Arcadia is a wonderful frost-resistant grape variety
In the vastness of the former USSR, there are many scientific institutions that are engaged in plant breeding, primarily vegetable and fruit crops. And among all, clearly not in the last place is the development of new grape varieties. Some species are imported specifically for crossing, but in most cases our breeders cross domestic varieties. And sometimes the results of their activities are pleasantly surprising. For example, in the Ukrainian Research Institute of Life Sciences named after I. V.E. Tairov, a wonderful grape variety Arcadia was bred. It is about him that the story will go in this article, and specifically - a description of the variety will be provided, advice on caring for the plant will be expressed.
Description of the variety
The Arcadia grape variety belongs to table grapes, since both parent crops - Moldova and Cardinal - are also table grapes. By the way, from these two varieties, not only Arcadia was bred, but several others, but this culture, perhaps, is the best product as a result of crossing them. As a result, the Arcadia grapes inherited disease resistance and excellent fruit quality. It also belongs to the early grape varieties, as it ripens in 115-125 days, which is undoubtedly a good indicator.
The bunches of Arcadia grapes are large, on average, the weight of one is 600-800 g, but there are also very large ones, which reach a weight of 1.5-2 kg. They are dense, with lobes, almost always cylindrical-conical in shape. The berries are also large (10 g or more), white or amber in color, ovoid, have a rather simple taste; when fully ripe, a barely perceptible nutmeg aroma may appear. The pulp is juicy, with a thin firm skin. Sugar content is low - does not exceed 15-16%, acidity is also not high - only 4-6 g / l. Frost resistance is high - Arcadia grapes are able to withstand frosts of 23-24 degrees, under the film - the temperature is a couple of degrees lower. The yield, like most hybrid grapes, is very high. In the description in many sources, high transportability and keeping quality are also indicated.
Necessary care
Even not quite experienced gardeners will be able to grow Arcadia grapes without any problems, because they need regular care with simple rules, like most varieties of table grapes, no special procedures and actions are provided. It all starts with the right choice of a site - sunny, with fertile soils.
As already indicated, the yield is high, but in order to achieve it, you need to follow some measures. For example, balanced watering before flowering, top dressing with phosphate-potassium or nitrogen fertilizers (both with those and others, "overdoing" is not worth it in order to avoid unpleasant consequences). The timing of the ripening of the crop can be affected by the overload of plants, because Arcadia will pull everything, and as a result - a late harvest. In this regard, do pruning in a timely manner, while normalizing the inflorescences. Trimming is done by about ten eyes (one more, one less), the optimal load on the bush should be from 35 to 45 eyes, in the future their number can be increased to 55. You can shape the bush to your taste.Arcadia grapes have complete immunity only to mildew; to protect against other diseases, spraying should be carried out 1-2 times a year.
The Arcadia grape is very profitable from an economic point of view, so it is often preferred by industrial producers. But it is also one of the most popular among amateur gardeners, especially in the southern regions of Ukraine. If you decide to grow the Arcadia grape variety, you will not lose in any case, because even with its few and minor flaws, it remains one of the best among its kind.
Video "Grapes Arcadia"
In this video, the agrotechnical characteristics of the hybrid Arcadia grape variety are sounded, as well as advice on growing and caring for the crop.