An increasing area is occupied by vineyards not only in the southern regions, but also in the northern latitudes. Varieties that are highly resistant to temperature fluctuations are very popular among gardeners. These varieties include Super Extra grapes, which are described in this article.
Description of Super Extra grapes
Super Extra grapes were cultivated by crossing the Cardinal, Talisman and other species of pollen by the breeder Pavlovsky E.G in Novocherkassk. The name Citrine is also common among winegrowers. He is characterized by:
- Frost resistance. Without covering material, the vine calmly tolerates cold up to -25 degrees. Quite resistant to the main list of diseases affecting the culture.
- The growing season. The variety belongs to early ripening, the duration of fruit ripening is 90-110 days.
- Bush formation. Grape Extra has vigorous bushes and a developed powerful root system. Young shoots are light green and brown over time. Leaves on growing shoots are bright green, slightly dissected, of medium size.
- Bloom. The flowers of the plant are bisexual, the variety is self-pollinated. On each shoot there are several bunches, therefore, the formation of a bush is required by removing excess branches at the beginning of growth. Fruiting annually, starts 2-3 years after planting.
- Productivity. Fruiting is plentiful, from one plant the yield reaches up to 20 kg. The bunches are large, brush weighing from 500 to 800 grams. There are examples when Super Extra grew to a record size of 1.5 kg. The grapes are of different sizes, on the branches are loosely in a conical shape, hold firmly, are convenient for transportation.
Ripe berries on bushes in damp weather can undergo cracking, but collected in boxes are well preserved. - Fruit appearance. The berries are elongated, up to 3.5 cm long, up to 2.5 cm wide, large, weighing up to 10 grams. The skin is light golden-green in color, amber when fully ripe, has a dense waxy coating. Fleshy, juicy pulp with a pleasant sweet taste and slightly sourness. Has a rich aroma with notes of nutmeg. Sugar content within 18% at an acidity level of 5 g / l.
Super Extra Grapes
Attractive appearance, taste, ease of transport and short growing seasons make the variety popular with winegrowers.
Cultivation technology
The procedure for growing Super Extra grapes is similar to other varietal grapes, taking into account some of the features inherent in this hybrid.
- Site selection. The most suitable month for planting grapes is April, the place is being prepared since autumn. Agriculture prefers well-lit places, but it also feels good in partial shade. The variety grows on any type of soil, but gives the greatest preference to light, nutritious soil. Extra is characterized by tall growth, therefore it requires more space for the development of a bush in comparison with similar varieties. There should be a distance of at least 2.5 meters between the rows, preferably 3 meters. It is recommended to place seedlings at a distance of 2 meters.
Increased stature requires careful calculation of the distance between the bushes when planting. - Pit preparation. For planting, holes are dug 80 * 80 cm in size. 1 meter high, with large volumes of planting, it is advisable to dig a trench. A drainage layer in the form of crushed stone or pebble stone is distributed to the bottom of the pit.Then it is advisable to lead a small pipe with a diameter of 3-4 cm to the drainage.The installation will allow watering the bush directly into the roots in the first years. The bottom layer of the pit is filled with planting soil. To do this, the earth should be mixed with humus; with a clay layer, it is necessary to add sand per 1 sq. meter - 1 bucket of sand. It is also recommended to fertilize the soil with superphosphate 500 gr. and a bucket of ash.
- Installation of supports. Along with the planting pit, you need to take care of preparing the supports for the growth of the bush. In the first year, you will need a stake to tie up a young shoot, but over time, a strong trellis with a height of 3 meters or more will be required.
- Planting. The roots of seedlings are easy to dry, so do not hesitate with planting. They plant it deep in the ground, leaving up to 2 buds on the surface. At first, it requires frequent watering and loosening of the soil.
Super Extra grapes in the garden
Subsequent plant care includes a number of the following procedures:
- Watering. During growth, it requires abundant watering at least 2 times a month about 30 liters under a bush. After watering, the soil under the bush must be loosened and weeds must be removed.
During the period of formation and ripening of fruits, the volume of water should be halved in order to avoid waterlogging of the soil and cracking of berries. - Top dressing. It is recommended to feed the plant three times per season - in early spring, before and after flowering. Top dressing is carried out with organic fertilizers alternating with phosphorus, nitrogen and potash fertilizers.
The dosage of the applied fertilizers is selected based on the composition and condition of the soil. - Pruning a plant. Formative pruning is carried out in the fall or early spring. The best option is to leave 5-7 eyes on each vine, but not more than 25 eyes on a bush. When the berries reach the size of peas, only the largest clusters are left on the vine, the rest are removed.
- Preventive treatment against diseases and pests. In the spring, before the buds appear, they are sprayed with fungicides. Before flowering, the bush is treated with Bordeaux liquid, lime solution and preparations containing copper.
- Protection from wasps and birds. In order to protect the crop from birds, the bunches are tied into a net. In the fight against insects, adhesive tapes and the arrangement of vessels containing a mixture of sugar and poison are used.
- Covering measures before wintering. In late autumn, the vine is freed from supporting structures. After that, they are laid on the ground, covered with a protective layer of mulch and spruce branches or straw.
With timely and proper care, Extra will annually delight gardeners with rich and early fruiting.
Advantages and disadvantages
Grapes Super Extra Pest Control
In terms of external characteristics, Super Extra grapes are similar to Arcadia. Nevertheless, the taste is inferior to her. But Extra has a shorter growing season and due to its thick skin is better suited for transportation. In terms of the rate of fruit ripening, it is equal to such varieties as Tason and Livia, but in terms of the quality of the harvest, these varieties are superior to Super Extra. Despite this, the culture has an extensive list of benefits:
- frost resistance;
- early maturity;
- stable annual yield;
- presentable presentation and good taste;
- excellent safety during long-term transportation;
- unpretentious fruiting in partial shade;
- self-pollination;
- resistance to disease.
The negative qualities of the variety include:
- tough skin on grapes;
- different sized berries in one bunch;
- cracking of fruits when overripe on bushes;
- instability to grape phylloxera.
Despite the existing disadvantages, the variety has gained popularity among gardeners due to its characteristics.
Super Extra is an excellent choice for those who first decided to take up viticulture. The variety is unpretentious, does not require special care, and is quite disease resistant. Frost resistance allows you to get a harvest even in the northern regions.
