Elegant Grapes: Characteristics and Description of the Variety, Planting and Care

Among white table grape varieties, Elegant deservedly ranks high, despite not being known for its high yields. Among other advantages, its popularity stems from its hardiness—it's not easily damaged by improper care. Even the omission of some of the necessary agronomic practices for other varieties has minimal impact on the vines. However, proper care can improve the average yield, sugar content, and resilience of the variety.

Description of the variety

Elegant is a hybrid grape variety. Other names for the hybrid are FV-3-15 and III-17-3-15. It was created by crossing two light-colored, early-ripening varieties, Vostorg and Frumoasa Albe, at the Ya. I. Potapenko All-Russian Research Institute of Viticulture and Winemaking. From Vostok, Elegant inherited resistance to major grape diseases and adverse environmental conditions, as well as the ability to accumulate high sugar concentrations in the berries. The variety owes its Muscat flavor to its second parent.

Elegant grapevines have below-average vigor, but mature quickly: shoots begin bearing fruit at three years of age. The thickness of the vines, as well as the size of the leaves, are small relative to average.

The flowers are bisexual, and fertilization occurs well under normal conditions. Additional pollination is not necessary. This is an early-ripening variety, with the harvest ready for harvesting 100-100 days after flowering. Suitable for growing in southern and middle zone.

Productivity

The yield of berries from the Elegant variety is small. The standard yield from one plant is 7-10 kg, but good care Its capacity can be increased to 15 kg. The plant's fruitfulness increases with age, as the volume of perennial wood on the bush increases.

A bunch weighs 300-600 grams, and a single berry weighs 6-7 grams. On average, there are 1.8-2 bunches per fruiting shoot.

Fruit characteristics

The clusters can be either conical or cylindrical. The berries are oval, not prone to shrinking, and always retain approximately the same size: 20 mm in diameter and 29 mm in length. The fruits are green-white in color, acquiring an amber hue with sufficient light during ripening. There are few seeds, about 3 per berry.

Table grape. The pulp is juicy and fleshy, with a moderately sweet flavor, slightly acidic, and a muscat flavor. Sugar content in the pulp can reach 25%, averaging 19-22%, and acidity is 7-9 g/l. Experts rate the taste at 4.2 points. The fruit has no distinct aroma.

The berries don't crunch when bitten. They are covered with a thin, elastic skin, which allows them to withstand long journeys. The fruit is also very shelf-stable; when properly stored, fresh berries can remain fresh for up to a month without spoiling. They can remain on the bush for the same amount of time after ripening without losing quality. The fruit doesn't crack, even during prolonged rainfall during the fruiting period.

Sustainability

One of the advantages of the Elegant variety is the complex resistance of the plant:

• the bushes can withstand temperatures down to -25°C;
• tolerate moisture deficiency and heat well;
• are distinguished by strong immunity: grapes are not susceptible to damage by gray mold and mildew, and rarely suffer from oidium.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Elegant grape will find recognition among gardeners whose priorities include qualities such as:

• undemanding to care;
• climate resistance;
• self-pollination;
• large berries;
• good keeping quality and transportability of fruits;
• pleasant taste of the pulp;
• resistance to the most common diseases.

The disadvantage of this variety is its average yield.

Features of agricultural technology of the variety

The Elegant grape variety is unpretentious, but responsive to good careThe plant easily adapts to any growing conditions. Forming the bush is not necessary; sanitary pruning in the fall is sufficient. However, if the scion is grafted onto a vigorous rootstock, it is necessary to prune the shoots back to 6-8 buds. The Elegant variety's compatibility with most rootstocks also speaks in its favor.

Thanks to the medium-sized bush, the grapes don't require monumental supports. There's also no need to harvest quickly after ripening. The berries can hang in the clusters for a long time without losing their flavor, though the muscat notes will gradually become more intense. In regions with mild winters, grapes don't require shelter.

When growing this variety, it is important to pay attention to several characteristics of the grape:

• When planting, please note that Elegant cuttings do not root well, so it is better to prefer propagation by seedlings.

• After pruning in the spring, do not tie the shoots vertically upwards, otherwise the vines may crack in the fall when laid on the ground for cover.
• It's recommended to thin the bunches to avoid overloading the bush, otherwise the shoots may become thinner. However, even if overloaded, the vines ripen well.
• During the final stages of berry ripening, it's advisable to remove any leaves that shade the clusters; otherwise, the berries will have a pale hue. Only under direct sunlight do the fruits acquire their amber-yellow color.
• Often in a summer with insufficient sunshine the berries sit loosely in the bunches, but if you give scheduled feeding of grapes After flowering, this problem usually doesn't arise. Sometimes the clusters are even too dense.
• Among the pests, phylloxera poses a great danger to Elegant.

Gardeners' reviews of the variety

Elizabeth, 47 years old:

"I made a mistake when planting this grape vine: I spaced several seedlings too closely. While it's not particularly vigorous, you still need to leave two meters between vines; mine were about one and a half. As a result, the vines are weak, stretching, and clearly lacking light and water. They're susceptible to powdery mildew, but, tellingly, downy mildew has never appeared on the Elegant. There's one standalone vine growing near the house—it's incomparable—and it's never had any fungal issues."

Marta, 44 years old:

"I wouldn't say young plants take root particularly poorly. At worst, two out of three cuttings survive and root normally. The key factors are care and soil. My relatives have black soil in their plot, but the Elegant grows and produces less fruit than in my sandy loam. Light soil is probably critical for the variety; it doesn't tolerate heavy soil. I think it would be even worse in clay, but some gardeners who grow the Elegant have had positive comments about loam soil."

Vasily, 51 years old:

"Personally, the greenish tint of the Elegant grapes doesn't bother me. If the vine itself is growing in good light, the sugar content of green berries is no worse than that of yellow ones. On the contrary, I think it's precisely the color of the berries that makes these grapes unattractive to birds and bees. Although, perhaps it's the faint scent. In any case, I wouldn't recommend overdoing the plucking of leaves above the bunches. Leaves are needed for photosynthesis, and the quality of the vine's cover also affects the yield."

The Elegant variety will be of interest primarily to novice gardeners with no experience growing grapes. The plant tolerates omissions or violations of agricultural practices, and the volume harvest Sufficient for private use. Growing the Elegant variety for commercial purposes should be considered unprofitable.