The "Sofia" grape was developed by the renowned Ukrainian gardener V.V. Zagorulko at the end of the last century. He crossed the famous Kishmish Luchisty variety with the equally popular Arkadia variety.
The hybrid plant produced surprisingly large fruits that looked like plastic imitation grapes. Judging by the variety description and photos, the grapevine has many advantages. Gardeners' reviews claim that the plant will not produce the desired yield in the northern part of the country.
General characteristics and description of the variety
The grapevine with a feminine name is an early-ripening table grape variety. The plant's growing season lasts 100 to 115 days. Buds begin to swell in mid-spring, so the berries begin to ripen closer to August. The variety's yield depends largely on climate. In sunny climates with slightly longer daylight hours, "Sofia" produces a consistently high yield. In cooler climates, the yield drops significantly, and the berries are slightly smaller.
A vigorous, robust vine, colored in a rich brown. Young shoots grow very quickly and can reach a height of up to a meter in a month. The oblong, large leaves, with notches and serrated edges, have a characteristic dark green color. The dense canopy of the bush protects the clusters from feathered pests and prevents the berries from drying out in the sun.
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The berries resemble miniature chicken eggs in shape. The average grape weighs about 15 grams, but very large fruits, up to 20 grams, are also available. The delicate pink skin with fine veins is quite dense and elastic, allowing the grape clusters to retain a presentable appearance even after transportation. Occasionally, small seeds may be found within the sugary pulp; this is rare, but it does occur. The product is intended exclusively for raw consumption, but compotes and wine made from this grape are also delicious.
Advantages
The "Sofia" grape variety inherited many of its parents' good qualities, which is why hybrid cuttings are still popular with sellers at markets and specialty stores. Gardeners eagerly purchase "Sofia" seedlings to experience the sweetness of this vaunted grape. Its advantages include the following distinctive features:
- early ripening variety;
- large and sweet berries;
- friendly ripening of fruits;
- unusual taste;
- frost resistance down to -21 degrees;
- not afraid of drought and scorching sun;
- high level of productivity;
- good immunity, capable of protecting the plant from diseases such as powdery mildew and oidium.
Flaws
- presence of only female inflorescences;
- spoilage of the bunch from the inside;
- the skin of overripe berries cracks;
- overripe crops fall off;
- weak resistance to mildew.
Features of cultivation
There are several ways to obtain seedlings for planting, the simplest being propagation by cuttings. Gardeners often use the method of grafting a seedling onto another root system. Inexperienced gardeners buy cuttings from specialty stores. Some grape growers also grow seedlings from seeds, but this method doesn't always produce good plants.
Before planting, you need to prepare the bed and determine the soil composition. The 'Sofia' grapevine thrives in sandy-clay soil, so if your site has predominantly clay, it's best to dilute it with river sand. Conversely, dig in a sandy soil layer with clay. Experienced gardeners begin preparing the vineyard site in the fall.
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Grapevine roots are planted in open ground in the spring. This is when the soil warms up to the desired temperature, and warm air currents prevent the young seedling from freezing. Under these conditions, the plant adapts better to its new location and takes root. The process will proceed more quickly if the vineyard bed is located in a sunny location and not shaded by buildings.
The holes for the grapevines are prepared a couple of weeks before planting. The Sophia's root system can grow extensively, so holes are dug up to a meter deep, with 3 to 5 meters between each hole. Two buckets of fertile soil mixed with humus are poured into the bottom of each hole. Then, carefully insert the vine rootstock into the hole and fill it halfway with soil. Moisten the cutting with 10 liters of water, and then fill the hole completely, lightly compacting the top layer. Mulch with blackened sawdust or dry grass.
Features of vineyard care
The hybrid variety "Sofia" thrives on moisture, so water the plant several times throughout the summer. The first watering occurs before flowering, then again during fruit formation. Don't forget to water it again if summer rainfall isn't great. Pour a bucket of settled water under the bush, on average. After each watering, mulch the soil around the vine.
In late autumn or early spring, shrubs are pruned. All shoots are shortened Using pruning shears, leaving no more than 6-8 buds on the vine. Before the onset of cold weather, the vineyard is insulated with plastic "corridors," creating a greenhouse effect. Each vine is covered with large eggplants with the tops cut off, and the young shoots are covered with a layer of sand and plastic.
Pollination
As mentioned earlier, 'Sophia' flowers cannot self-pollinate because they are female. To ensure successful pollination and a bountiful harvest of grapes, bisexual flowering vines are planted near the female vine, or pollinated artificially using a fur puff. A special device is brought to the flowering pollinator, collecting pollen and transferring it to the vine flowers. Artificial pollination is performed early in the morning and evening during dry weather. The procedure is repeated after two days.
Pests and diseases
Birds and wasps are the main predators of grapes. Winegrowers protect their orchards from these birds with fine netting. To get rid of wasps, they first inspect the surrounding area and destroy any wasp nests. Then, they prepare a sweet bait from sugar syrup and poison, pour the resulting poison into flat containers, and place them near the grape bushes.
A high level of immunity can protect a plant only from some potential dangerous fungal diseasesIf other types of grapevines with weak immune systems are growing in the area, then "Sofia" is sprayed exclusively for preventative purposes with solutions such as copper sulfate, TILT-250, anthracite, and Bordeaux mixture.
Reviews
Catherine
Three years ago, a neighbor shared some cuttings of her "Sofia" grapevine. A year later, the plant had grown so much that I had to dig up the roots and replant them. Soon, I dug up the bushes and gave them back to my neighbor. There were just too many problems with pollination and care. I prefer varieties that require little to no care and still produce a good harvest.
Alina
Sofia is our favorite grape variety. Our whole family loves its large berries with a muscat flavor. Now our garden is filled exclusively with Sofia grapes and a few Arcadia grapes, which serve as pollinators for the female flowers of our favorite variety. Our garden is small, so my husband decided to entwine the vines around a tall fence, which saved a lot of space.
Conclusion
"Sofia" is a capricious plant, but careful and timely care for the shrubs will soon yield a rich reward. This variety is excellent for sale, as the grapes are dense and retain their attractive marketable appearance for a long time. Incidentally, in addition to its primary use, grape vines are used to decorate garden plots. Gardeners often twine young shoots around a gazebo or weave them along the exterior of the house. How beautiful a garden looks in autumn, when the large leaves of the vine change their usual color scheme to autumnal hues.
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