Lydia grape is a technical variety, once widely used in winemaking. The berries of this variety are characterized by a specific taste and aroma of forest grapes. We will find out why this old variety is interesting, and is it worth growing it?
grape variety "Lydia"
grape "Lydia" has a pleasant taste of strawberries and an unrivaled smell
grape variety "Lydia" has a high percentage of yield
Variety History
Lydia is a selection product obtained from seedlings of the species V. Labrusca, brought from North America. It was from here that wild grapes were delivered to Europe, and with it the phylloxera with oidium (respectively, an insect and a fungal disease). Moreover, the “alien” himself, in contrast to European varieties, was resistant to these scourges.
To save the grapes from death, breeders began to plant them on the North American "savage." Lydia is a hybrid species obtained by crossing the parental couple - “American” Vitis labrusca and “European” Vitis Vinifera.
Phylloxera - a pest insect from North America that affects grapes, except for Labrus varieties.
Wine ban
In the middle of the last century, the variety was popular in the USSR, especially in Moldova and Ukraine. Here he, as a technical grade, was grown on vast areas. Thousands of tons of wine were produced from Lydia. But at the end of the 20th century, wines made from "Lydia" and "Isabella" found an increased content of methyl alcohol.
It was found that the berries of these varieties contain many pectins. Fresh fruits do not carry a threat, but during fermentation, pectins are transformed into methinols, which damage the liver, kidneys, optic nerves, and can even lead to death.
Since 1999, in the United States and the European Union, "Lydia" was banned from using for the production of wines. Whether wine from this grape is really more harmful than from other varieties is not known for certain, since any alcohol can negatively affect the body. Perhaps the ban on wine production is just a trick in the competition.
Botanical description of Lydia
A brief botanical description of Lydia:
- Bushes. Medium in size, very thickened. 80% consist of fruiting shoots. The leaves are large, heavily pubescent, dissected into 3 or 5 lobes. Bisexual flowers.
- The bunch Loose, have several branches. Small in size, cylindrical in shape. Average weight - 100 g.
- Fruit. Rounded, red, with a pink-purple hue. The pulp with a mucous consistency, juicy, with a characteristic strawberry aroma. Weight - up to 4 g. The skin is dense, covered with a wax coating. The diameter of the berry is 15 mm.
The gardener provided a video review of the Lydia grapes:
What is the difference between Lydia and Isabella?
Lydia is often referred to as Isabella’s younger sister. Often a variety is mistakenly called Isabella pink or Isabella red. "Isabella" is a natural hybrid of wild American grapes and the European variety Vitis vinifera. "Lydia" was bred from the seedlings of "Isabella." Varieties are similar to clusters and leaves, but differ in color and taste of berries.
Advantages and disadvantages
"Lydia" is not particularly appreciated by gardeners - the taste of its berries is clearly "amateur", but this variety has enough advantages - it was not for nothing that it was once so popular.
Advantages:
- Stable and abundant fruiting;
- hardy;
- well tolerates waterlogging of the soil;
- berries do not crack with high humidity;
- possesses high immunity to a number of grape diseases;
- suitable for decorative use;
- capable of self-pollination;
- due to the dense skin of berries, it is well transported.
Disadvantages:
- it is necessary to regularly plant bushes and cut off excess shoots, which tend to grow rapidly;
- possible harm to the body in violation of the technology of wine preparation;
- berries are prone to shedding when ripe - it is important to harvest the crop in a timely manner.
Today, on an industrial scale, "Lydia" is practically not grown - the vineyards are cut down. The variety can be found in private gardens, but here its demand is constantly falling. Increasingly, the variety is used as a cheap means of landscaping.
Variety Characteristics
The Lydia variety is distinguished by powerful, fast-growing bushes, capable of producing dozens of clusters annually. Let's get acquainted in more detail with the main characteristics of this grape.
Productivity and fruiting
The variety is very harvested, despite small clusters. From 1 ha collect up to 120 c. One bush gives up to 40 kg of grapes. High yield is associated with excellent maturation of the vine - 4-6 full-grown clusters grow on one shoot. Moreover, there is no need to standardize bushes - they can withstand the load of the crop without problems.
The variety belongs to the late ripening category. Berries ripen for a long time - about 160 days. In the temperate zone, the crop is ready around mid-September. So that the ripe berries are juicy, sweet and as large as possible, the bushes are regularly watered. Ripening is unfriendly - the first to ripen are the clusters facing the sun.
Drought and winter hardiness
Compared to most European varieties growing in the south, Lydia has increased frost resistance. The variety withstands frosts down to minus 26 ° C. In winter, the bushes are covered, otherwise it can freeze during severe frosts.
"Lydia" tolerates drought well, but only for a short time. If the bushes for a long time experience a lack of moisture, this will affect the berries - they will be small and sour.
Disease and pest resistance
The variety is resistant to mildew and oidium. It is affected by calcareous chlorosis - it usually develops with a deficiency of iron in the soil, as well as anthracnose and gray rot. Unlike his American ancestor, Lydia is struck by the phylloxera. Among the dangerous pests for Lydia are a spider mite and a leaf moth.
Application area
"Lydia", like most isabel cultivars, belongs to the technical group. Its purpose is the preparation of dessert wines, strong wine materials, juices. Also, the fruit is eaten fresh, used for preserves - jam, jam, as well as marmalade, jelly, and other culinary delights are prepared.
Places of growth
The variety is European, so it is not designed for severe Russian winters. Previously, this grape grew in Ukrainian and Moldavian vineyards. The variety grows well in the southern regions of Russia. In more northern regions it requires warming.
This low-tasting technical grade has never been in demand in a temperate climate - in need of insulation, it does not have qualities that are interesting to gardeners and consumers. And after information about the dangers of wine from Lydia, interest in the variety was even more diminished.
Transportability
The variety is characterized by excellent transportability. Due to the dense skin, the berries do not deteriorate during prolonged transportation. With appropriate storage - in refrigerators at + 8 ° C, clusters are stored for up to two months.
Preparation and landing
Grapes "Lydia" does not require special conditions for planting.
Terms and Conditions
Seedlings are planted at any time - in spring or autumn. Each option has its own characteristics:
- Spring. Grape seedlings are planted in April-May. Over the summer, young growth will get stronger, prepare for wintering. The disadvantages of spring planting are frequent abundant watering and the possibility of return frosts.
- Fall. Disembarkation time is October. The seedling will take root before the frost and adapt to the new growing conditions. Less - the risk of damage during the first frosts, so the seedlings should be carefully covered.
Buying seedlings in spring is not easy - usually nurseries sell planting material in the fall.
Conditions for planting seedlings:
- soil temperature - from + 10 ° C;
- air temperature - from + 15 ° C.
The soil and pits are prepared in advance. For spring planting - in the fall. But if pits were not prepared in the fall, they are dug in the spring - about a week before planting. During this time, the soil will have time to settle at least a little.
Planting material
Today, few people plant Lydia with seedlings - this variety is excellently propagated by cuttings, for which you do not need to spend money. The survival rate of cuttings is 100%.
Planting cuttings depends on the climate:
- In the southern regions, cuttings can be planted in autumn directly into the soil, fertilized and dug up. Then they are covered and left until spring. Out of 10 cuttings, at least 7-8 will take root safely.
- In regions with cold winters, seedlings can be grown from cuttings planted in pots. You can plant cuttings, for example, in cut plastic bottles.
The procedure for preparing cuttings for spring planting.
- Mustaches, leaves and stepsons are removed from the shoots.
- Cuttings are cut with a length of 40-45 cm. On each handle - 3-4 eyes.
- Cuttings are placed in water at room temperature for 24 hours.
- After a day, the cuttings are removed, sprayed with potassium permanganate and dried in air.
- The cuttings are wrapped in polyethylene and sent to the cellar for storage. Recommended temperature is from 0 to + 2 ° С.
In February or March, cuttings are removed from the cellar, and proceed to the second stage of preparation:
- Cuttings are put in water for two days.
- Secateurs make incisions. One - 3-5 mm from the lower eye, the second - 2 cm from the upper. These cuts increase the chances of germination.
- After removing the lower kidney, the upper one is dipped in molten paraffin, and then in cold water to freeze the paraffin. This event is aimed at protecting planting material from bacteria.
- Make four cuts at the bottom of the handle. The length of the cuts is 3 cm. The main thing is not to damage the wood, you just need to pry off the bark. When the stalk is planted, roots will grow from these incisions.
Landing location and soil
Landing and soil requirements:
- The best option is chernozem or sandy loam soil with an acidity of pH 6–7.
- The depth of groundwater is at least 1.5 m.
- The site should be lit by the sun during the day.
- There should be no drafts and piercing wind.
Landing stages
The first stage of landing is the preparation of the seat:
- Prepare the pit in advance - it must stand for some time so that the soil settles. The width and depth of the pit is 80-90 cm.
- At the bottom of the pit, pour broken brick, pebbles, gravel or expanded clay - this will be a drainage layer. Layer height - 15-20 cm.
- Prepare a nutrient mixture. To do this, mix the upper fertile layer, extracted by digging a hole. A mixture of soil and fertilizer is poured over the drainage with a layer of 30 cm. Soil composition:
- fertile soil - 1 part;
- river sand - 1 part;
- humus - 1 part;
- nitrophoska - 50 g;
- double superphosphate - 50 g;
- ammonium nitrate - 20 g.
- Then add the remaining soil to the pit - it is impossible that the roots of the seedling come into contact with fertilizers.
- Water the soil with hot water (70-80 ° C). A bucket in one hole.
- After 5-6 days, you can begin to land. It is advisable to plant seedlings in the evening or on a cloudy day.
The second stage - planting a seedling:
- Put a seedling at the bottom of the pit. Despite the shrinkage of the soil, it must be taken into account that it can still settle a little. The root neck must be positioned so that it is higher than the surface of the earth.
- Fill the seedling with soil to half. Pour with warm water (+ 25 ° C). The “heel” of the seedling should be 40 cm from the ground.
- After waiting for the water to absorb, add more soil - so that about 15 cm remains to the edges of the pit. Create this recess for further irrigation.
- Tamp the soil and water it. Irrigation rate - 20 liters per seedling.
- When moisture is absorbed, loosen the soil and sprinkle with mulch. This will prevent the formation of crust, moisture evaporation and weed growth.
On the north side, you can put a support for a young seedling - on the north side.
Grafting cuttings on stocks
The rootstock vaccination procedure:
- In the fall, cut the cuttings with 2-3 good eyes.
- Put the cuttings in storage. Until spring, they are kept in containers with sand, at a temperature of + 12 ° C.
- When the time comes for grafting, cut both sides of the handle. Cover the upper end of the handle with paraffin - to retain moisture, and place it in water or humate to form roots.
- Remove the old bush, leaving 5-8 cm above the ground.
- Clean the bush from debris. Make an incision in the center - lower the stalk there.
- Tie up the grafting site with woven material and cover with clay.
- Water the stock and mulch the soil.
Transfer
Grape bushes, if necessary, can be transplanted. Such a need may arise if the grape obscures some plant or just grows out of place. Grapes are transplanted in early spring - until sap flow begins, or in autumn - after the leaves fall. Transplant grapes by transshipment - with their own lump of land.
So that the lump of land does not fall apart during transshipment, they stop watering the bush 2 days before transplanting.
Transplant procedure:
- Dig a bush around the circumference (d = 50 cm).
- Prepare the pit in advance. Its size should be such that the root system is freely placed in it along with a lump of earth.
- Pour double superphosphate (200 g), potassium salt (30 g), humus - 7 kg, and ammonium sulfate (100 g) into a new pit.
- Remove the bush from the soil.
- Transfer to a new hole. Act carefully so that the lump of earth around the roots does not fall apart.
Grape Care "Lydia"
When the seedlings are planted, the task of the gardener is to provide the crop with everything necessary for growth. "Lydia" is unpretentious, but its productivity, taste and size of the fruits directly depend on the quality of care - watering, feeding, pruning and other agricultural activities.
Shaping and trimming
The pruning principles of Lydia:
- From the second year of life, they begin to form a bush. Pruning is carried out three times per season.
- In the spring they do sanitary pruning - cut off dried, diseased and damaged shoots.
- In summer, pruning is performed to thin out the bushes. Cut off stepchildren - to improve ventilation of the bushes.
- In the fall, in October-November, pruning is carried out - the first year for 2-4 eyes, then for 6-8 eyes, then - for 15. From an adult bush leave from 35 to 50 eyes.
Pruning is carried out before the start of sap flow, at a temperature of at least + 5 ° C.
For “Lydia”, a fan formation is suitable. With excessive growth of the bush, fruiting deteriorates. When fan-shaped, the bush has one or more main branches growing from the ground. Vines from the branches are distributed on trellises in different directions. The grape bush is similar in shape to a fan.
Formation begins in the 2nd year after planting seedlings, and it ends in 4-5 years of life. Formation Features:
- In the first year, the bush is cut in October, leaving only 2-3 shoots.
- In the second year, pruning is carried out in the spring - before the buds open. On the vines leave 3 eyes - in the lower part. By autumn, at least three strong vines should grow on the bush - they are tied to a trellis. The intervals between tiers - 30-40 cm.
- For the third year, 3-4 eyes are left in the lower part of the vine - if there are 2 shoots on the bushes. If there are 3 shoots on the bush, then two are allowed on the sleeves, new branches are grown from the third, leaving 3 eyes on it.
A bush with four strong shoots is formed like this - all 4 shoots are tied to the trellis, forming sleeves with a slight slope. After removing the upper eyes, leave 3 pieces - for the formation of new vines for next year. - In the fourth year, the bush is cut off similarly to the third year - fruiting branches and second-order sleeves are created from the sleeves. All other shoots are pruned. To get new sleeves, on the old ones remove the upper shoot, leaving only 2 lower ones. Sleeves are tied to trellises.
- In the fifth year, bush formation is completed. The arrows that do not yield the crop are removed - in their place new links are formed from substitution knots.
Learn more about spring pruning grapes in this article.
Watering
Regular watering is a condition for rapid growth and high yields of Lydia.To water the bushes, 20 mm deep grooves are torn out according to the diameter of the trunk circles. The irrigation rate for one bush is 12-15 liters.
Approximate dates of watering grapes "Lydia":
- in spring, after pruning;
- after tying the branches to the trellis;
- with the growth of shoots 25 cm long;
- before flowering;
- after flowering;
- during ripening;
- after collecting grapes.
The soil around the grape stands is loosened after each moistening.
Fertilizer and fertilizing
In order for the berries to gain sugar content, the bushes are fed throughout the growing season. Fertilizers are applied in solid form - during digging the soil, or in dissolved form - during irrigation.
Fertilizer application:
Period | Top dressing |
March | On a bucket of water:
|
2 weeks before flowering | Similarly, as in March. |
Before ripening | On a bucket of water:
|
After harvest | For 1 square. m: potassium chloride - 15 g. |
Loosening and katarovka
Near the stem, the soil is loosened - in a radius of about half a meter. Loosening is necessary for the supply of oxygen to the roots of grapes. It is recommended to loosen the soil once every half a month.
Once a year - at the end of spring or at the beginning of summer, catharization is carried out. This event consists in the removal of thin superficial roots growing at a depth of 20-25 cm. The procedure is carried out with a sharp secateurs. This is a difficult event, as inept actions can lead to damage to the roots and death of the bush.
Thanks to katarovka, the plant is able to survive in the most difficult conditions. This event allows the bush to recover even after the death of the entire aerial part.
Winter preparations
The variety is relatively frost-resistant, but to reduce the risk of damage from frost, it is better to insulate it for the winter. They cover the landings in November by the usual method:
- remove branches from trellises;
- lay them on the ground and bind;
- fall asleep with earth - a hill 10-15 cm high should form;
- to strengthen the structure, it is supported on the sides by boards.
Bird protection
Berries "Lydia" do not have high taste characteristics, but the birds like them. To protect the crop from birds, special caps are put on bunches - they can be bought or made independently, for example, from plastic disposable plates. Caps prevent the birds from reaching the berries, and the crop is preserved.
Also, birds can be scared away - by optical, sound, visual or combined methods. Experienced gardeners also advise putting several drinking bowls on the site - perhaps the birds just feel thirsty, and because of this they peck the berries.
Diseases and Pests
The Lydia variety is resistant only to certain diseases (mildew, oidium), and therefore needs preventive treatment.
Lydia grape diseases and control measures:
Disease | Symptoms | How to treat? | Prevention |
Gray rot | On the grapes - a gray coating. The berries are rotting. | Spraying with soda solution (per bucket - 70 g of soda). Removing affected clusters. | Trimming for good ventilation. |
Anthracnose | On the leaves there are brown spots with a dark border. Affected tissues die. | Spraying with Ridomil (10 l - 25 g), Horus (10 l - 3 g). | Harvesting plant debris. |
Calcareous chlorosis | The leaves turn yellow, and the veins remain green. The fabrics dry out, the bush does not develop. | Spraying with Antichlorosine (concentration before flowering 0.1%, after flowering - 0.15%). | The choice of stock taking into account the carbonate content of the soil. |
Black spotting | The bark loses color, small black dots appear on it. Young shoots are more often affected, dark spots appear on the first 6-7 internodes. | Spraying Topaz - one ampoule per bucket. | Prevention of mechanical damage. |
Pests of Lydia grapes and control measures:
Pests | Signs of damage | How to fight? | Prevention |
Phylloxera | On the wrong side of the leaves - bloating. Bushes are poorly developed. | Spraying with Confidor (10 l - 2 ml). | The use of fine-grained sand during planting - it is poured into the hole around the seedling. |
Spider mite | From the inside of the leaves - a thin web. Leaves turn yellow, dry, fall off. | Spraying in the spring with DNOC (for 10 l - 150 g). In August - Phosphamide (10 l - 20 g). | Regular weeding of weeds. |
Leaflet | Caterpillars eat berries. Leaves are gnawed. | Spring treatment of soil and plants with insecticides, for example, DNOC. | Good lighting and ventilation of the bushes. |
Harvesting
The collection begins in late August. Fruits do not hold well on the stalks - they fall when touched, so you need to take the crop on time. Bunches are collected in dry weather.
How to store Lydia?
Bunches are stored in boxes with a capacity of up to 15 kg. They should have ventilation holes. Bunches are kept at 0-3 ° C and humidity 90-95%. Shelf life is 3 months.
Breeding methods
Old grape varieties, which include Lydia, propagate in any way - seeds, seedlings, grafting grafts, branches. The easiest way is to plant a seedling, but if there is stock, it is better to use a vaccine.
Grape gardeners reviews
Knysh N., Barnaul. Many do not like the taste of "Lydia", but I really like these berries. There is a minimum of care for it, and there is a crop under any circumstances. The main problem is wasps.
Kirill O., Bryansk.
I think Lydia is a morally obsolete variety. For me it serves as a decorative fence, no more. The berries are tasteless, even juice and wine retain a specific aftertaste. Today there are dozens of more interesting varieties, and this has long been a place in the landfill of breeding history.
Dimon, Bryansk
Cyril from Bryansk, I completely disagree with your point of view! Variety Lydia is a super variety!
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Add your review
Whatever experts say about the harm of wine from Lydia, this old technical grade will please the harvest and coolness of our gardeners for a long time to come. This grape is so undemanding and fruitful that it will always find its fans.
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