Grapes Nadezhda Azos is a table variety that fully meets the expectations for a consistently high yield, regardless of weather fluctuations. But the list of regions in which grapes can be grown on open ground in Russia is limited mainly to the southern regions. But with the correct zoning and compliance with basic care requirements, Nadezhda Azos reveals himself as one of the best grape varieties created in Soviet times.
general characteristics
Nadezhda Azos is a hybrid table grape variety, obtained in the late 70s, but was registered only in 1991. The hybrid was bred by Apalkova, a breeder at the “Anapa Zonal Experimental Station for Viticulture and Winemaking” by crossing the Cardinal and Moldova varieties. Initially, the grapes were intended for cultivation in the North Caucasus region, but is available for cultivation in the southern regions of the middle zone.
By maturity, the variety is mid-early, the crop ripens on 125-130 days of vegetation. The buds on the vines open late, which makes the grapes invulnerable to spring frosts, but in the regions adjacent to Moscow region, in normal weather in the current season, the berries ripen “back to back” at the time of cooling.
Features of the structure of the bushes
The variety is characterized by a large growth force, vines grow up to 3 m. The bush is massive, strong. The leaves are large, with five or three lobes and deep cuts. The surface of the sheet plate is smooth, painted in a dark green shade. The variety is characterized by a thick fringe of a weblike type at the tops of shoots.
Bisexual flowers. Each shoot produces about 3 inflorescences, 1.4 brushes fully mature. The clusters are large in size - 500-900 g, individual specimens grow up to 2-3 kg. More often they have a conical, sometimes branched shape. Berries fill the bunch loosely.
Fruit Characteristics and Variety Yield
With appropriate normalization, the berries in the middle lane ripen by the end of summer. The shape of the fruit is oval, elongated, there is a sharpening on the tip. The sizes are large: in width - 2.3 cm, in length - 2.9 cm. The berries are painted in a dark blue shade, close to black. The density of the skin is medium, there is a wax coating. The fruits are still, well preserved during transport.
The pulp is medium density. The inclusion of sugars - in the amount of 15-17%, the amount of acid - 7-8 g / l. The berry crunches when bitten. The taste is simple but pleasant, sourness is present. In fruits that have not reached full ripeness, the flesh is slightly tart, the taste disappears when ripe. The taste rating on the tasting scale is 8.2 (out of 10) points.
About 1 kg of fruit ripens per 1 m2 of grape plantation. The weight of the berry is about 6-8 g, but some can reach 10 g. These indicators suggest a high productivity of the Nadezhda Azos variety, the stability of fruiting is no less important - the crop remains at the level even in summer, which is unfavorable for grapes.
The fruiting plant begins in the second year. At least 80% of the shoots that the bush releases are fruitful. Bunches are also formed on the mustache and stepsons, mature well.
Sustainability indicators
Endurance of bushes and preservation of grape fruit Nadezhda Azos, in general, have indicators above average:
- grapes withstands frost up to -22 ° C;
- differs in drought resistance;
- shows high resistance (2 points) to gray, white and black rot;
- susceptibility to oidium and mildew (4 points);
- the fruit is rarely damaged by wild wasps;
- in periods of prolonged rains, cracking of berries is likely;
- clusters can remain on the bush for a long time without deteriorating the quality of the crop.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
There are many arguments in favor of cultivating the variety:
- productivity;
- fruiting stability;
- large-fruited;
- commercial qualities of berries and bunches - attractive appearance, keeping quality and transportability;
- early ripening;
- high growth force and good ripening of the vine - 0.65-0.85% of the length of the shoot;
- ability to tolerate lack of irrigation;
- high immunity to rot;
- poor sensitivity to shoot overload;
- good winter resistance.
The disadvantages of the variety:
- weak rooting of cuttings;
- in rainy weather, difficulties with pollination of flowers are possible;
- cases of peeling and cracking berries.
Features of agricultural technology varieties
The most exacting to grape care Hope Azos shows at a young age. When the bush grows stronger, develops a powerful root system and builds up a large amount of wood, you will have to worry less about it. Grapes require routine activities - top dressing, bush formation, shelters for the winter.
Intensive irrigation is necessary in the first half of the growing season. Key watering - after the release of the bushes from the shelter, a week before the blossoming of flowers and at the end of flowering. Normalization is carried out depending on the state of the plant and the growing region. For disease prevention it is enough to carry out 2 sprayings fungicides for the season - before the flowering bushes and immediately after the formation of the ovaries, as well as remove weeds and carry out autumn harvesting in the vineyard.
Grape planting
When planting grape cuttings Nadezhda Azos, strict adherence to all cultural requirements is justified as never before - young plants are difficult to take root in the new environment. First of all, you need to pay attention to the preparation of the pit and the ground. The grape needs a nutritious, drained substrate, while the requirements for soil structure in different varieties vary. Hope Azos will grow better on light soils.
Landing should be carried out exclusively in the spring - This will increase the chances of a safe rooting of planting material. In the coldest of the regions zoned for the variety, favorable conditions for planting are established at the end of May. But in the southern regions it is not worth rushing - the soil should be well warmed up before disembarkation, therefore, the procedure should not be started before May 5.
It is recommended not to neglect the measure of laying the pipe in the pit during planting - when watering, all water will go directly to the root. Watering with the addition of wood ash (100 g per 10 liters) will be useful for young plants, especially if ashes were not added to fertilizers when planting. Potassium, contained in ash in high concentration, stimulates the processes of root formation and adaptation to a new environment. To irrigate the seedlings, 40 liters of water are required.
Bush formation and normalization
The vine is advised to form in one shoulder with a trunk height of 1.1-1.2 m before the first branch. It is optimal to secure the shoulder on a horizontal cordon, and leave the shoots hanging down freely.
You can’t let the bush overgrow, you need to fall thinning. It is recommended to leave 25-30 fruitful shoots on the bush. Long pruning of fruiting vines is allowed - at the level of 6-7 buds.
Grapes are loyal to overloading vines; rather, underload will be detrimental to it. But in some cases, normalization is necessary:
- Young plants should be given less stress than adult shrubs with a large supply of old wood. On average, 1.6 inflorescences should be left on the shoot, for young grapes - no more than 1 flower. At the first fruiting, the ovary should be removed to enable the bushes to strengthen the root system, without wasting energy on growing fruits.
- The load of the bush affects the ripening period, which is important when grown in a temperate climate. If you need to harvest in August, you should leave no more than 20 kg of fruits on the bush. If growing conditions allow grapes to be harvested in September, 30 kg can be left.
Gardeners reviews
Oleg, 44 years old:
“Hope Azos is a very“ commercial ”variety. The clusters are large, beautiful, the berries are still, but ... they often peel. I made it a rule not to spare the inflorescences of this variety, if removed to the maximum - peas hardly appear in the bunch. There were a couple of cases when the berries of Nadezhda burst still on the bushes, but, which is typical, the wasps did not beat the crop, apparently, the variety is not too sugary. And after cracking, the berries do not rot, as it was with the same Muromets, but rather dry out and dry, like raisins. That is, you can still eat them. ”
Polina, 34 years old:
“Here near Minsk, Nadezhda Azos does not ripen in the open ground, only with greenhouse cultivation. The variety is considered to be early, but the berries do not have time to reach full maturity by the end of September. "
Sofia, 51 years old:
“In terms of disease resistance, Nadezhda Azos is completely analogous to Moldova. Both were sick with oidium, never one variety or the other suffered from mildew, no rot at all, even in rainy seasons. Obviously, grapes inherited the yield and growth power from the same parent. But the fruits and clusters of the variety Nadezhda Azos are larger, and the berries are stored longer, this is especially noticeable in overripe fruits that Moldova does not have at all. So, in my opinion, the improvement was successful. "
Yana, 38 years old:
“The variety is so undemanding that it is simply amazing. The bushes are strong, the bunches are huge, the grapes intensively grows wood - this was not so that the vine was half ripe by the fall (in the south of the Rostov region). I always cut the vines into 2-4 buds, once I tried to leave 6 buds - the bush gave a wonderful harvest. ”
Nadezhda Azos is a stable fruiting variety, suitable for both amateur and industrial cultivation in the southern regions of Russia. The fruits are distinguished by high enough commercial qualities to cultivate the grapes for sale. Bushes are decorative, suitable for the design of hedges or arbors.
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