Isabella grapes: variety description, planting and care, cultivation and pruning with photo

The Isabella grape is a black variety, namesake of Queen Isabella of Spain. The plant is accepted even in harsh climatic conditions, is resistant to frost, even if it is not saved with a special shelter. Isabella is rarely exposed to diseases, pests affect the bushes weakly. Each grower manages to grow an unpretentious variety with a high yield.

History of variety breeding

Breeder William Prince bred Isabella grapes by crossing Vitis Labrusque and Vitis Vinifer. Its original purpose is to improve the quality of the vines and increase the fertility of the shrub. The story began over 200 years ago.

Isabella is considered an American species that is popular in America. Until the early 80s, grapes were grown in all states of America and European countries. Winemakers came to the conclusion that when creating wine products, Isabella is distinguished by an unpleasant rotten tone and a small amount of alcohol. All plantations were gradually cut down.

The variety has remained popular among planters in Canada, Japan, Brazil and Portugal, in which Isabella is successfully grown to this day. The countries of the near abroad also do not refuse the opportunity to grow homemade grapes.

Description and features of Isabella grapes

Due to the detailed description of the variety, some features of the berries can be distinguished. Isabella belongs to the category of table-technical types with a universal purpose.After all, the berries are used fresh, in the manufacture of wine, juice, desserts, jams. Key features include:

• berries ripen rather late;
• plant perfectly tolerates frost, moisture, drought;
• not affected by infectious diseases such as chlorosis and anthracnose;
• high yield compared to other varieties;
• even after freezing, the vine of the bush is restored, reproduction occurs with the help of rooted seedlings.

A few years after planting, a tall bush grows, on which clusters with a cone shape are formed every year. Berries of a dark shade are round or oval in shape, densely packed.

Due to the presence of a wax coating on the surface, the fruits become gray. Despite the density, the skin is not difficult to separate from the pulp.

The vine develops rapidly, as a result of which the Isabella bush is used as an ornamental plant.

What are the varieties?

One of the ubiquitous natural American hybrids is Isabella large-fruited. The plant grows rapidly. The clusters are medium-sized, have a cylindrical shape. Fertility is high, the bush is frost-resistant. Berries have thick skins.

Through numerous experiments, an early grape variety, Isabella white, was bred. Clusters have a medium density, the shape of a cylinder. The berries are medium-sized, rounded, have a thin skin. The variety is quite productive.

Selection of seedlings and site for planting

When choosing young seedlings, it is recommended to take into account some features:

1. The best time to purchase a seedling is autumn. The seller during this period can show the harvest and give the fruit a taste. In the spring, it is also allowed to purchase material for planting, but you should not expect a quick return.
2. Isabella takes root by the time frost sets in, begins to grow rapidly in early spring.
3. In order to avoid buying an infected seedling, and in order not to infect other crops in the garden, it is worth buying them in specialized nurseries.
4. The best choice of a summer resident is a classic grape variety, because, in pursuit of new products, you can make the wrong choice.
5. It is recommended to choose elite and first grade categories. A strong and he althy vine often grows from initially weak shoots. In elite seedlings, there are from 4 developed roots, the shoot reaches 25 centimeters. The first variety has a not so strong and strong root system, the shoot is up to 20 centimeters.

When a powerful root system has formed, it is time to determine the seedling for a permanent place.

For planting grapes, you should choose a place according to the following criteria:

• the area should be sunny and protected from gusts of wind;
• if possible, it is recommended to plant seedlings near the walls of structures or on gentle slopes; you can build a vine support yourself;
• with the predominance of peat in the area, a little river sand should be added to the soil;
• clay soil is recommended to be diluted with a drainage layer;
• sandy soil enriched with rotted manure and compost;
• when an acid reaction occurs in the soil, the site is diluted with lime.

Important! In the soil for planting grapes, there should be no stagnant groundwater.

How to plant Isabella grapes?

Recommended for planting grapes:

1. Choose a suitable place, prepare the ground.
2. Leave the acquired seedling for 24 hours in warm settled water. Shoots are cut only for 3-5 eyes and roots for 50-100 millimeters.
3. Prepare in advance a pit for landing, the depth of which should be about 50-90 centimeters, the diameter should be 80 centimeters.
4. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the pit. The next layer is excavated soil.
5. A peg is being installed for support.
6. The next layer of potassium s alt, ash and superphosphate is applied as fertilizer.
7. After filling a little earth on top, you can plant a bush.
8. The root is dipped in clay slurry, buried and tied to a peg.
9. The soil around the plant is compacted tightly.
10. The planted grapes need to be watered abundantly. The hole is covered with peat.

It is recommended to plant seedlings at a distance of 150 centimeters from each other, between rows - at least 2 meters.

Care & Grow Tips

In order to get a high yield, you should follow the basic rules for caring for Isabella grapes:

• the soil should always be clean, free of weeds;
• around the bush, the soil must be constantly loosened, to maintain the condition of the mounds;
• growing seedlings for the first 2 years is recommended to be accompanied by proper watering;
• fertilize the soil at least three times a season. Experienced gardeners can recommend what to feed, depending on the type of soil;
• humus is introduced every 2-3 years;
• at the end of the first year of growth, it is recommended to form a support for the vine;
• before the start of frost, young seedlings should be covered, the use of needles is allowed.

Proper care and fulfillment of basic requirements contribute to the good growth and rich yield of Isabella.

An important process is the fertilization of grapes. The most effective way is mulching that promotes:

• preserve soil moisture;
• improving vine nutrition;
• preventing the formation of earth crusts that impede the free movement of air;
• slow down weed growth;
• protecting the roots of the bush during the frost.

Must, dry grass, compost, sawdust are used as mulch. Spraying with a solution is carried out using magnesium sulfate. The entire growing season, the bush needs top dressing based on liquid mineral fertilizers.

In order to prevent and control pests and diseases, it is advised to spray shrubs with a solution of 10 teaspoons of soda and 10 tablespoons of s alt per 10 liters of purified water.

To process leaves, gardeners prepare a solution based on slaked lime. For cooking, it is enough to dilute 1 kilogram of quicklime with 3 liters of water. After the extinguishing process, add 7 liters of water and mix thoroughly.

Leaves can be worked with a brush.

Timing and trimming procedure

During the summer, the grape vine often grows, it is required to cut the bush. It is recommended to use a special tool - secateurs. Often the pruning process is carried out in the autumn or spring. Autumn pruning should be carried out when the leaves are completely dropped by the bush, when the grapes are preparing for wintering.The procedure should be completed before the first frost. Sick and old parts must be removed without fail.

Basic rules on how to prune a grape bush:

• on young bushes it is necessary to leave he althy shoots in the amount of no more than 8;
• pruning is recommended to be carried out carefully so as not to harm the he althy parts of the grapes;
• hardened stepchildren are partially removed, green - completely;
• the top is also to be removed, which promotes growth on the sides, not in height;
• cutting is carried out at a right angle, the cuts must remain smooth;
• experienced gardeners recommend thinning out clusters and leaves, a large number of which contributes to lower yields.

Summer pruning of shrubs is carried out in order to adjust growth. It is important to keep an eye on a fruitful and empty vine so as not to prune too much.

Pruning in the summer allows gardeners to carry out preventive maintenance of the plant to better transfer the active growing season.

Features of pruning in summer:

1. In order for the load to be distributed evenly, young shoots should be broken off in early June. It is recommended to tie up a fruitful vine during this period. Thanks to this, the replacement, for next year's yield, will be planted correctly.
2. The flowering process ends in July, it is during this period that stepchildren should be removed, sprayed and fertilized. This contributes to high yields.
3. In August, the minting of young shoots is carried out by removing the upper parts of the root in order to compact the lower part of the root system.
4. Antennae can be removed every day - they serve as a mount.

Methods of reproduction

Propagation by cuttings is quite common in horticulture. When carrying out autumn pruning, cuttings are usually harvested for planting. A part of the annual shoot is cut off with a diameter of 7-10 millimeters and a length of 150-200 centimeters.

Experienced gardeners identify 2 harvesting methods:

1. Leaves from prepared vines are removed, the vine is twisted into a ring, sent for storage in a dark cool place. Additional processing is not required. Cuttings are cut with the onset of spring, it is recommended to leave 5-6 eyes on them. For 14-21 days they are placed in water - in warmth, under the sun's rays, until the roots appear. Then the cuttings should be rooted with mineral fertilizers in specially prepared soil.
2. The cut vine is cut into small pieces - 20-40 centimeters each. The upper cut is located 2-3 centimeters from the eyes. The material is soaked in a solution based on iron sulphate for 60-120 minutes and left in a cool place until the onset of spring.

Prepared cuttings are recommended to be planted in the early days of the last spring month. With proper planting and care, in the future, a high yield is guaranteed.

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