Alice grapes: characteristics of the variety and cultivation

Grapes - a favorite culture of gardeners of the southern regions of Russia, because the warm climate contributes to its cultivation. In order to improve the quality of the fruit and simplify the care of the crop, new varieties are constantly being developed.Among the relatively new varieties stands out grapes "Alice". It is still little known, but it is surely gaining popularity.

The variety of table grapes “Alisa” was bred by Don farmer and amateur breeder Vasily Ulyanovich Kapelyushny, who became famous for his developments and numerous awards. Created "Alice" on the basis of varieties "Kriulyansky" and "Talisman." These red and green varieties have formed a hybrid form of table grapes, which is distinguished by fecundity and resistance to adverse natural conditions.

The fruits of the grapes at the beginning of ripening are colored in pink. Dark maroon, dark red or purple berries acquire at the end. They are also covered with a dense prune coat. Prune is a wax-based substance that preserves berries from mechanical damage, excessive evaporation of moisture, pathogenic bacteria and other microorganisms.

At the same time, the peel of the fruit is soft, imperceptible while eating, but durable. With large sizes and weight, the berries rarely burst or crack, so they can hang on the bush for a very long time. The pulp has a dense structure and a pleasant sweetish taste due to the fact that this hybrid variety accumulates sugar well. The average size of the berries is 35x30 mm, weight is 12-18 grams, the shape is ovoid or oval.

From the variety “Kriulyansky”, bred in Moldova, “Alice” received resistance to cold, common grape diseases and a red hue of berries. Also, apparently, thanks to his genes, a new variety forms vigorous bushes with huge clusters that can produce greater yields. Clusters of grapes "Alice" can reach 1 kilogram.

This variety is resistant to frost (can withstand up to -25 ° C), so it can be grown not only in the original "grape" areas of the Kuban and Krasnodar, but also in more northern territories. Rooted cuttings of grapes "Alice" very well, rarely causing any problems. Under favorable conditions, fruit ripening begins within three months. At the first fruiting, the number and size of the berries may be small, because the bushes are still not strong enough. However, the yield from the very beginning is consistently high.

Significantly simplifies the cultivation of this variety that many traditional diseases of the vineyards do not apply to it. The main enemies of the harvest are gray rot, oidium, mildew. The stability of "Alice" to them is estimated at 2-2.5 points. As a result, gardeners can save time and money, which is often spent on processing plants from such disasters, and also avoid the risk of chemicals entering the final product.

However, due to very large clusters, it is imperative to take care of props or other supporting devices. Even if the plant does not break under the load of berries during fruiting, it can weaken, because of which in the next season it will yield much less yield. In order to avoid this, special trellis are used in the vineyards - they not only support the clusters, but also provide the berries with maximum access to sunlight, which affects their speed of ripening and taste.

Be sure to prune the bushes so that there is no oversupply of fruit shoots. Optimum pruning - 6-8 eyes per shoot and 35-40 buds per bush. This variety can and should be grafted, it is well compatible with most of the rootstocks. “Kober 5BB”, for example, can produce one and a half times more yield.

In the southern regions, the Alice variety does not require shelter for the winter season, however, in areas located north of the Kuban, this should be taken care of, despite the stated resistance of the variety to frost. This is especially necessary if the climate implies an uneven fall in temperature. Even primordial northern plants often die from sudden drops and a sudden change of thaw and freezing, which in recent years have become frequent in central Russia.

The variety has not yet received proper distribution. To conclusions about the quality of the grapes were as objective as possible, it takes several years of cultivation under certain conditions. However, now the reviews about the variety “Alice” are mostly positive.

First of all, many gardeners and breeders note an almost perfect balance between the accumulation of sugar and acidity in fruits, which gives a pleasant, “no frills, but harmonious” taste of berries and allows you to make them a good table wine. The variety is very well pollinated. However, it was noted that in a slightly colder terrain than the Black Sea coast, culture can begin to bear fruit only by the end of August - the beginning of September, that is, later than the stated period.

Another important advantage of the variety is its good transportability. Many confirm that the really thin, but durable rind of the berries makes it possible to transport these grapes without the risk of damaging them. In this case, the fruits fully retain their presentation.

Review grape varieties "Alice", see the following video.