Characteristics of the table variety Cardinal

Table grapes at banquets or other events with a feast perform several functions at once. This is not only a sweet dessert, it is also an exquisite addition to the festive table, giving it a special aesthetic charm. Grapes were served as decoration in ancient Greece, and since then, little has changed. But sometimes a dilemma arises - which variety to choose to impress guests, because now there are plenty of grape varieties with excellent characteristics? We can advise the Cardinal grape, a very good variety, and in support of this article we will tell you about the description of the variety, we will give recommendations regarding cultivation.

Content

1 Description of the variety
2 Growing recommendations
- 2.1 Video "Grape Cardinal"

Description of the variety

Cardinal is a grape variety of American origin that first came to our region in the middle of the 20th century, when it was brought to the USSR from France. Most suitable for growing in warm regions - the south of Moldova and Ukraine, Krasnodar Territory. It belongs to the early varieties, ripens in 115-120 days, that is, approximately in the second decade of August. The yield of Cardinal grapes is potentially high, but not sustainable, since it is very dependent on the conditions of crop care, the main drawback is the uneven ripening of Cardinal berries. The number of fruitful shoots on the bush is 65-70, and the number of bunches on the developed shoot is about 1.1-1.4.

The bunch of Cardinal grapes is rather large (the length is about 25-30 cm, and the width is 15-20 cm), but not heavy - the average weight is 350-500 g. It is loose or very loose, has a cylindrical-conical shape. Medium-sized oval or round-oval berries, each weighing 5-7 g, contains 3-4 seeds inside. The color of the berries is very attractive - purple-red, with a smoky waxy bloom. The pulp is juicy, green-white, crispy, the skin is dense. The taste of Cardinal grapes is very pleasant (it is not for nothing that it is a table variety!), There is a light nutmeg aroma. The sugar content of the Cardinal at the time of harvest reaches 16-18%, the acidity does not exceed 7-8 g / l. The variety is not very resistant to diseases, most often the variety is prone to mildew, gray rot. This is explained by the inability of this overseas variety to our climatic conditions. The situation is similar with frost resistance, in winter it requires shelter. But it is distinguished by excellent transportability and satisfactory keeping quality, as for such demanding grapes.

Growing recommendations

Adhering to the general rules for growing grapes for the Cardinal is not enough, you need to constantly monitor the conditions in which the culture grows. As already mentioned, in the space of the former USSR, it is suitable for growing only in a few regions, since it is thermophilic. Choose a sunny open area for planting Cardinal grapes, chernozems are best suited, as the richest soils, but you can also grow on light loam or sandy loam soils (the temperature during planting should be below 10 degrees). But you can't do without additional feeding - it is better to use potassium-phosphorus fertilizers from mineral fertilizers. Do not forget to mulch with humus at least once a year (and since Cardinal grapes are very picky about the conditions, it is better to mulch in spring and autumn).

It is best to plant with cuttings, then use perennial wood. Growing from a seedling will take longer, and the plant will be more prone to disease. An important stage of care is pruning, when shaping is done.

For the Cardinal, as a rule, 2 types of shaping are used: fan-shaped and the Guyot method. It doesn't matter which one you choose, but make sure that the load on one bush does not exceed the limit of 30 eyes, and there are about 13-15 fruitful shoots. To avoid the death of plants in winter, it must be carefully prepared for wintering. Remember that the strain is not very stable. Therefore, without waiting for the appearance of diseases, carry out preventive spraying.

Industrial production of Cardinal grapes is established only in warm regions, but for their own needs it can be grown in other regions where climatic conditions are more severe, the main thing is to pay a lot of attention to plant care. We hope that the description of the characteristics of the Cardinal and the features of agricultural technology will help you grow an excellent table variety.

Video "Grape Cardinal"

In a short but capacious video, a full description of the Cardinal variety is given: a description of the characteristics of the variety, yield, fruit properties, cultivation and care features.