althy seedling.
• Do not purchase planting material with dried roots.

Ground requirements

Not suitable for the cultivation of the Athos hybrid is a place with a close location of groundwater. The plant will get sick and will not give a good harvest. If it is not possible to select a suitable site, prepare drainage for the root system and drain grooves so that water does not stagnate near the seedling. Athos bears fruit well on sandy, light soils.

Planting scheme, planting hole dimensions

The depth of the landing pit should be around 70 cm. At the bottom, they must make drainage from crushed stone from broken red brick, gravel is also suitable. So that adult bushes do not interfere with each other in the future and do not take away useful components from the “neighbor”, they keep a distance of 2.5 meters when landing.

You can root seedlings in spring and autumn. In the spring, this is done when the earth warms up completely, and in the fall, no later than the third week of October.

Fertilize after planting

Decomposed manure mixed with black soil and mineral top dressing is brought into the planting pit. This nutrition is enough for the seedling of Athos for the first season. Subsequently, they are annually fed three times per season:

• In the spring, mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen are added.
• Before fruiting, preference is given to potash and phosphorus components.
• Before preparing for winter, organic matter will come in handy.

Care for good growth and yield

Athos is not particularly picky about care, so it is successfully grown even by novice growers. Loosening the soil and removing weeds, watering and fertilizing, vine formation and pruning are the main agricultural activities for the hybrid.

Water Regularity

The regularity of humidification depends on the climatic features of the region and the prevailing weather. It is not worth pouring grape bushes, this will provoke rotting of the root system, but Athos does not like overdried soil either.

Standardly irrigate 4 times a season:

1. In the spring before bud break.
2. At the time of flowering.
3. During the fruiting period.
4. In the complex of preparations for winter.

Loosening the soil

To improve the supply of oxygen to the roots of the grape bush, loosen the soil after each watering. If necessary, carry out mulching and removal of weeds.

Feeding

Spring top dressing is combined with watering. Scatter fertilizer granules in the near-stem circle and moisten the ground. Together with water, the nutrients will get to the roots. In summer and autumn, fertilizers diluted in water are used. Carry out both foliar and root feeding of plants.

Pinch and trim

A few days before flowering, pinch (remove growth points) of green shoots. This will allow fruiting shoots to receive more nutrients for the full formation of clusters. Stepchildren are also removed.

In the spring, cut into 6-8 eyes for better fruiting. Sanitary pruning is carried out before wintering.

Formation of a fruitful vine

When forming a fruit-bearing vine, leave no more than 35 eyes per bush or 20-22 shoots.

Preparing vines for wintering

Before wintering, grape vines are removed from supports, divided in half and tied. The soil under the bush is covered with roofing material and shoots are laid on it. A frame is installed on top, covered with plastic wrap.

It is important to ensure that the film does not touch the vines, this can cause the plant to burn.

Fruit ripening and harvesting season

The ripening period of Athos grapes starts from the end of July and lasts until mid-August. You can take your time with harvesting, as the taste of the berries does not suffer from prolonged hanging on the bushes. Plus, they won't crack or attract wasps.

The berries, even after removing the bunch from the bush, hold tightly and do not crumble, which allows them to be transported over long distances.

Fungal and infectious diseases of grapes

Most often, gray rot becomes a problem when growing an Athos hybrid. If the disease affected the hybrid, then the treatment will take at least 2-3 years. Apply drugs of the fungicidal category, such as "Topsin", "Boskalid", "Kaptan". Downy mildew and powdery mildew rarely kill the Athos vine.

Methods of control and prevention of diseases and pests

As a preventive measure, hybrid bushes are treated three times a season: in spring, before flowering and after harvesting. Biologics and folk remedies are used, for example, an infusion of onion or garlic peel, wood ash. To prevent Athos berries from damaging the birds, small-mesh nets are used, and traps are set for wasps and other pests.

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