Buffalo grapes

Foreign grape varieties are as popular among gardeners as domestic ones. One of the representatives of foreign selection is the Buffalo grape. In this article, we will consider the characteristics of the variety, yield, taste of berries, frost resistance, as well as shelf life.

In 1938, a new Buffalo hybrid was bred on the grounds of an experimental agricultural station at Cornell University of New York. The parental pair of the hybrid is considered to be Herbert and Watkins grapes. The name of the grape was given in honor of the city located in the state of New York. The purpose of the hybrid is a universal variety.

The Buffalo grape is a mid-early variety. The bushes are vigorous, although they may seem small in comparison with other varieties. The vine ripens completely, its color is bright, rich brown. The leaves of the vines are large, green, division into lobes is practically absent, in shape it resembles a wedge-shaped one. Serrated edges and slight pubescence are present.

Flowering begins in May, and full ripening of the fruits falls on 1-2 weeks of September.

The bunches are conical in shape, there is friability. On average, the weight of one bunch varies from 0.5-0.8 kg.

The berries are medium in size, oval in shape. The shade is black, there is a slight bloom. The skin is firm, does not burst. The pulp is juicy (when fully ripe). The weight of one berry is 6-8 g.

The taste is intense, with a strawberry aftertaste. The percentage of sugar is 21, but the acidity varies from 5 to 10 g / dm3. many gardeners note that when not fully ripe, the berries are significantly sour.

Good yield from one bush, you can collect 50-60 kg of berries. With good agricultural maintenance up to 100 kg. On plantations, the harvest is 100-120 c / ha.

Planting seedlings of Buffalo grapes is on the south side of the site. It is necessary to arrange a small mound so that water does not accumulate around the seedlings. This hybrid is not very fond of very wet soil. The soil should be loose, loamy. The site must be equipped with useful minerals.

In the northern regions, it is better to choose poorly ventilated areas.

It is also worth observing the schedule of watering and feeding. It is necessary to feed it in the spring, during the period of ripening and fruiting, and before wintering.

Cut off excess shoots in time and carry out preventive work against pests.

The grapes grow well in the place where the zucchini or radish used to grow.

Before planting seedlings, you need to prepare the holes. Dig holes 0.8 m deep and 0.5 m in diameter. Drainage is laid out at the bottom. This is necessary so that the roots do not come into much contact with the groundwater. On top of the drainage, earth is laid out mixed with fertilizers, it can be humus or manure, as well as useful minerals. Then a seedling is planted. It is worth paying attention to how well the root system is, it should have at least 3 buds and 2 shoots. It is necessary to bury the seedling so that the root collar remains above the ground. After that, the earth around the branches is tamped and spilled abundantly with water.

The distance between the bushes should be 1-1.5 m, and between the rows 2 m.

Buffalo grapes have flowers of both sexes, so no additional pollination is required.

Pruning must be done twice a season. In the fall, all vines that have been bearing fruit for more than 2 years and those shoots that do not bear fruit are cut off. Also, damaged branches are removed. Autumn pruning occurs after all the leaves have fallen off.

In the spring, pruning is carried out immediately after the snow has melted. Broken branches and those that did not leave after winter are removed.

In summer, the vine releases leaves strongly, so it is necessary to timely remove the foliage, which overlaps the bunches too much from the sunlight.

The frost resistance of this hybrid is -27 degrees, which makes it possible not to additionally cover the bushes in the southern regions. But in the central and northern regions, where there are sharp changes in temperature, it is necessary to remove the vines from the trellises and cover them with agrofibre.

Buffalo grapes are resistant to the most common fungal diseases, but it is still worth doing preventive spraying twice a season.

The main pests of grapes are wasps, birds, ticks, as well as leaf rollers and beetles.

Some eat berries, others - young shoots. To control pests, it is necessary to spray in a timely manner. For ticks, preparations containing sulfur are suitable. The leafworm does not like insecticides. Wasps can be used with garden pitch or special smoke bombs. Small nets help keep birds away.

You can store grapes in a dark and cool place, such as a basement. The temperature should be from zero to +2 degrees. Shelf life is 1 month.