Aleshenkin grapes: characteristics and description, planting and care

Grape

Is your "Aleshenkin" grape growing smaller, growing poorly, and bearing virtually no foliage? This means you've made numerous mistakes in caring for this unusual grape variety. It's important to know not only about proper watering but also how to prune it correctly, which determines its growth and development.

General characteristics and description

The Aleshenkin grape variety was developed in the mid-20th century. It received its unusual name from the agronomist Tsekhmistrenko, who named it after his grandson.

This variety is considered a table grape, and with proper cultivation practices, you can harvest up to 25 kg from a single bush. Compared to other varieties, this is truly a large yield, allowing you to not only feed your family but also save some for sale. "Aleshenkin" is a heat-loving variety and tolerates drought well. Therefore, it thrives best in the southern part of the country, where summers are long. Its main distinguishing feature is the almost complete absence of seeds in the berries.

The "Aleshenkin" bush is tall and abundantly foliated. The leaves are a light emerald green and no larger than average grape leaves. The surface is smooth and glossy. Each shoot produces bisexual flowers that require no additional pollination. To ensure proper pruning without damaging the grapes, it's important to note that a single vine lives for about 4-6 years and quickly establishes itself in new soil when pruned.

This variety is considered early maturing—it takes about 110-130 days to reach biological maturity, and the first harvest can be obtained as early as July. A single bunch can weigh up to 2,000 grams. The berries are classically shaped, and the bunch resembles a cone. Each berry weighs approximately 5 grams. The color is close to amber. Enjoying the sweet flavor is possible without the seeds, as they are absent. The most common way to enjoy the berries is fresh. Juices, compotes, and wines can also be made.

Attention!

Yield values may vary depending on weather conditions and the climate of your region.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

Based on this information, you can determine whether the “Aleshenkin” variety is right for you.

Advantages of the variety

almost complete absence of seeds;
short ripening period;
tolerate transportation well;
long shelf life;
undemanding to growing conditions;
bears fruit for a long time;
tolerates high temperatures and dry soils well.

Disadvantages of the variety

high sugar content - more than 20% (contraindicated for people with diabetes);
the lower parts of the bushes do not tolerate frost well, which can lead to the death of the brushes;
If the growing rules are not followed and there is a lack of useful microelements, the grapes are prone to pea formation - a decrease in the size of the grapes;
low resistance to fungal and viral diseases.

Pollination

Because the grape produces flowers of both sexes on its branches, this variety does not require pollination. This is a definite plus, especially for garden plots where the climate limits the availability of biological pollinators. There's no need to try to force pollination; it won't affect the harvest.

Resistance to diseases and pests, adverse conditions

Alyoshkin doesn't have a strong immune system, so he's often susceptible to fungal and viral infections. Therefore, it's crucial not only to learn to recognize the signs of infection early, but also to know how to combat them.

Diseases	Signs	How to treat?
Downy mildew	Oily-yellow spots appear on the surface of the leaves, gradually covering the entire bush. This can lead to a white, fluffy coating and, if left untreated, the death of the grapevine.	Every 10 days, treat the soil with Bordeaux mixture, promptly remove weeds and mulch the garden bed.
Alternaria	Dark olive-green spots appear on the underside of the leaf. When the pathogen is active, the leaves curl and turn to dust. Grapes are also susceptible to spoilage: they crack and lose their flavor. The shoots stop ripening and die with the slightest frost.	If signs of infection are detected, treat with copper sulfate or Bordeaux mixture. Don't forget to prune affected leaves and shoots and apply mineral fertilizers to boost immunity and resistance.
Cercospora leaf spot	It looks similar to powdery mildew, but the spots are smaller, and the disease affects almost the entire bush. The cause is high humidity.	Treat with 1% Bordeaux mixture and apply mineral fertilizers with the highest nitrogen content. Watering should be reduced to four times per month.
Armillariasis	A disease that attacks the roots of grapevines, leading to their death. It typically begins to develop in the spring, and in the fall, when the vine is completely infected, yellow fungi appear on it.	There's no cure. The only solution is to uproot the bush and treat the soil with fungicides. The bed will be off-limits for planting for a year.
Aspergillus rot	The cause is elevated air temperatures. It affects grapes, covering them with a white coating, gradually developing sunken dark spots. The fungi cause the development of fruit fly larvae.	There is no cure. The only solution is to remove the affected berries or the bush at an advanced stage.
Powdery mildew	White coating on both sides of the leaf, deformation of the leaf edges, change in color from green to brown-yellow, and death of shoots.	Every two weeks, feed the bushes with mineral fertilizers containing the highest levels of phosphorus and potassium. Treat the bushes with Topaz solution, and cut off and burn any affected areas. Treat tools with alcohol or flame.
Chlorosis	Occurs due to iron deficiency. This is manifested by the cessation of plant growth and development.	Apply a mineral fertilizer with the highest iron content. Use "Chelate" as a treatment. If lemon spots are detected, treat with Aktara.

Carefully!

Processing during the fruit formation period is strictly prohibited, as it negatively affects the quality of the fruit and human health.

Features of agricultural technology of the variety

Compliance with growing conditions is the key to obtaining a high-quality and abundant harvest.

Favorable conditions

"Aleshenkin" tolerates hot, sunny weather well, but it shouldn't be grown in the middle of a plot. The location should be well-ventilated but draft-free. It's important not to plant a vineyard under groundwater, which can kill the vines. If you decide to plant grapes near a house, be sure to leave about 7 meters from the foundation. This is a necessary measure—the roots grow quickly, and uprooting them without damaging the house's foundation is impossible. Grapes don't like excessive moisture; in fact, a little dryness is beneficial. For seedlings, it's best to choose unheated plastic greenhouses with daily ventilation. Seedlings are purchased ready-to-use, so there's no need to discuss growing conditions.

Growing grapes

It's best to grow from seedlings or cuttings. Prepare the soil in the fall, dig it over, and fertilize it with a mineral complex. In the spring, dig a hole no more than 80 cm deep and 70 cm wide. Mix the soil with humus, 50 grams of superphosphate, and nitrophoska. To soften the soil, add a little river sand.

Place the grapes in the hole, fill halfway with the mixture described above, and water with warm water. Sprinkle the remaining mixture on top. The bud should be buried just below ground level. To create a greenhouse effect, cover the cutting with transparent film, making a small hole in the top through which the seedling will later grow. Periodically remove the film and check the soil condition. It is recommended to remove it completely in August.

Watering the Aleshenkin grapes

Due to their active growth, seedlings require watering once every two weeks. Typically, five buckets are sufficient for a single 80 x 70 cm (28 x 28 ft) bed. Before each watering, check the soil—if it's too wet and it's time to water, it's best to postpone it for a few days.

Attention!

Watering should be stopped when flowers and buds are forming. Failure to do so will result in flower drop and reduced grape bud size. Watering is prohibited when the grapes are softening, as excess moisture will cause the fruit to crack.

Bush formation

From a biological perspective, the most beneficial way to grow grapes is to let them climb a fence or gazebo. During the growing stage, it's best to tie the seedlings to trellises or stakes using nylon rags. If the desired shape is deformed, prune any excessively large shoots, preserving as much green mass as possible.

Features of pruning

Pruning can be done only three weeks after the leaves fall. To facilitate winter protection, use the fan-shaped, standard-less method. In the first year, you want to obtain a strong shoot. In the fall, prune it so that no more than two buds remain above ground level. The following year, prune the long shoots that grew from these buds into two short ones—replacement shoots. Leave two or three buds and one long shoot. This will act as the fruiting vine.

During fruiting in subsequent years, you can adjust the length of the shoots yourself, thereby controlling the degree and duration of fruiting. In the fall, prune all fruiting vines to the maximum possible level, that is, to the knot. Repeat the entire process next year.

Preparing for winter

In addition to pruning, grapes require covering during the winter. The most common covering material is spruce branches, or simply pine branches. They should be spread over the bush to a height of 40 cm. This will not only protect the roots from frost but also prevent excess moisture and act as a barrier against insects. Straw can be substituted for pine branches, and if you live in northern climates, greenhouse film can be used.

Before covering, add to the soil:

at the beginning of September - manure, humus or other organic matter;
in October - potassium;
In November (last feeding) - a mixture of 20 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of potassium salt, 1 gram of boric acid, 2 grams of zinc sulfate mixed with 10 liters of water.

Feedback from those who planted

Igor

"I was growing grapes for the first time and, as it seemed to me, I was doing everything I could to preserve the vine. Of course, I didn't want to hear about pruning, especially under the branches. As a result, the entire crop looked more like peas than grapes. Later, I read that all the branches that produced the fruit should be pruned. This will only benefit the vine, and the fruit will grow larger."

Olga

"A few seasons ago, my grapevine started rotting in my garden. I spent a long time trying to figure out the cause. Only then did I pay attention to how often I was watering it. I was watering it twice a week, always afraid the grapevine would dry out. It ended up getting soaked. This season, I'm watering the vines no more than four times a month."

Grapes, despite their complexity, are easy to care for. With proper care, they will not only delight you with their harvest but also help transform part of your garden without any additional expense.