Grapes Violet early famous since Soviet times. It is from it that they still make the very popular Muscat Steppe Rose wine. Berries have an original aroma reminiscent of the smell of roses. In the regions of industrial viticulture, the variety has no equal hardiness. In large areas it is grown as non-covering. Violet early has other advantages, but there are also disadvantages that need to be considered when growing.
History of Violet Early Vine
The birthplace of this Euro-Amur hybrid is the city of Novocherkassk, Rostov Region. Obtained from the pollination of varieties: North and Muscat of Hamburg. Selection work was carried out by specialists of the All-Russian Research Institute named after the Soviet agrobiologist Y. I. Potapenko. The seedling was distinguished among others in 1947. An application for registration of Violet early in the State Register of Plants was filed in 1957. The grapes entered the state variety test and after 8 years, in 1965, was included in the register of selection achievements. Regions of admission - Lower Volga and North Caucasus. It is grown in other territories, but in different climatic conditions, the hybrid does not show its precocity and productivity.
Grapes Purple early medium-sized, but very tasty, juicy and fragrant
Early grapevine fell in love with many growers for its unpretentiousness, frost resistance, compactness and excellent taste of berries with a nutmeg aroma. When pressed, the proportion of juice is 84% by weight of the fruit! Grapes are good as a table, for fresh consumption, and as raw materials for winemaking.
The variety is so popular that legends are made about its origin and discussions are being held on forums. You can find references to Violet early Voronezh. Authorship is attributed to M. Abuzov, the creator of books, atlases and manuals dedicated to viticulture. There is also the third Violet early, popularly called Levokumsky. Perhaps the reason is in the form of vine leaves of this variety. It is very diverse, and winegrowers, finding differences on this basis, try to prove that they have a real "institute" Violet early.
Video: a review of grapes Violet early (July, Voronezh)
Grade description
The first thing any gardener pays attention to when choosing seedlings is the quality and quantity of fruits that he will receive. Violet early grape berries usually ripen 134 days after budding. If spring was early, summers are hot, then the first berries can be tasted after 120 days. And vice versa, in the middle lane and other regions with short and cool summers, this grape may not ripen at all. Berries are sung in early September, and for wine they often hang on vines for another 2-3 weeks. In areas of risky farming during this period there are already frosts.
The fruits are small - 2-3 g each, in irrigated areas - up to 5-6 g. A great advantage of the variety is that it remains fruitful and without irrigation, but then the bushes develop poorly. Cluster normalization is required. The peel on the berries is dark purple, almost black, covered with a bluish waxy coating.
Inside the almost black berries of Violet early there is a transparent flesh, the juice from it is squeezed colorless
Despite such an intense color outside, the flesh inside is transparent, the juice is colorless. The taste is pleasant, sweet, with a delicate aroma of roses. Each berry has 2-3 seeds. Bunches grow on average up to 17 cm in length, weighing up to 200 g. A shape in the form of a cylinder, tapering to the apex, sometimes with a wing (side branch). The brush is loose, therefore it is convenient to pick or cut berries one at a time and feast on the bush directly.
A cluster of purple early cylindrical, sometimes with a wing
Leaves, according to the descriptions of winegrowers, are split or slightly cut, completely round, whole, pimpled or smooth, three or five-leafed. All this diversity can manifest itself even on one bush. Although according to information from the State Register, the leaf should be deeply dissected with very slight pubescence on the lower surface.
Violet early actively sets the crop on the stepsons. However, the clusters are 2-3 times smaller than on the main fruit-bearing shoots. As part of crop normalization, they are recommended to be removed, otherwise the ripening period will be extended, the main clusters will grow and mature more slowly.
Video: Violet early matures, clusters on stepsons
Advantages and disadvantages of Violet early compared to other varieties (table)
| Benefits | disadvantages |
| Resists frosts down to -27 ⁰C | There are varieties with larger berries |
| Not sick with mildew and gray rot | Affected by oidium and bacterial cancer |
| Matures early | Low acid, colorless juice requires blending |
| The berries are juicy, tasty, with a unique muscat flavor. | It is necessary to ration the crop |
| Demonstrates high yields even without irrigation | |
| It can grow on heavy soils and slopes of any orientation |
Features of growing grapes Violet early
Features of care mainly depend on the characteristics of the variety: positive facilitate it, negative add work. For example, low soil structure simplifies planting. No need to dig large pits and fill them with loose soil. And, on the contrary, instability to powdery mildew (oidium) will require you to spend more time in the vineyard to do preventive spraying. But knowing the weaknesses, they are easy to get around and not lose in yield.
Violet early vines are thin and creeping, but the crop is laid rich on them, so trellises need to be established strong
Landing Purple Early
Although the variety is unpretentious, grows well on clay soil, nevertheless, it is worth paying due attention to planting. After all, a competent choice of a place and a properly prepared landing pit is already half the success. In the southern regions, it is not necessary to choose the sunniest place for an early hybrid. In a large vineyard, where several varieties grow, the best areas are given to late and large-fruited species.
If you bought a seedling in a container or cup, you can plant it from May to October, and with an open root system in spring or autumn. Prepare a seat in 2-3 weeks:
- Dig a hole with a depth and diameter of 50-60 cm.
- At the bottom, lay a layer of 10 cm drainage: broken brick, expanded clay or small pieces of thick branches.
- Mix the earth taken from the top 30 cm or turf with peat, humus, sand in equal proportions.
- Add 0.5 l of ash and 40-50 g of superphosphate to one landing pit.
- Mix everything well and fill the pit with this mixture.
Standard landing pit for grapes: a depth of two bayonet shovels, drainage is laid on the bottom
If you make a hole the day before, 1-2 days before planting, then pour it so that the earth sags and add more soil mixtures. A day before planting, seedlings in containers are also well poured, and with the root system open, place the roots in a Zircon solution (40 drops per 1 liter of water). On the day of planting according to the 1x1.5 m pattern, dig holes corresponding to the size of the roots of the seedlings, plant, water and mulch. If you plan to grow, as a covering form, without a stem, then the seedling needs to be deepened to the first branch on the trunk. Only flexible vines will remain on the surface, which for the winter can be bent and laid on the ground.
Video: basic mistakes beginner growers
Bushes
In the first year after planting, growing shoots can be tied to high stakes, but by the next season reliable and permanent trellises, for example, from metal pipes, will be required. Pruning is recommended in the spring, before the buds open. As many winegrowers have observed, uncircumcised vines winter better.
Common for Violet early formation pattern - 4 sleeves
Two methods of forming Purple Violet are practiced:
- 4-pointless sleeve with shelter for the winter.
- A double-handed one with uncultivated cultivation. The height of the stem is 1.2 m.
Stamp formation of grapes: in two sleeves (upper figure), in 4 sleeves (lower figure); fruitful shoots hang down, and not tied up, as in a stampless form
Violet bushes have an early average growth force, but the yield grows large, so no more than 5-7 eyes are left on each sleeve, and 1-2 clusters on each shoot.
Watering and feeding Purple early
Water the bushes per year of planting once every 2-3 weeks, but abundantly (2-3 buckets per plant) and only in the absence of rain. It is not necessary to fill the wells with seedlings, water will displace air from the soil, the roots will rot. A fruiting vineyard needs irrigation:
- in the spring, at the beginning of the growing season, but only if frost is not expected in the coming days;
- before flowering;
- during the period when the berries grow to the size of peas.
Irrigation rate - 50-70 liters under the bush. When the berries have reached their size, a week before the start of their staining, watering is stopped. But these are general rules, in practice, you need to focus on the condition of your plants, weather, and even take into account the structure of the soil.
Video: two methods of watering grapes (homemade drip irrigation and a trench)
If the bushes stopped growing ahead of time, or there is a drought, then additional watering is necessary. Clay soils poorly pass water through them, but in sandy ones, on the contrary, moisture does not linger, you need to water grapes 1.5 times more often. However, frequent watering leads to leaching of nutrients, signs of chlorosis - yellowing of leaves - may appear on the vines. This problem is easily solved by fertilizer application.
The cause of chlorosis is a lack of nutrients; the disease often develops on sandy soils that easily let water and liquid feed through
In the first three years after planting, you do not need to fertilize the grapes. It is believed that he has enough food introduced into the landing pit. But if there are signs of stunted growth, for example, a seedling grows more slowly than others, then it can be fed by analogy with an adult bush.
The main part of fertilizers is applied in autumn at the rate of: 10-16 kg of humus or compost and 200-300 g of wood ash per plant. Step back from the base of the bush 50 cm and make an annular groove 25 cm deep. Unfold the humus evenly, dust with ash, water and level the groove.
Immediately after budding, 2 weeks before flowering and in the summer, when the berries grow in the size of peas, give liquid feeding from mullein:
- Dilute slurry with water 1: 3.
- Place in a warm place so that the solution begins to ferment.
- After a week, fermentation can be used as top dressing, diluted with water 1: 5.
Pour 2 buckets of infusion under one bush. Apply only on moist ground, that is, combine top dressing with watering. After 3-4 days, dust the ground under the bushes with ash (200-300 g under the bush) and loosen.
At the same time with nitrogen fertilizers, ash should not be added. Alkali reacts with nitrogen to form volatile ammonia. Most of the food will evaporate.
Video: foliar top dressing of grapes with microelements
Protection against diseases and pests
Do not wait for signs of damage to the grapes by diseases and pests, carry out preventive spraying. So, from oidium and other fungal diseases, it is enough to do two treatments (in spring and autumn) with copper-containing preparations, for example, HOM (40 g per 10 l) or 1% Bordeaux liquid. Well moisten all the shoots and leaves, as well as the ground under the bushes. Yellowed, dry leaves, with spots tear off and burn.
Video: a scheme for processing grapes from diseases and pests with modern drugs (Ukraine)
From pests to flowering on leaves and in the fall, after harvesting, you can use strong insecticides with a wide spectrum of action: Aktara, Karbofos, Aktelik, etc. Before buds bloom, every 3-4 years, treat with Nitrafen solution. This drug fights diseases and pests at the same time.
Why frost-proof grapes shelter in the south
Although this hybrid withstands severe frosts and is grown in the south, winegrowers are advised, nevertheless, to shelter it for the winter. At least remove the vines from the trellis, lay and cover it with loose earth. Uncovered grapes in winter can be affected by ice rains. Precipitation falls at subzero temperatures, the vines are covered with a thick layer of ice. Under its weight they can break.
The consequences of freezing rain - the shoots are completely covered with a thick layer of ice
Another danger: the ice melts, water penetrates under the scales of the kidneys and freezes there again. Part of the kidneys is damaged. You can’t break the ice, this will cause much more harm. Therefore, it is better not to take risks, grow grapes in a covering form and protect it from winter weather.
Video: sheltering grapes with mats from reeds
Harvesting and processing
Grapes are harvested early purple, of course, in dry weather. Cut the brushes with scissors and put them in shallow boxes, the bottom of which is covered with paper. During the collection, try not to touch the berries so as not to damage the wax coating on their surface.
Cut the bunch with scissors, hold it not by the berries, but by the twig
Early violet is a universal grape suitable for all types of harvesting and fresh consumption. The berries are not large, they can be dried, and frozen can be used instead of ice and as a decoration: put in glasses to cool wine, cognac, champagne, cocktails. But the bulk of the crop goes to making juices and wines. The berries of this grape are sweet and fragrant, but the juice lacks color and acidity. Therefore, winemakers are engaged in blending: for the manufacture of one drink grapes of 2-3 grades are taken. Spin-ups are also not thrown away, fragrant mash is prepared from them and distilled into grappa and brandy.
Muscat steppe rose red wine has been produced since 1965 and is made from early Purple grapes grown by VNIIViV im. Potapenko
Reviews about grapes Purple early
Once upon a time, planted this variety. For another summer, he discovered powdery mildew (oidium), removed the variety. But when, this year at a tasting in Voronezh, he tasted wine, he immediately took cuttings of this variety. Now they are rooting. The wine is unusual, and strong, tasty, unconventional nutmeg. I advise you to start, but keep the sprayer ready ...
Akovantsev Mikhail//www.vinograd777.ru/forum/showthread.php?t=124
Good grade Violet early. The berries are very tasty, can be consumed fresh and the wine can be made, the wine is excellent, especially dessert.
yurr//kievgarden.org.ua/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=270&start=20
Well, of course, this is a very tasty variety, of a universal direction, and tasty always gets sick. The infant son loves and eats him, and as much as the birds love him, they do not choose all varieties. I made the wine dry; this year I plan to have all my nutmeg lime for dessert.
saratov//www.vinograd777.ru/forum/showthread.php?t=124
Last year, I processed the entire vineyard 2 times, with these treatments Violet early did not hurt anything at all. In the year before last I sprayed 1 time, and also did not get sick
Viticulture of Rostov//www.you tube.com/watch?v=NFCcgUvWXC0
He took off Violet early, 11 kilograms from young bushes. 9 from one bush and 2 from another. His juice is just gorgeous!
Vadim from Rostov//lozavrn.ru/index.php/topic,1188.75.html
Grapes Early violet demonstrates its productivity and early maturity only in the southern regions. Here it is successfully grown even on heavy soils and slopes of any orientation. A non-stemming covering form is preferred so that it is possible to lay the vines for the winter and protect against icing of the kidneys.In addition, this hybrid needs preventative spraying from diseases and pests. All the work pays off with a harvest of delicious and fragrant berries that go into the preparation of the legendary nutmeg wine.
