Charlie grapes: a persistent large-fruited hybrid, which is not afraid of either fungus or frost

Charlie grapes (Anthracite) is an interesting hybrid form that is not afraid of fungi, nor severe colds, nor spring frosts. Gardeners appreciate this culture and for its unpretentiousness to growing conditions. With proper care, this variety will decorate your vineyard with large clusters of juicy sweet berries.

Historical reference

Charlie grapes - a variety of amateur selection

Variety Charlie (another name - Anthracite) is the result of domestic amateur selection conducted under the supervision of E.G. Pavlovsky. Parent couple - Nadezhda AZOS and Victoria. Initially, the grapes were tested in the south of Belarus, but subsequently it proved to be excellent in the Black Sea region, as well as in the central regions known for their harsh winters.

Charlie grape characteristics

Charlie grapes are highly productive

Variety Charlie (Anthracite) refers to hybrid forms of grapes of medium ripening. You can get fully ripe berries in 105-115 days. As a rule, this happens in early August.

Characteristic features of the culture:

1. Charlie is a bisexual type of plant, which allows him to be planted in desert areas. The flowers are pollinated evenly.
2. The bush is medium-sized, however, it forms powerful vines ripening along its entire length.
3. The clusters are large, branched, have a conical shape. Weight varies from 600 to 800 g. There is no irrigation.
4. With technical maturity, the berries acquire a black color. Large size, weight - 7-10 g. The shape is oval.
5. The pulp of the berries is dense. Sugar content - 19-22%, however, the taste is typed slowly.
6. The skin is thin; it is not felt when eating.
7. The acidity is 7-4 g / l.

Important! Charlie is characterized by the taste of nightshade, which leaves only when it reaches consumer maturity.

Video: grade review

Varietal Features

Variety Charlie has good "health", unpretentious to growing conditions

A characteristic feature of Charlie is a high degree of acclimatization and good fertility even in an unstable temperate climate.. This aspect is crucial for many wine growers.

Important! The variety is able to withstand frost to -24 ° C.

Charlie variety also resists high humidity. In the conditions of the rainy summer, he is not threatened with rotting of berries. Cuttings demonstrate rapid rooting and adaptation. Due to this, the bushes are gaining strong growth, forming powerful shoots. Fruit buds resist late spring frosts.

Important! Charlie grapes (Anthracite) are excellently restored after strong pruning, as well as damage by hail or frost.

Another difference of this culture is beautiful commodity clusters, abundantly strewn with large berries. The grapes tolerate transportation well, while the fruits do not crumble and do not crack. Variety Charlie is extremely prolific. Often, growers note the fact that the crop can be removed even from stepsons.

Important! The fruiting percentage is at least 90%.

Advantages and disadvantages

Charlie forms large clusters, plentifully strewn with berries.

Charlie grapes in many respects occupy a leading position among the varieties of medium-term ripening. Summarizing its advantages, the following indicators were included in the list of key indicators:

• high stable yield with minimal care;
• uniform ripening of bunches;
• beautiful presentation, along with excellent transportability of berries;
• suitable for planting both in small areas and for large industrial plantations;
• high resistance to diseases and insect damage;
• lack of pea (the formation of small grapes);
• resistance to frosty winters, high humidity and spring frosts.

There are practically no flaws in the variety. Only a peculiar tart taste with the aroma of nightshade can be distinguished. However, this phenomenon disappears with the full ripening of berries.

Planting and growing rules

Despite all the advantages of the variety and its unpretentiousness, the success of growing a crop will depend on the proper planting, and at the same time, the quality and quantity of the crop. Charlie's grape cultivation should be approached responsibly. Consider the main aspects that need to be observed.

Choosing a landing site

Grapes - a photophilous plant that is afraid of excess moisture

The optimal period for planting grapes is autumn (end of October - beginning of November) or spring (end of April - May). It is important to comply with these deadlines so that the process of sap flow does not begin.

Choosing a landing site is a crucial moment that determines the success of the further development of culture. Grapes love sunny areas, reliably protected from the winds. It is optimal to place bushes on the south side of the building or at the fence facing south.

If the intended area has a slight slope, try to plant grapes on the southwestern or southern slope, observing the south-north orientation. In the case when the plot is gentle, but the southern walls are occupied, you can create a separate place for the vineyard by constructing a fence 1.8-2 m high, oriented along the east-west line. These tricks will help create optimal lighting conditions for the rapid growth of shrubs.

The following requirements should also be considered:

1. Charlie grapes are unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but avoid wetlands. Under such conditions, the root system is prone to death due to a lack of oxygen. The level of groundwater should not be less than 1.5 m from the surface.
2. It is recommended to plant the crop in loam or chernozem. But grapes are also suitable sandy, carbonate, rocky or weakly carbonate soil.
3. A new shrub can be planted in place of the old uprooted no earlier than 3 years later.

Important! Grapes should not be placed near plants that need frequent watering.

Seedlings preparation

Before planting, cuttings need preparation

Planting material is best purchased in a nursery so as not to doubt its quality. It is advisable to choose seedlings in containers - so they better take root after transplanting. The main rule when choosing is the presence of a strong shoot about 50-60 cm high, as well as 2-3 well-developed roots.

If you want to prepare seedlings yourself, then you should make a three-stage preparation. The first stage begins with the autumn pruning of grapes, and it consists in the following:

1. On the bush, a well-developed vine is chosen with internode sizes of 10 cm and a branch thickness of 8-10 mm. Leaves and stepsons are removed from it.
2. Next, cuttings cut to a length of 40-50 cm are cut from the vine. The main thing is that they have 3-4 eyes.
3. The resulting processes are placed in water for 1 day. After that, they are dipped in a weak solution of manganese and dried in the sun.
4. At the end, the cuttings are folded in a plastic bag or wrapped in a film and sent for storage in a cold place. It can be a cellar, a refrigerator or a cellar, where the temperature regime of 0-2 ° C will be observed.

The second stage of preparation begins in late February - early March. The actions are as follows:

1. Cuttings are removed from the storage place and immersed in water for 2 days.
2. Then, using a secateurs or a knife, two cuts are made on each of them: at a distance of 2 cm from the upper eye and 3-5 mm from the lower one. Such a technique will increase the likelihood of germination.
3. Then cut off the lower kidney. Paraffin is melted in a water bath to 60-70 ° C, and the upper kidney is dipped into it. So that he grasps, the handle is immediately immersed in cold water. This technique protects the young seedling from infection by bacteria.
4. Carefully, without touching the living layer of wood, 4 incisions are made on the bark of the handle. Each length is about 3 cm. These will be the growth points from which the roots will form when the seedling is planted.

With proper preparation, cuttings give strong roots.

The third stage of preparation is wilderness. This procedure is aimed at restraining the opening of the eyes until the roots appear. Otherwise, the stalk will dry out. Squeezing consists in creating a different temperature between the lower node and the upper kidney. To do this, do the following manipulations:

1. The lower part of the handle is tied with a wet cloth and wrapped in polyethylene.
2. Next, the seedling is placed on the windowsill so that the upper buds are located at the window, and the lower ones at the battery.
3. After 12-14 days, the stalk will begin to germinate, and roots will form.

Proper fit

Optimal time for grape planting - autumn or spring

After completing all the preparatory work, you can start planting seedlings in the ground. If you plan to plant several grape bushes at once, then observe a distance of 2 m between them, and place rows every 2.5-3 m.

The process is as follows:

1. The first step is to prepare a landing pit with a width and depth of 70-80 cm. A drainage layer of crushed stone or broken brick is poured into the recess (10-15 cm thick will be enough).
2. A nutritious composition is poured on top, which is prepared from 1 kg of ash, 1 kg of double superphosphate, 2 buckets of humus and the same amount of soil.
3. Then, 3-4 buckets of soil are poured into the pit and watered 10-15 liters of water.
4. When the moisture is completely absorbed, a mound with a hole is formed from the soil, where the grape seedling is placed. The bottom cut of the handle must be positioned so that it is at a level of 50 cm from the surface.
5. The hole is filled with the remaining soil and lightly compacted.

Video: Landing Practical Tips

Charlie grapes demonstrate excellent survival rate and respond well to transplantation, if necessary. As a rule, culture is planted in one place for many years. But sometimes tall plants appear around the bush, obscuring the vines, or the grape itself interferes with the development of other plants. In this case, it must be transplanted.

It is advisable to perform the process in the fall (after the leaves fall), but spring transplantation is also allowed (before the sap flow begins). The choice of place is carried out according to the same criteria as when planting cuttings.

The grapes are transplanted by transshipment, while maintaining an earthen lump. 4 days before the start of the procedure, the culture is abundantly watered. The transplant is performed in the following order:

1. Initially, a landing pit is being prepared in a new place. A nutrient pillow of 7-8 kg of humus, 30 g of potassium salt and 200 g of double superphosphate is placed on the bottom of the depression.
2. Then the grape bush is dug up, taking soil in a radius of 50 cm.
3. The root system is removed and, together with the earthen lump, they are moved to a new hole.
4. In conclusion, the bush is watered with 10-15 liters of water.

Plant care

Charlie grapes are not too whimsical to care for, but the timely implementation of the minimum rules of agricultural technology will increase its productivity. We consider in detail each aspect.

Bushes garter

Garter of the vines allows the bushes to develop strong fruitful shoots

So that the vines are formed in the right way and do not break under their own weight, they need to be tied to a trellis. This is a standard design, consisting of two supporting supports (can be wooden or metal poles) between which the wire is stretched. As the vines grow, they are neatly tied up, asking the right shape.

Important! The correct formation of grapes provides good illumination of bunches, necessary for the ripening of large berries.

Garter is made in this way:

1. For the construction of trellis, you need to prepare 2 columns with a thickness of 15-20 cm, as well as a wire with a section of 2-2.4 mm.
2. Supports should be installed at a distance of 3 m from each other.
3. Between them, at a level of 35-45 cm from the ground, a wire is stretched in 3 rows (in increments of 30 cm).
4. Tie vines begin from the second year after planting in the spring (before the buds begin to bloom). They are fixed to the wire using woven shreds or twine.
5. The vines are attached horizontally or at an angle of 45 °.

Important! With a vertical formation on the shoots, only the upper eyes will develop. The lower ones are much behind in development or do not grow at all.

Pruning

Pruning is done three times a season, forming a bush as efficiently as possible.

Timely pruning of grapes is done to increase the fruitfulness of the shoots. This procedure allows thinning the bush, as a result of which it forms large weighty clusters. Grapes are cut three times a year:

1. In spring, the procedure is performed before the sap flow begins. It is important that the average daily temperature is fixed at 5 ° C. In the process, you need to remove all weak or dead shoots after winter.
2. In the summer they carry out sanitary pruning. This implies the elimination of stepsons from shoots for better ventilation of the bush.
3. In autumn, the procedure is performed in late October - early November (you need to be in time before the first frosts begin). For the Charlie variety, the load is 30-35 eyes, so the first time the vines are shortened at the level of 1-2 eyes. As a result, up to 30 eyes will form on the bush. The second time the shoots are shortened at the level of the 6th eye to preserve frost-resistant cuttings. And the third time pruning is performed above the 12th eye, forming a strong healthy bush.

Video: trim nuances

Watering Rules

Charlie grapes respond well to moderate watering, which begins in the second half of April and ends in late October. Water is supplied according to a certain schedule, pouring into annular grooves 20 cm deep. They are made according to the diameter of the landing pit. Watering directly under the base of the bush is also allowed.

Table: watering scheme and norms

Top dressing

Variety Charlie responds well to dressing, treating a sweet plentiful harvest

Grapes quickly exhausted nutrients from the soil, so you need to regularly feed it. Fertilizers are introduced into the grooves with a depth of 35 cm, which are made at a distance of 45-50 cm from the base of the shrub. In this case, it is important to adhere to the schedule so that the absorption of nutrients is as effective as possible.

Table: grape top dressing

Winter preparations

Variety Charlie is able to withstand severe frosts, but the culture will more comfortably transfer the winter in shelter. To do this, remove the vines from the trellis, bend to the ground and dig on top with soil. The procedure is performed in late November, before the start of frosts.

Important! Take the soil from the row-spacing, not under the bush. Otherwise, the root system becomes unprotected from temperature changes.

Reviews of winegrowers

Charlie - G.F. breeding Pavlovsky E.G. I have been watching this form for 4 years. Like for increased resistance to disease. And after the April frosts of this year, he did not bear fruit badly. Harvest ripened on August 10, a week earlier than Kodrianka, which is again a plus for Charlie. The pollination of clusters is uniform, they look very beautiful. The taste is present in tones of nightshade. The grapes are transparent, the berries from the bunch do not crumble (and we had such a disaster with Kodryanka).

Fursa Irina Ivanovna

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Charlie has been growing with us for about 5 years, last year he gave out clusters with a 1.5-liter bottle long, this year, as usual, he doesn’t fail: without peeling, suffered a drought - he extended the crop. They talk about its nightshade taste, but it is present only at the beginning of ripening, it needs to be allowed to hang. The only negative - you need to normalize, the record is 7 inflorescences to escape. We consider one of the best varieties of Pavlovsky.

Pioneer

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It seems that everything is fine with Charlie and I have - it grows, matures, the load pulls very well, but the taste of nightshade (although after overexposure on a bush he went by the wayside), and they eat food at last, and there are no orders for it, Unlike Codrianka and Richelieu. In connection with this, I had the following thought: maybe try to let it go on wine (like Cabernet) (it’s a pity to clean it, but real cabernet may not ripen in our country), sugar is good, it ripens early and the brushes are large.

Eugene Vl.

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Grape variety Charlie (Anthracite) is a productive hardy culture that is not afraid of either the rainy season or winter frosts. Its stable yield attracts professional growers and beginners. The variety is striking in its fertility with minimal agricultural technology, but the taste of Charlie may somewhat disappoint. Therefore, the decision to grow this variety should be made based on the purpose of its further application.