Modern selection of vines is aimed at improving the quality of existing species and varieties. Breeders from different countries regularly introduce new varieties: more resistant to disease, more productive, with improved taste. In 2012, a new hybrid variety, Lily of the Valley, was introduced to the horticultural market, which has remarkable characteristics that may be of interest to private and industrial gardening.

Breeding History and Breeding Region

The creator of the variety is the winegrower Zagorulko V.V. (Ukraine). To obtain the Lily of the Valley hybrid, the varieties Kish-Mish Radiant and Talisman were used. In fact, Lily of the Valley is an improved Radiant Quiche. With the same ripening period, shape and weight of the cluster, Lily of the Valley has better frost resistance (–21 ° C instead of –19 ° C), higher resistance to diseases and larger individual berries (10-16 g instead of 6 g). These changes occurred due to the second parent - the variety "Talisman".

The value of the resulting variety is given by the excellent appearance and taste of the berries. A conical cluster weighing about 1 kg with bright yellow-green berries looks quite attractive. Good storage and transportability may be of interest in trading purposes. The taste of the berry is sweet with sourness and nutmeg aroma.

Varietal characteristics of "Lily of the valley"

The main varietal characteristics:

• type - dining room;
• acidity - medium;
• color is yellow-green;
• ripening time is medium (120-130 days).

The variety is characterized as vigorous, therefore, it requires molding from the first year of life. The flowers are bisexual, which means that Lily of the Valley does not need pollinators. The variety is focused on the use of berries in their natural form, as well as for blanks in the form of jam, juice or raisins.

Did you know? Grapes are one of the oldest cultivated plants. The production of wine from grapes, documented , took place around 6000 BC. e. in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq).

Description of berries

The weight of the berry is 10–16 g. The shape is oval-cylindrical. The skin is of medium density. Berries can hang on the bush for a long time after ripening, without losing their integrity, due to the resistance of the variety to cracking. But the pulp in this case becomes softer and thinner. The taste is balanced, with an equal share of sweetness and sourness. A pleasant nutmeg aroma inherited from the parental varieties. This aroma is preserved regardless of the type of soil on which the variety grows. The sugar content is 16%, the acidity is 5–7 g / l.

Bunches of grapes

Large clusters of cylindrical-conical shape can reach a weight of 1500 g. The average weight is 1000 g. The clusters are elongated, medium friability, formed by berries of approximately the same size.

Video: grape variety lily of the valley

Ripening time

"Lily of the valley" refers to varieties with a medium early ripening period (120 days). Roughly grapes are sung by mid-August or later, depending on the climatic zone.

Grapevine Features

The bush forms a high percentage of fruitful shoots. No more than 3 clusters are left for 1 shoot because of their heavy weight.

"Lily of the valley" refers to vigorous species, so the vine necessarily requires molding. In the process of growth, a small number of stepsons are formed, which is also a hallmark of the variety. The leaves of Lily of the Valley are medium in size, light green in color.

Did you know? The oldest existing vine is 500 years old. It grows in Slovenia, in the city of Maribor. The vine survived not only 2 world wars, but also still brings about 35 - 55 kg of grapes per year. The study was conducted in 1972 by the University of Ljubljana.

Productivity

The variety is high-yielding. On average, 1.5–2 brushes each weighing between 800 and 1500 are each shoot. If you do not remove part of the resulting ovaries and leave 3-4 brushes for ripening, you will get a larger crop, but the clusters will ripen much longer. In a temperate climate, delaying the maturity is impractical.

Grade stability

Resistance to disease in grapes is above average. "Lily of the valley" is resistant to mildew, oidium, is not afraid of spring frosts, but with very high humidity it can lose color or fruit.

Due to its high frost resistance, the variety can be regionalized in the northern regions. It is covering, but withstands temperatures up to –21 ° C.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety "Lily of the valley"

• The main advantages of the variety:
• high taste qualities of berries;
• attractive appearance;
• large size of berries;
• high resistance to diseases;
• good preservation and transportability of the crop.

• The disadvantages of the variety:
• poorly tolerates high humidity and with prolonged rains, discards inflorescences;
• if the berries are over-ripened, then they lose their elastic consistency.

The right conditions for planting grapes

To start growing grapes, you can buy seedlings or chubuki. For good growth, you need to carry out a full range of sprayings from diseases. Also required activities will be trimming and molding the bush. Important! Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. A couple of hours after taking the grapes, the animal may begin vomiting, diarrhea, thirst or excessive urination. This can be fatal for your dog, as there is no antidote. The vine grows for 100 years or more, so when planting you need to choose a site where there will be enough room for growth, not only today, but also in subsequent years. The site should be quite sunny, with good moisture removal and nutrient soil.

How and when to plant grapes

For cultivation, choose a hilly area with good lighting. The southern slope of the hill will provide optimal conditions for growth. To ensure good drainage of the soil, it is enough to properly equip the pit for grapes.

The bush should be protected from cold winds: it can be a natural slope, trees, buildings - any objects that impede the movement of the cold air stream.

Soil requirements:

• type - sandy or loamy with drainage;
• acidity level - 6–7 pH;
• nutrition is moderate.

Important! You can not plant grapes in the lowlands. Groundwater will accumulate there, and an increased level of humidity can completely destroy both the crop and the vine.

It will be nice if organic or synthetic fertilizers are added to insufficiently nutritious soil. But if the soil is too nutritious, then the vine will form an aerial part rich in stepsons and foliage and a good root system, but the fruiting will be much lower than average.

As for planting material, then Chubuki need to be purchased in the fall. They are formed from a trimmed vine. Planting is done in plastic bottles for rooting and growth until planting in the ground in spring.

Cuttings are fully prepared for planting. Regardless of the variety, they can be planted in the spring. In autumn, only frost-resistant varieties can be planted in the soil in regions with mild winters. In other cases, the bush may not have time to take root and die.

Planting technology

Planting technology includes analysis of the condition of the soil, its pre-planting preparation, the formation of the correct pit and planting the bush.

Most soils are alumina with high acidity (above 7 pH). Visually, this manifests itself in a large number of weeds growing on the site.

Accordingly, soil preparation includes:

• deep digging to weaken the root system of weeds;
• making chalk or lime to deoxidize the soil.

1-2 weeks before the grapes are planted, add the following amount of lime (g / m2) to the planting site:

• acidic soil - 500;
• medium acid - 400;
• slightly acidic - 300.

Lime is mixed with the topsoil to a depth of at least 15 cm. After 2 weeks, a pit is prepared: its diameter should be at least 60 × 60 × 60 cm. The extracted soil is divided into 2 unequal parts. A large mix with organic fertilizers: compost (2 buckets) or manure. A smaller one will become the topsoil after planting a bush. Did you know? Contrary to popular belief about the dangers of grape seeds, they are very useful. Seeds are able to influence the reduction of body fat and have anti-cancer properties. A drainage layer (at least 10 cm) is laid at the bottom of the pit in order to prevent contact of roots and groundwater. Drainage can be pebbles, gravel, any other material that is not able to retain moisture inside itself. A layer of soil mixed with organic fertilizers is laid on top. Additionally, 300 g of phosphorus fertilizers are added to it.

Water the prepared pit. The cutlery is set in the middle, sprinkled with the remaining soil. Near the roots, the soil is compacted so that the bush is stable. If the grapes are not planted at the finished trellis, then set a peg to which the garter will be carried out.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with other table grape varieties:

Care Features

If the grapes are planted on an uncultivated plot, then in the first year of life, he will face competition with weeds for moisture and nutrients. Regular weeding will help limit weed numbers. Shallow digging will weaken the roots of the herbs and lead to their death.

At this stage, top dressing is not needed due to fertilizers applied during planting. It is recommended to apply fertilizer every 2-3 years, when the plant has exhausted its previous supply of nutrients.

There is no exact data on the technology of forming the Lily of the Valley bush, so you can try to form it in one trunk as well as in two. Watering should be done at least 1 time per week, as the soil dries.

Also learn how to water the grapes correctly and how often.

In the fall, before the frosts, they trim the bush, removing excess shoots. For the winter, the bush needs to be treated from pests and covered. Starting from the second year of growth, grapes can bear fruit. The crop will be small. During this period, the correct formation of a bush, pruning and pest control is important.

Shelter of grapes for the winter

To prevent surface freezing in winter, an additional layer of soil is poured over this zone. It should warm the roots and protect them from frost.

It is customary to cover the vine in 2 ways:

• using special facilities;
• with the help of covering material - lapnik, straw and other improvised means.
  

To cover grapes with improvised means, you will need:

1. Remove the vines from the trellis.
2. Trim all shoots and leaves that have performed their function.
3. Treat shoots with copper sulfate to protect against disease.
4. Dig a trench.
5. Lay the film on the bottom to protect it from moisture, and then the vines.
6. Close the vines with straw.
7. Sprinkle on top with soil.

You can free the vine from the covering material and place it on the trellis again in March or early April. It depends on how mild the climate is in your area.

Important! The processing of grapes from fungi is always carried out only in spring and summer. This is due to the nature of the fungi: they do not die in the cold or when digging the soil.

Diseases and Pests

Vine disease can be a big problem for the farmer. Unfortunately, there are no ideal conditions under which diseases do not occur. The destructive effect of bacteria and fungi is supplemented by insects that can damage both the vine and the roots.

The main diseases:

1. Bacteriosis of grapes (Pierce's disease) is manifested by drying of the leaf plate and falling of leaves. Also, there is a slowdown in vines growth and dehydration of bunches. Perhaps the appearance of brown spots on the shoots. Bacteria spread through insects, affecting healthy plants. There is no specialized treatment. Researchers suggest the use of bacteriophages in the fight against similar diseases.
   

2. Grape phylloxera are microscopic insects that feed on leaf juice and the roots of vines. In the process of feeding, sucking insects secrete a sticky sweet coating. As a result, in places of bites, the plant is affected by soot fungi. Spraying from phylloxera is carried out in the phase of the kidneys and during leaf blooming. The seedling is covered with a film to a height of 0.5 m in order to prevent phylloxera. “Karbofos”, “Kinmiks” and other drugs from sucking insects are allowed for use.
   

3. Powdery mildew is also a dangerous disease. The disease affects plants from May to late autumn. An insufficient amount of free space around the bushes (less than 0.5 m) will contribute to its development. Symptoms - mold or oil stains on shoots and inflorescences. The affected berries dry out and look like raisins. They can also soften and turn purple-brown. The main way to combat the fungus is the use of fungicides: Trichodermin, Fitosporin-M, Quadrice and others.
   

4. Oidium can affect all aerial parts of grapes. The development of the disease is possible throughout the growing season until late autumn. It affects vineyards in dry years with low humidity. The berries are covered with powdery mildew, crack and dry. The vine can also be covered with plaque. To combat this pathogen, an artificial increase in humidity and fungicides with a silicon content are used, which helps to destroy the fungus.
   

5. Gray rot (Botritis gray) affects leaves and fruits in conditions of high humidity. The first signs of the disease are spots on leaves that turn brown and begin to rot, and then fall off. The fungus can inflorescence inflorescences and cause them to fall. The fruits are covered with gray mold and also rot. If moisture does not get on grapes when watering or during rain, then this is a fairly effective way to combat the disease. Chemical treatment of the bush is carried out with the preparations "Horus", "Switch" and others.
   

6. Black rot affects grapes in warm and humid growing conditions. Round brown spots appear on the leaves and shoots, the leaves dry out and fall off. In the fight against fungus, grape treatment is effective with a solution of iron sulfate or Bordeaux liquid.
   

Grape diseases are dangerous for the loss of the crop, therefore, before their appearance it is recommended to observe the correct distance between the bushes and conduct all preventive spraying of the vineyards.

The use of grapes "Lily of the valley"

The variety "Lily of the valley" refers to canteens and can be used both in kind and in the form of jams, juices, compotes. Such preparations for the winter help diversify the diet and fortify it. In addition, grapes have high antioxidant and medicinal properties. Lily of the Valley is a relatively new variety, so there is no information about making wine from it yet, but you can try to make it. Read also whether it is possible to eat grapes with gout. If you are fond of viticulture and choose varieties for planting, we recommend that you pay attention to new varieties, including Lily of the Valley, and try to grow them, observing the above requirements.

Network user reviews

Hello! Of course, it is too early to draw any conclusions on the GF Lily of the valley. Basically, everyone had their first fruiting ... What can I say? The form is vigorous, with excellent ripening of the vine. No signs of disease were observed. On the shoots were 2-3 inflorescences. I think that there is a prospect for productivity. I really liked the appearance of this grape: large oval berries of yellow color with an unusual taste reminiscent of white acacia (if anyone in childhood ate its flowers ...). The crop hung for a very long time on the bush for observation and, practically, did not lose its appearance and taste. I did not see cracking of berries at this GF on our site. Fursa Irina Ivanovna //forum.vinograd.info/showpost.php?p=572384&postcount=3