Characteristics and description of the Laura grape variety

Finding an unpretentious grape variety with excellent flavor is quite difficult. But in this article, you can learn more about one such variety. It's called "Laura," and some long-time grape growers still know it by its former name, "Flora."

Characteristics

The variety was developed by scientists in Ukraine, and four varieties were crossed to produce "Laura." The bushes are strong and vigorous, growing fairly quickly and beginning to bear fruit within 2-3 years of planting. The plants are characterized by female flowering and require hand pollination. The bushes tend to produce excessive fruiting shoots, which can put significant strain on the plant. Therefore, experienced gardeners recommend leaving no more than 40 of them. Otherwise, the clusters will become smaller and the ripening period will be extended.

There's also a risk that the grapes will shed all their fruit the following season. Sometimes, even mature plants produce 14-19 large clusters, which will ripen prematurely. However, the vine may begin to produce more fruit, which will ripen prematurely. The leaves are emerald green, palmately lobed, and serrated along the edges. As the clusters ripen, remove any leaves that shade the grapes. 'Laura' is a frost-hardy variety; the vine can withstand temperatures as low as -23°C.

The bunches ripen early, with 110-120 days between fruit set and harvest. They are large, with medium-density fruit placement, conical in shape, and can weigh over a kilogram per bunch. The bunch can reach up to 40 centimeters in length. The variety is an excellent yielder, with a mature plant capable of yielding up to 40 kilograms of grapes.

The berries are light green in color, amber where they receive the most sunlight. They are large, oval, and elongated. Each grape weighs between 7 and 10 grams, and is 3 to 4 cm long. With tall rootstocks, they can grow even larger. However, in this case, the ripening period is somewhat longer, and the flavor is less pronounced. Once ripe, the berries hold tightly to the stem for a long time. The skin is dense, crisp, and lightly coated with a waxy coating. The berries have an excellent sweet-tart flavor. Sugar content in the fruits is up to 20%, and acidity is 6-8 grams per liter. The seeds, located within the juicy pulp, are large and hard.

The grapes can be eaten fresh and are also suitable for making dessert wines. Under appropriate conditions, the bunches retain their marketable appearance and original flavor for a long time. The variety is suitable for transportation.

Advantages

• Attractive appearance.
• Delicious taste.
• Durability and transportability.
• Early ripening.
• Universal application.
• A decent harvest with proper care and suitable weather conditions.

Flaws

• If agricultural practices are not followed or the weather deteriorates (cold weather and prolonged rains), yields and taste qualities decrease.
• Lack of immunity to some fungal diseases.

Features of cultivation and care

To ensure plants grow and thrive, they need comfortable conditions. When planting, consider the location of the groundwater; it shouldn't be close to the soil surface.

The soil must be fertile; clay soil is absolutely unsuitable for grapes. The planting site should also be sunny and protected from the wind. Plants should be spaced 150 cm apart. A hole for the seedlings should be dug in advance; mineral fertilizer will be added. Before planting, an irrigation pipe and plant supports are installed.

A young seedling will require at least 30 liters of water, and grapes aged 5-7 years will require even more. Weeds must be removed promptly; some gardeners apply a layer of mulch to prevent weed growth. This also helps retain moisture in the soil. Fertilizers are applied as needed, using both organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, and mineral fertilizers.

Reproduction

Grapevines can be propagated by cuttings. To do this, roots are grown on the vine and then the cuttings are planted in the ground, burying them approximately 20 cm deep. Laura can also be propagated by cuttings, taking shoots from young shoots. These shoots are first kept in a cool room and then soaked in warm water for an hour. The grafting is done on an adult plant, after treating the shoot with "Humate."

Diseases and pests

The variety is highly resistant to gray mold. The berries are not susceptible to cracking, even in high humidity. "Laura" also has excellent immunity to common fungal diseases, but despite this, the plants are susceptible to powdery mildew. When growing grapes commercially, I treat the plants with chemicals. At home, the vineyards are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and sulfur. To protect the plants from black rot, I treat them with fungicides before winter.

Preparing for winter

"Laura" is a winter-hardy variety, but in some regions, the plantings still need to be covered for the winter. Before the cold weather sets in, the vines are pruned, removing all damaged and diseased branches. The trunk is coated with lime mortar, the vines are carefully bent to the ground, and secured with metal hooks. The vines are then covered with a 30-centimeter layer of soil and sawdust or straw.

Conclusion

"Laura" is a wonderful table grape variety with excellent flavor. To achieve the stated yield, the plant requires careful care. This variety is well-known to both regular gardeners and those who grow grapes for commercial use.

Reviews

Ivan

An excellent variety for commercial cultivation, I've been growing "Laura" for over ten years. With proper cultivation practices, the yield is high, but if you stop caring for the plant, the yield immediately drops. I live in the Moscow region and cover the plants for the winter. I feed them mainly with organic matter and apply mineral fertilizers once a year. The maximum weight of a single bunch I've ever seen was 1960 grams.

Julia

I'm pleased with the variety; the yield is excellent, and the berries are delicious. The grapes keep for quite a long time; I hand them over to my children by train, and they always arrive safe and sound. "Laura" is disease-resistant, which is also a big plus, as it's not uncommon for a large portion of the harvest to be lost to disease. We eat the grapes fresh and make delicious wine from them.