Moscow White Grapes: Characteristics and Description of the Variety

Everyone knows that grapes are a heat-loving southern plant. But there are also varieties that grow and bear fruit well. In the northern latitudes of our country, this includes "Moscow White." It can withstand temperatures down to -30 degrees Celsius.

Features of the variety

The "Moskovsky Bely" grape is a hybrid of two popular varieties: "Amursky Bely" and "Zhemchug Saba." It inherited frost resistance and high yields from its parents. Although not a large-fruited variety, it is very popular among amateur winegrowers.

No sissy – easy to care for. Frost-hardy, it withstands the harsh winters of central Russia. It requires no shelter. Its vine-like habit is suitable for landscaping arches and arbors. It is very productive. Bushes yield up to 35 kg of berries in a single season. A single bush produces up to 6 kg of fruit.

"Moskovsky Bely" is an early-ripening variety. Harvesting begins as early as mid-August. The small fruits have a vibrant, pleasant flavor. Ripe bunches keep well and are suitable for long-distance transportation.

However, grapes are rarely grown commercially. They are primarily found in garden plots. The berries are eaten fresh and are also used to make compotes and jams. This variety is of interest to winemakers, as the berries make a good homemade wine.

Description of the culture

Mature grape vines are well-developed. They branch well, allowing them to twine around arbors and arches. They have thin, light-brown bark. The branches can withstand considerable weight. The leaves are wide, serrated, and five-fingered. They have prominent veins. A small, gossamer-like fuzz grows on the underside of the vines. The leaves are bright green.

The flowers are bisexual and require no additional pollination. 'Moscow White' is often planted near plants with female flowers for additional pollination. The berries are small, weighing up to 5 grams. They are round or slightly oblong in shape. The berries are light green. Ripe fruits acquire a golden hue.

The flesh is firm and crisp. The flavor is bright, sweet, and slightly tart. Two to three seeds are found, which separate easily from the flesh. The bunches are cone-shaped and slightly loose. When ripe, they typically weigh around 250 g. However, with proper vineyard management, their weight can increase to 400 g.

It's important to remember that ripe grapes should be picked immediately. Leaving ripe bunches on the branches is not recommended. This is necessary to allow the young shoots to develop woodiness. Otherwise, they won't have time to strengthen and will freeze at the first frost.

Pros and cons of the variety

"Moskovsky Bely" has all the qualities to be popular. Amateur winegrowers appreciate it for:

• high fertility;
• resistance to harsh climate;
• frost resistance;
• early maturity;
• good shelf life of bunches;
• tasty berries;
• versatility of use;
• resistance to mildew, gray mold, oidium.

However, the variety has a drawback: weak resistance to fungal diseases. Resistance to fungal diseases in grapes is approximately 60%. Hot periods, when temperatures rise above 26 degrees Celsius, are particularly dangerous.

To prevent disease, spray the plant and the soil around the roots with special preventative solutions during hot weather. If the bush does become infected, remove the infected leaves and berries and treat it.

Agricultural technology of the crop

To obtain a good grape harvest, the following agricultural practices are essential.

Kilchevaniye

To ensure strong and resilient roots, the shoots must be deadheaded before planting. Inspect the shoots beforehand, choosing those that show no signs of rot or drying out.

The shoots are trimmed at both ends. The cut should be green. The cut is made one centimeter below the node. The lower bud is removed. The shoots are soaked in clean, warm water. This should be done 55-60 days before planting.

Before soaking, prepare the water first. Pour charcoal into the bottom of the jar. Line the bottom with cotton wool. Pour clean water on top. This approach eliminates the need to change the water too often. It's refreshed every 10 days.

Make several furrows at the ends of the shoots with a knife and lower them into water. Place the jar in the sun. While the rooting process is in progress, do not move it to a cool place. The water temperature should be at least 20 degrees Celsius.

Landing features

Despite its frost resistance, grapes thrive in full sun. Therefore, they should be planted on the south side of the plot. It's best to choose a site on a hill, near the wall of a house or shed. This will protect the plant from strong gusts of wind.

'Moscow White' doesn't do well in shaded areas. Even with abundant blooms, you're unlikely to see any berries. If planted in a low spot, water will stagnate around the roots. The plant will often become diseased and suffer from mildew.

The variety prefers light, acidic soil. Therefore, acidic chernozem soils are suitable. It does not thrive in calcareous soils. To improve the condition of the soil allocated for vineyards, highly acidic peat is added.

To ensure loose soil, gravel or broken brick is placed in the bottom of the pits or ditches. After compacting it, a layer of sod is placed on top. Then, soil mixed with organic fertilizer is added to the pit. Well-rotted manure or compost are suitable. Potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are also added.

The holes are dug to a depth of 60 cm. After all the layers are laid, a seedling is placed in the center and covered with soil. The soil is lightly compacted, watered, and mulched. The grapes are planted in the ground at the end of May.

With proper care, young vines begin to bear fruit as early as their third year. If planted in the wrong location, the plant will develop slowly, and you'll have to wait 4-5 years for a harvest.

When planting, maintain proper spacing. The distance between future vines and the nearest trees should be at least half a meter, as the roots of garden trees can significantly dry out the soil around the vineyard. The distance to the house wall should be at least half a meter. The distance between rows should be 2.5 meters.

This variety grows well alongside gooseberry and currant bushes. They can be safely planted between rows. Because the bushes are vigorous, they require support. To achieve this, drive tall wooden posts between the holes where the seedlings will be planted and string wire.

'Moscow White' is propagated exclusively by cuttings. When planting, pay attention to their appearance. When cut, the cuttings should be green and have two to three developed rhizomes. The stems reach at least one meter in length.

Features of orbezki

Grapes don't require extensive care. However, they do require some attention. They are pruned twice a year. In the fall, before winter, the vines are pruned, leaving 4-8 buds. In the spring, after the snow melts, they are pruned again to remove frozen shoots.

As the green leaf mass grows, thin out the green shoots. Pinch off excess leaves so that 15-16 leaflets remain above the cluster. Before the ovary forms, side shoots are removed. Remove any excess shoots that interfere with fruiting.

Fertilization

To ensure normal development and good fruit production, root and foliar feeding are applied:

• in spring the soil is fertilized with mineral fertilizers;
• in summer, ammonium nitrate is added before the fruits ripen;
• throughout the year – magnesium as a foliar feeding to increase the immunity of the vine.

The plant is fertilized in several stages:

• when young shoots grow to 15 cm;
• two weeks after flowering;
• on the eve of berries ripening.

Watering

During the first year of growth, water the plant once a week in cloudy weather and every other day in hot weather. In the second year, water the plants once a week, regardless of weather conditions. Mature plants are not watered at all.

To keep the soil moist at the roots, it is constantly loosened. Weeds are removed and the soil is mulched. Straw, dry moss, and wood chips are excellent mulches. It is important to ensure that the soil maintains moisture at a depth of half a meter below the root system.

Wintering

Although this variety is considered unprotected, many amateur winegrowers still cover it. Winter temperatures can drop to -35–40 degrees Celsius. This will damage not only the vines but also the plant's root system.

There are two ways to cover the vines. They press the vines to the ground and cover them with 40–50 cm of soil. The second method is to cover them with spruce branches. For this, pine or spruce branches are placed over the vines. This method is very effective. Grapes tolerate even the most severe frosts very well.

Diseases and pests

'Moscow White' has strong immunity to a number of fungal diseases. However, in temperatures above 26 degrees Celsius, its resistance to disease decreases. It can be attacked by any fungus.

Therefore, during hot weather, preventative spraying of the plant's branches with copper sulfate solutions or a 1% Bordeaux mixture should be performed every six weeks, as the solutions are washed away by rain.

If the grapevines were diseased last year, such sprays are especially beneficial. They promote healing of wounds on the stems and destroy hidden insects and their eggs. Preventative treatments are carried out until the grapevine blooms. After flowering, sprays are resumed and stopped only 3-4 weeks before fruiting.

To combat these dangerous insects, many amateur grape growers plant parsley between their grape rows. The green parts of the garden plant repel insects. However, this placement does not harm either the grape or the parsley itself. Both plants grow well and produce fruit.

Reviews from amateur winegrowers

Gennady, 52 years old

I've been growing grapes for 12 years now. I consider the "Moskovsky Bely" variety to be the most undemanding. Many people avoid it because of its disease resistance. But I say it's no big deal. Even if the plant loses all its leaves, the bunches remain and ripen. I haven't noticed any cluster diseases. The grapes are very tasty and juicy. They're perfect for wine.

Vladimir, 47 years old

I really love this variety for its frost resistance. It can withstand severe frosts even without cover. But I always cover it with spruce branches just in case. It overwinters much better than other varieties. After winter, I trim off any dead branches. But there aren't many. The plant generally tolerates our harsh winters well.

Nadezhda, 35 years old

Our whole family has fallen in love with the "Moscow White" grape. Not only is it easy to grow and requires little care, but its berries are also delicious. The flesh is firm and crisp. I make compotes from these grapes for the winter. My husband makes wine from the berries. They're very sweet with a hint of playful tartness.

"Moskovsky Bely" attracts many amateur winegrowers. Not only does it tolerate all adverse weather conditions, its fruits are also exceptionally tasty and aromatic. It's arguably hard to find a better variety growing in the north.