How to grow grapes varieties "Laura"?

One of the most common varieties of garden grapes is a hybrid "Laura".Its fruits are distinguished by an exquisite harmonious taste, and in addition, they have an attractive appearance, so they are widely grown not only for their families, but also for sale. By the way, this variety is extremely appreciated among winemakers who know it under the name "Flora".

Grapes varieties "Laura" was artificially bred by breeders at the Odessa Scientific Institute. Tairov as a result of mixing 4 parental materials. For this, the Muscat de Saint-Valle species was pollinated with several types of pollen: Muscat Hamburg and Husayne, and the resulting variety was later crossed with the Queen of Tairov. The new species was officially registered as “Flora”, but the shortened version of the people, “Laura”, became popular among the people.

The variety combines all the best parental features: exceptional taste, resistance to most fungal infections and good transportability.

Grape bushes grow rapidly and grow strongly, they have a flexible trunk and very vigorous vegetation. The leaf plate is rather large, has five blades, the color of which varies from pale shades of green to rich emerald color. The edges are pointed, strongly toothed, the upper layer of the sheet plate is smooth. Shrubs have a fairly high degree of foliage.

The shape of the bunch is conical, their length can reach 40 cm, and the weight varies from 1 to 2.5 kg.

A characteristic varietal feature of Laura grapes is the ability to form different clusters on the same bush, the same size and weight, at the same time, if the load on the bush is increased, the brush can significantly lose weight.

Ripe berries are quite large, each weighing from 6 to 12 g, and the length is 3-4 cm. The fruits are oval in shape and have a pleasant light-green tint with a slight waxy coating. The berries sit firmly on the stalk and do not fall off for a long time after ripening - this is especially convenient in the conditions of the dacha farm, when there is no opportunity to harvest immediately as it ripens.

Each fruit has 2-3 grains, the flesh is quite dense, juicy and slightly crunchy.

Some gardeners feed the grapes "Laura" gibberellin - in this case, you can achieve the appearance of seedless fruits.

It is believed that the taste characteristics of these grapes are among the best - they are distinguished by a combination of notes of nutmeg with a slight sourness. As a rule, berries contain from 20% of sugar, however, this indicator can be reduced in situations where the ripening took place in conditions of cold and rainy weather.

Grapes of this sort belong to early ripening - fructification begins as early as 110-115 days after flowering, although this period may be longer or shorter depending on weather conditions, age of the bushes and the degree of load on them. When 15-20 clusters are tied up on the bushes, it can be eaten with juicy fruits in the middle of August, and if 40-50 clusters are formed, then ripening occurs much later. At the same time, the total yield depends on the amount of the ovary - large clusters with huge berries usually catch up by weight from fruits obtained from small clusters, but formed in rather large quantities.

The plant begins to bear fruit in the second year after vaccination or planting by grafting. Shoots grow quite actively and quickly, yield at least 80% of them.

The variety "Laura" needs to be pollinated manually, since all flowers are female. Thus, it is much easier to plan the future harvest than in the case of self-pollinated varieties.

The variety "Laura", like any other, has both its advantages and disadvantages.

Among the advantages are the following:

• high sugar content of berries - more than 20%;
• the average level of acidity is 6-8 g / l;
• resistance to storage and transportation;
• clusters can be kept on the bushes for quite a long time, not drying out and not falling off;
• resistance to most fungal infections, including gray rot;
• in case of excessive precipitation the berries do not crack;
• Bushes withstand winter frosts down to -25 degrees;
• the plant is unpretentious in the care;
• fruits have exceptionally high taste properties.

The grapes "Laura" can be used both for use in raw form, and for making winter blanks - the berries make good jams and jams, which are often used for sweet pastries. Many winemakers prefer this variety in the manufacture of homemade dessert wines.

The variety “Laura” has few disadvantages, but one should not lose sight of them, because each of them can be overcome. The taste properties of grapes often deteriorate, the berries become more acidic than usual. In this case, the reason most often lies in the strong growth of the variety, as well as cold weather with abundant precipitation. To avoid such troubles, you should monitor the number of clusters and reduce them to the standard adopted number.

The second drawback is associated with susceptibility of grapes to mildew - the plant has almost no immunity to this ailment.

In addition, the grapes "Laura" differs excessively intense growth of the shoot, so it needs constant pruning - this complicates the care of the bush. And one more minus is the great popularity of the flowers of the grapes among stinging insects can bring significant discomfort to the rest at the cottage or backyard.

Variety Laura refers to the hybrid, therefore, has a good resistance to any climate. Most often it is grown in the south, but also in the northern areas it takes root pretty well with sufficient light and heat, since the shortage of light days may not ripen the berries.

In the southern territories, sowing works are carried out from October to March, but in the central and northern areas it is more expedient to engage in planting in the spring, when the average daily air temperature exceeds the level of 12-15 degrees, and the level of soil heating is at least 10 degrees.

As for the soil, the best for grapes would be black earth or sandy. On clay soils, as well as in areas oversaturated with salts, the plant will develop rather poorly.

It is desirable that the landing site was located on a hill, it should not be located close to groundwater. If the plant is planted on the slopes, then it is desirable that it was located on the south side.

Before planting, the holes should be prepared, they are dug out in 1-1.5 meters steps from each other, while if the bushes are planted near the walls of houses or a fence, you should move about 50 cm from them, and leave 2 meters between the rows.

The day before planting, the seedlings should be placed in water, after a day they have a little pruned roots, leaving only the strongest, and then proceed directly to planting.

The seedlings are lowered into the prepared well at a slight angle, then very carefully, with their hands, straighten all the roots and gently sprinkle with earth. By escaping the soil should be compacted and watered.Sometimes after this the soil settles - in this case, it is necessary to sprinkle the shoot with earth again.

Grapes varieties "Laura" is quite unpretentious, however, care is needed. If you want to harvest a large crop of sweet berries, then you should carry out regular plant feeding, pruning of branches, watering, soil mulching, etc.

The plant responds well to moisture, so he needs regular watering. Saplings grown along the wall are especially needed for drinking. Water is poured into special drainage depressions, which are forged according to the diameter of the plant root system. It does not make sense to water under the stem, because the roots in this place cannot be absorbed by water.

In order to keep the soil moisture better, organic fertilizers are used, for example, experienced gardeners recommend applying compacted compost with a layer of 3 cm.

For winter, the plant should be covered, so it will be saved from adverse weather conditions. If the bush is young, just planted, then you can simply sprinkle it with soil, and more adult plants cover with the use of hay or mulch.

Pruning is another essential element in plant care. In the first year of its development, it is not produced, but as soon as the grapes begin to bear fruit, pruning should be carried out every autumn, otherwise the young shoots will freeze through in winter. In addition, you should time to get rid of the dried branches and those parts that have ceased to form clusters.

It is very important to observe moderation: if you overdo it with pruning, the bush can stop growing at all, at the same time if you leave too many young stems, then the whole force of the plants goes into the growth of green mass and the number of fruits and their size will decrease, and moreover it may even disappear for one year.

Special attention should be paid to pest control. As already mentioned, Laura grapes are prone to mulch diseases, therefore, at the first signs of the disease, the plant should be treated with Bordeaux liquid. Older bushes are often affected by autumn hemp. These bushes should not be left, it is better to dig and burn, and sterilize the soil, otherwise the likelihood of re-infection is high.

The reproduction of Laura grapes is done in two main ways - grafting or cutting.

To form a seedling, the root system should be grown on the vine. To this end, the layers, located next to the main bush, are bent to the ground, deepened to a distance of 15-25 cm and sprinkled with earth. Once the stalk gives strong roots, it can be separated from the bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

If the vineyard is old, then most often use reproduction through vaccination. It is no secret that the yield of old bushes is low. Such plants are often sick and require replacement. In this case, the young process of a strong bush is grafted on the shtamb. The graft is prepared as follows: after overwintering in a dark and cool place, the cuttings should be brought to room temperature for a few hours. Then, for about 1-1.5 hours, they are immersed in warm (but not hot) water, and right before being put into the crevice, they are dipped into the “Humate” solution.

It is easy to prepare a stock, but it should be done with care, otherwise you can seriously damage the bush. The stamp is split and cut with a knife in half, and then to the right and to the left of it, the prepared seedlings are inserted.

Siblings should be cut to the level of the lower kidney and coated with paraffin, which will retain the necessary moisture.

Many gardeners are confident that modern hybrid varieties are resistant to most fungal, viral and bacterial infections of plants, which is why they prefer such species as “Lora”, “Talisman”, “Vostorg”, “Arcadia” and others that were artificially bred.

Unfortunately, this is just a fallacy. Plants have immunity, they resist longer and heal faster, but any signs of plant damage should be taken immediately, otherwise the risk of loss of the entire crop is great.

The most dangerous pests of vineyards came to our country from Latin American countries, and relatively recently.

Let us dwell on the signs of the defeat of garden grapes and the methods of their treatment.

Mildew - this problem is also known as downy mildew, it affects all the green parts of the plant - the stems, leaves, shoots and even berries. Most often, this fungus is the result of prolonged rain or growing bushes in the shade. The leaves are the first to be affected - they have spots of an oily nature measuring 3-4 cm. They appear on the teeth and quickly spread out over the entire surface of the leaf plate. A whitish bloom forms on the back side, which easily disappears, if you hold it with your hand - these are fungal spores. Infection begins with apical leaves, after which it spreads to clusters and young shoots. If the fungus falls on the berries, then a gray bloom appears on them, and then bluish spots, after which the berries quickly rot.

Infection usually occurs during the autumn period, the fungus "overwinter" inside the plant, and in spring, when the soil warms and rains begin, the infection develops rapidly.

7-10 days before the beginning of flowering, you can spray the grapes with a solution of topaz and Ridomila with the addition of urea or immunocytophyte. Preparations are diluted strictly in accordance with the instructions.

Two weeks after the first treatment, the grapes should be re-sprayed with a quadris with the addition of the above components.

But this is not a cure, but a warning of the disease. If the bush is infected, you should immediately carry out a similar treatment at intervals of 10-14 days. At the same time, the last spraying time should not be later than 3 weeks before the fruit ripens.

Oidium is another fungal disease that affects the stems and leaves of a plant. Symptom of infection is the appearance of white plaque: first, in places, but gradually the surface is covered completely, and after a while the plaque becomes gray.

Infection can occur from old diseased branches, but spores of the fungus can also be brought by wind. Then even a very young plant can get sick. Oidium also affects the fruits - first a small depression appears on the berries, which gradually crack. The fruit dries up to the seeds and remains on the bunch, without falling off.

Outbreaks of this disease contribute to hot summer days, because the fungus is most active at temperatures above 25 degrees.

Prevention measures include careful treatment of the bushes after harvest with a DNOC, as well as spraying the first petals in the spring with Topaz, Vectra or Strobe. It is recommended to add to them special colloidal sulfur.

Phylloxera is one of the most dangerous pests of Laura grapes. In simple terms, this aphid is a small insect with a sucking proboscis.The danger of these beetles is that they are able to reproduce without fertilization, so even one female in one season can create a real colony of parasites, which with the onset of spring heat will begin to suck out all the vital juices from the plant and continue to actively reproduce.

The first symptom of the fact that the plant is infected may be the bindings of the bites at temperatures of 20 degrees, which has no apparent reason - the gains are reduced, the berries and clusters become small, and after a couple of years the bush dies. In such a situation, the roots should be examined, and if you find yellow-lemon insects with dark dots on them, it means that you are dealing with phylloxera. The size of an adult individual is 1–1.2 mm, and the larva does not even reach 0.5 mm.

In some regions, winegrowers used flooding of vineyards in the autumn period by 15-20 cm for a period of 1-1.5 months. At the same time, the pests were completely suffocating, but this method turned out to be quite expensive and did not guarantee that the plants would survive.

To reduce the risk of infestation by aphids, even before planting a bush, adding up to a third of sand to the soil, this insect does not like sandy soils.

Grape pruritus is a tick, the impact of which on the grapes is unpredictable - it can take root alone on a bush, or it can be settled in a colony. In the first case, there will be no harm from it, but in the second one can lose more than half of the crop, as the tick feeds on stamens and a young ovary.

The lesion manifests itself in the form of reddish blisters on the outside of the leaf, which look like whitish depressions from below. Tearing sheets will have no effect, as the tick lays eggs in healthy leaves. To help the plant, you should use drugs such as "Match", "Antiklesch" or "Arrivo" with the addition of garden sulfur.

Anthracnose is a fungal infection that affects green young shoots. At the same time, gray spots appear on the surface of the stems, which grow quite quickly and turn wood, leaving holes in the center. At the same time, the ovaries shrink completely, reducing to nothing all hopes of collecting a good harvest of grapes.

To combat this disease, Bordeaux mixture is used, plants are sprayed with the onset of spring heat, and “Flatan” or copper chlorine is used.

Bacterial cancer is an infection that is most often transmitted with diseased seedlings, so it is extremely important to inspect the roots and stems of the plant when buying planting material. If you notice a tumor or thickening in the place of the adhesion of the stock and the scion, then the purchase of such a bush should be abandoned - it will not only die, but also infect the ground, passing the infection to other plants.

This cancer is not treated, the only thing that science offers is the postponement of the death of the plant for 2-3 years. To do this, all affected shoots should be cut off and cut-off sites should be treated with kerosene.

Certain viral diseases, such as mosaic, short-knot, leaf curling, are a great danger for grapes - unfortunately, there are no effective measures to treat such problems.

Most experienced gardeners unanimously note the flexible attitude of the Laura grapes to care. If you properly care for the crop, then even with the most adverse external conditions, you can easily get a good harvest of juicy and tasty berries.

The feedback of the winegrowers on Laura is extremely positive: it responds to the observance of the requirements of agricultural engineering and the regular introduction of the necessary fertilizers. The abundant and, most importantly, stable harvest makes Laura one of the most beloved varieties for commercial and home cultivation - this species has been in the TOP-5 in the field of cultivation for several years, as it has the most favorable ratio of the strength of the plant and its yield.

Customer reviews clearly indicate the resistance of the hybrid to the climatic features of the climate of central Russia.

Attractive and aesthetic appearance of the clusters and resistance to transportation and storage make it possible to deliver fresh berries to the point of sale without any loss for their quality.

The optimal combination of the acidity and sugar content of the grapes attracts winemakers - the most excellent wines are always obtained from juicy and delicate fruits.

Comparison of grape varieties "Laura" and "Arcadia", see the following video.