Victoria grapes: description of the variety and history of origin, planting and care

For the Middle Strip, with not very long summers and harsh winters, it is difficult to pick up grapes for planting. Sweet and large berry with a short ripening period - Victoria grapes. This bush is easily rooted or grafted, when sheltered, it tolerates cold winters well and pleases with a bountiful harvest, a pronounced taste. It is resistant to diseases and almost uninteresting to pests.

Origin story

This variety was bred in the 90s by Russian breeders. The main task was to obtain frost-resistant grapes for cultivation in the Middle Latitudes with a short summer. Selection was carried out on the basis of three varieties: Vitis Vinifera, Vitis Amurenzis and Save Vilar 12-304.

The result is a plant very reminiscent of the Japanese Uehara, it originally had the same working name. Later, the variety was named after Empress Victoria.

Variety description

The bush feels great in the conditions of Siberia, the Middle Strip, withstands frost up to 27 ° С. In size it belongs to medium height, with a powerful root system. The leaves are tender, soft, dark green.

The description of the grape variety indicates the female type of flowering. Other pollinating varieties should be planted nearby.

Victoria grapes feel good with a load of 25-30 eyes with a distribution of 5-8 per shoot. Fruits for 2-3 years after rooting. Harvest ripening time - 115-120 days. Brushes of medium density, weighing from 0.5 to 0.7 kilograms. The berry is oblong, large, with a thin skin, fleshy.

Several varieties of varieties are distinguished by the color of the berries:

• Pink Victoria - purple-pink brushes that mature at the same time;
• White Victoria - yellow-green clusters, smaller;
• Romanian Victoria - berries are yellow, pink and green due to non-simultaneous ripening.

Fit features

For landing choose a place with good lighting and a minimum of drafts. The best time is autumn, as in spring the bush quickly wakes up and grows.

Soil selection

For the horse system, a pit with a diameter of about 0.8-1 meter is being prepared. The bottom is filled with drainage, and then 10 cm layers of ordinary garden soil and humus alternate. For the root system, a hole of the required dimensions is left. The earth is well rammed and watered. After planting the grapes, the surface is mulched with sawdust or straw.Landing is carried out in increments of 1.5-3.0 meters.

Seedling selection

The survival of the plant depends on the quality of the planting material. When choosing grapes, pay attention to:

• length - not less than 20 centimeters;
• wood quality - if you pick off the bark - it's green;
• development of the root system, the absence of outgrowths and thickenings on it;
• root color - white and moist on the cut;
• the quality of the eyes - when pressed, they do not fall off and do not peel off.

In addition to the seedling, you can choose a cutting and graft it to another medium or tall grape variety.

Care

The main stages of caring for newly planted grapes are periodic loosening of the soil, watering - if necessary, timely feeding and pruning, on which the yield depends.

Feeding

The procedure is carried out in the spring, when the temperature outside is more than 16 ° C. In a 10-liter bucket of water, 20 grams of superphosphates, 10 grams of ammonium nitrate and 5 grams of potassium s alt are diluted. After the formation of the ovary, a second top dressing is done: 30 grams of a mixture of potassium (1 part) and phosphorus (2 parts) are added to a bucket of water. To stimulate the ripening of berries at the end of summer, water the bush with superphosphates (50 grams) and potassium sulfate (25 grams).

Cutting

In the spring, there is an active juice production, so Victoria grapes are pruned in the fall. Cut off all the excess that has grown over the summer. The normal load on the bush is 25-30 eyes. Some gardeners prefer to leave 2-3 eyes instead of 5-8.

Strengths and weaknesses of the variety

Attracts Victoria gardeners through:

• big harvest;
• simultaneous ripening of all berries on the brush;
• disease resistance;
• ability to withstand frost down to -27 °С;
• quick settling in a new place.

The main disadvantages include:

• grinding fruits with poor-quality pruning and increased load on the bush;
• attractiveness for wasps - if the crop is not protected, it will be quickly eaten;
• cracking of the skin at the time of aging in violation of the water regime. From abundant but rare watering or during dry weather and short rains, the peel easily bursts.

Attention! When laying grapes, you need to remember the predominance of female-type flowers, and select other pollinating varieties.

Diseases and pests

Among the pests of this variety, special attention should be paid to wasps and grape mites. Wasps are attracted to juicy and sweet berries. With improper watering, plucking of ripe berries, or low clusters of grapes, they crack, releasing juice. Wasps flock to this juice. Not a single grape is immune from a tick, and they fight it with special means before the clusters begin to ripen.

On the disease resistance scale, Victoria scored 2.3, which is quite good. Sometimes this variety is exposed to powdery mildew, chlorosis, white and gray rot, black spot. All these diseases are treated with special preparations, and preventive treatment is carried out in the fall.

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