People began to grow grapes more than six thousand years ago. It comes in two varieties - technical and dining. The first group includes varieties that are used for the manufacture of juices and the production of alcoholic beverages - wines and cognacs, the second group - table species.
What grapes are called table grapes?
Distinctive features of such grapes are beautiful appearance and high taste. Large sweet clusters are eaten fresh, without processing. They tolerate transportation well. The berries have few seeds, thin skin and "fleshy" flesh. The most popular and elite grape varieties are presented below.
The most popular and best varieties
Arcadia
The result of crossing Moldova and Cardinal, combined the successful properties of their parents. Consumers appreciate the large bunches that can reach two kilograms, and gardeners appreciate resistance to low temperatures and high immunity. Juicy light pulp of the berries captivates with its delicate sweet taste and aroma of nutmeg when fully ripe. This early variety is the leader in yield, if you normalize the number of inflorescences, feed the bush in time. An excess amount of moisture can lead to cracking of ripening Arcadia berries, therefore, watered with caution, taking into account weather conditions.
Delight
Very early ripening variety. The berries are large, with a refined nutmeg taste and a loose skin with a waxy coating. The vine can withstand temperatures up to 26 ° C frost, therefore cultivation in northern regions is allowed. The high immunity of the Delight variety helps to fight fungal diseases and mildew, but you need to treat the bush from phylloxera. The yield is high, the fruits can be left on the bush for up to 1.5 months after ripening, while the taste remains excellent.
Experienced gardeners claim that this grape has no flaws.
White kishmish
An ancient dessert type with a medium ripening period. The bunches are small. Seedless, small oval berries, juicy, very sweet and not tart. Their skin is thin and transparent. Due to their fragility, the fruits are not stored for a long time and have low transportability. After harvesting, you need to either eat them immediately, or use them to dry raisins. Dried fruits made from Kishmish are a tasty and healthy delicacy. The vine is powerful, but the yield is low. Average frost resistance. Requires protection from pests and diseases. Needs crop pruning and rationing.
Kesha
Improved Delight with beautiful brushes. White berries are sweet, with a slight sourness and 2-3 large seeds... Kesha is a medium early variety, very tall, with excellent transportability and frost resistance. It develops well if it has a supply of perennial wood. Will appreciate planting in a sunny place and fertile soil. Moderate watering, thinning bunches, and regular feeding have a beneficial effect on yield.
Strashensky
Handsome man with a black berry, medium-early ripening. The fruits are juicy, the grapes are delicious. Bunches of medium density, high-quality type, usually weigh up to 1 kg. Poorly tolerates long-term transportation, average winter hardiness. Not uniform ripening is observed, therefore the crop is cut selectively. The load on the bush will decrease, the remaining fruits will pick up sugar well. This variety has a reduced resistance to gray rot and powdery mildew, but is good at fighting phylloxera, mildew and spider mites. Needs pruning, depending on the growing region.
Laura
Table form of grapes of a very early ripening period. Amber pulp contains a lot of sugar. The taste is rich, pleasant, with nutmeg notes. Large beautiful clusters are a distinctive feature of the variety, some record-breaking brushes weighing up to 2.4 kg. High transportability, popular with buyers and suitable for beginner winegrowers. Resists mildew and gray rot, withstands temperatures up to 20-23 ° C frost. The Laura variety needs pollination during flowering and medium pruning, while preserving perennial wood. The bush is loaded optimally, leaving 30% of non-fruiting shoots. Such a plant will have enough strength to form beautiful large brushes that will ripen on time.
Moldova
A time-tested species, purple berries with a waxy bloom. Bunches are medium in size, fleshy flesh has a simple taste. Ripening dates are late or medium late. Frost resistance is not very high. Requires careful shaping of the bush - a vigorous vine does not like thickening. Perfectly resists fungal diseases and phylloxera, treatment is needed only against oidium. There is an increased sensitivity to calcareous chlorosis. It is used for growing on a gazebo, the bunches retain their decorative appearance and pleasant taste for a long time on the bush. It tolerates transportation well.
Timur
An early ripening hybrid. White berries with a nutmeg aroma, a slight amber or slightly brown tan appears in the sun. The brushes are medium in size, dense. Cuttings give a small "test" crop already in the second year after planting. High frost resistance and resistance to gray rot and mildew. Timur grapes often fall prey to ticks. If the leaves "swell" and redness appears, you need to treat the grapes with a sulfur-containing preparation. Experienced growers praise Timur for the ease of cultivation and early maturation. Care consists in regular watering, feeding and pruning.
Lady fingers
An old mid-season variety that, despite the difficulties in its care, continues to be grown by many growers. The weight of one hand is about half a kilogram. Berries of the Ladies' fingers are elongated, with a classic harmonious taste and mouth-watering aroma, pitted. Not resistant to low temperatures, can die already at 10 ° C frost, therefore needs shelter for the winter. Productivity is changeable, depending on weather conditions. The vine is sensitive to diseases and pests; regular treatment with appropriate preparations is necessary. Recommended for experienced gardeners.
Gourmets consider this variety to be the standard of grape taste.
Mascot
Medium early grapes are yellow-white in color. Vigorous seedlings are excellent resistance to mildew and gray rot, resistant to low winter temperatures. Ripe bunches weigh a little more than a kilogram on average. The fruits are large, with a nutmeg aroma. Already ripe brushes can hang on the bush for a long time without losing their taste and retaining their marketable appearance. A transportable variety that does not require shelter for the winter. A record harvest can be achieved with proper agricultural technology and additional pollination before flowering.
Grapes are a wonderful gift of nature, a child of the gentle sun and fertile land. There are no ideal varieties, but you can always find a species that suits the growing conditions and personal preferences of the gardener.