Sofia grapes

Sofia grapes
The main characteristics of the variety:
  • Authors: Vitaliy Zagorulko, Zaporozhye, Ukraine
  • Appointment: dining room
  • Berry color: pink
  • Taste: nutmeg
  • With bones: Yes
  • Ripening period: early
  • Ripening period, days: 110 – 115
  • Frost resistance, ° C: -21
  • Bunch weight, g: 800-900
  • Flower type: functionally female
View all specifications

A variety called Sofia is perfect for successful cultivation in private vineyards. Through the efforts of breeders, an unpretentious grape has turned out that can please with a stable and tasty harvest.

Breeding history

This garden culture was developed in the 90s of the twentieth century. The works were carried out by Ukrainian amateur breeders. Arcadia and Radiant Kishmish were chosen as parent varieties. As a result of the work, the new variety received the best characteristics of the above varieties, such as large fruit size, rich harvest and high gastronomic qualities.

Description

Universal table grapes can be identified by several characteristics.

  • Large and actively developing root system.

  • A strong and vigorous vine with a deep brown color. With the onset of autumn, the color darkens.

  • The leaves are large. The shape is rounded. There is slight dissection and waviness at the edges.

  • Young leaves are painted in a rich green color, which takes on a yellow tint with the arrival of autumn.

During flowering, the plant is covered with small white flowers, which are collected in compact carpal inflorescences. The flowering period is long.

Ripening period

The Sofia variety belongs to the early maturing. The ripening period is only 100 to 115 days. It all depends on the weather conditions and the care of the garden culture. The harvest ripens by the first half of August. In the southern regions, fruits are harvested earlier than in the northern regions.

Bunches

With proper and regular care, the clusters will be large. Average weight ranges from 800 to 900 grams, sometimes it is about 1.2 kilograms. Some specimens can reach 3 kilograms. To obtain such a rich harvest, it is necessary to regularly fertilize. And also the plant needs a sufficient amount of sunlight. There is a tendency to peas. The shape is cylindrical-conical.

Ripe berries are tightly pressed against each other, and in order to avoid decay, it is recommended to thin them periodically.

Berries

The color of the fruit is pink. There are streaks. There are 1-2 bones inside. The skin is firm, but thin, which does not cause trouble when eating fresh berries. The shape is ovoid, elongated. Weight is about 10 grams. The sizes are large. They range from 20x28 to 21x36 millimeters. Ripe pulp is very juicy and moderately dense, while tender.

Taste

The percentage of sugar content is 20%. The berries are sweet with pronounced musky notes.

Yield

Young bushes begin to bear fruit as early as the second year after planting. Up to 10 kilograms of fruit can be harvested from one young plant. Mature bushes come in from 50 to 70 kilograms. 10 to 15 tons of berries are harvested from one hectare of vineyard.

The choice of planting material
Experienced gardeners recommend that beginners take cuttings and seedlings from those who made them from their vines and are professionally engaged in the production of such material.
You can evaluate the quality by cutting off a small amount of bark. When growing a bush from a cuttings and observing the rules of agricultural technology, survival rate is about 90%, the high quality of the plant is practically guaranteed. It is possible to control the development of grapes at all stages.
Subject to the rules of agricultural technology, survival rate is about 100%. The seedlings must be healthy.Pay attention to the absence of blisters, growths, or other signs of disease.

Growing features

Before growing this variety, you need to know about its specific characteristics. It is important to water the plant on time and apply top dressing. The frost resistance of the plant is -21 degrees Celsius. Vigorous grapes need regular pruning and shaping.

Landing

It is necessary to carry out the planting procedure in the spring, after the soil has warmed up sufficiently after winter frosts. The best time is the end of March. You can also plant seedlings in the fall, at the beginning of October. Experts recommend making a choice in favor of spring planting, since the plant will have time to fully adapt to new conditions and prepare for wintering.

An area on a hill, on the south side, is great. Choose a spacious and well-lit location for your vineyard. It is best to plant plants away from tall plants and buildings. The optimum depth of groundwater is no more than one and a half to two meters. Otherwise, you cannot do without a drainage system.

The grape grows on any soil, but prefers fertile loam. If the composition of the soil cannot boast of high fertility, it must be prepared before planting. Clay, sand and humus are added to the ground. When working with sandstones, you need to cover the area with organic fertilizers and clay. Slaked lime is used to reduce acidity.

Landing features
In order for the vine to give a signal harvest after 3 years, it is necessary to take into account many factors - from the type of soil on the site to the nearby plants.

Pollination

During flowering, the vine is covered only with female flowers. To achieve successful pollination, it is imperative to plant pollinator varieties nearby.

Pruning

The process of caring for vigorous grapes must necessarily include pruning. It is essential for a rich and sweet harvest. The procedure should be carried out in the fall or spring. Sick and damaged branches are necessarily removed. The young vine is also shortened, leaving from 4 to 8 eyes, no more. Experienced gardeners recommend fan-shaped bushes for this variety. The number of main shoots is from 3 to 4, with a large number of lateral shoots.

Another procedure is the rationing of bunches. It aims to improve the quality of the fruit. And also rationing will save young shoots from overload. The maximum number of clusters on one shoot is 3, but it is recommended to leave 1-2 pieces.

Pruning is one of the main grape care procedures. Depending on the purpose of pruning and the type of plant, the appropriate type of formation is selected.

Watering

Excessively moistened soil is detrimental to this variety, as well as prolonged drought. Irrigate the plant regularly, but in moderation.

Experts recommend watering the plant only 5 times throughout the season:

  • during the period of the opening of the kidneys;

  • at the start of flowering;

  • during the growth of the ovaries;

  • after the harvest is fully harvested;

  • before the beginning of winter (at the end of November).

One bush uses 60 liters of water (standard watering). In autumn, the dosage is doubled to 120 liters.

Irrigation schemes
In order for the berries to be large and juicy, it is necessary to organize full watering and feeding. All standards must be adjusted for weather conditions and the rate of evaporation of the liquid.
With a frequent watering scheme, it is recommended to moisturize once every two weeks (that is, twice a month during flowering and the appearance of berries) so that the earth is saturated 50 cm deep so that the plant does not switch to superficial (dew) roots. This amount can be reduced by mulching the crop with straw.
With a rare irrigation scheme, choosing the age and maturation of the grapes, you can use the standards presented in the table in another article.

Top dressing

In order for top dressing to be as effective as possible, they must be combined with watering. The Sofia grape does not tolerate nitrogen fertilizers well. It is recommended to opt for formulations rich in phosphorus and potassium. Organic compounds are also used 2-3 times a year. Ordinary humus or diluted manure will do. A layer of mulch is laid out from them.

Frost resistance and the need for shelter

This variety is not afraid of frosts down to –21 degrees Celsius. If the grapes grow in the southern strip, it is not necessary to cover it for the winter. However, if severe frosts are possible, it is better to remove the vine and protect it from frost. Otherwise, the plant may die.

When cultivating plants in the northern strip, the bushes need to be covered for the winter. In the fall, after the pruning procedure, you should remove the vine and press it to the ground. Cover the grapes with shields of wood or dense, woven material. Sprinkle with soil or snow.

Shelter for the winter is a very important step for the preservation of many grape varieties after wintering.

Diseases and pests

Sofia cannot boast of high resistance to many diseases, especially the variety is susceptible to mildew and oidium - 5 points. Therefore, such diseases must be fought with strong drugs. In this case, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment. Such work is mandatory if other varieties of grapes grow on the site. As prophylactic agents, you can use both ready-made preparations and their household counterparts (Bordeaux liquid or "Karbofos").

The sweet and juicy Sofia berries attract the attention of birds and wasps that hunt for the harvest. To protect the fruits from pests, special dense bags are used, in which the bunches are hidden.

Storage

It is not recommended to leave the bunches on the vine after they have ripened. Otherwise, the berries may start to rot or crumble. As a rule, the harvest is stored for no more than 3 weeks. The storage time can be increased if the room temperature is from 0 to +5 degrees Celsius.

General characteristics
Authors
Vitaliy Zagorulko, Zaporozhye, Ukraine
Appeared when crossing
Arcadia x Radiant Kishmish
Appointment
dining room
Marketability
high
Bunches
Bunch shape
cylindro-conical
Density of the bunch
dense
Bunch weight, g
800-900
Peeling
there is a tendency
Berries
Berry color
pink
With bones
Yes
Number of seeds, pcs.
1-2
Taste
nutmeg
Skin
thin, dense
Pulp
fleshy juicy
Berry shape
ovoid
Berry weight, g
10-12
Berry size, mm
28-36 x 20-21
Berry size
large
Growing
Frost resistance, ° C
-21
Flower type
functionally female
The power of growth
vigorous
Pruning vines, eyes
4-8
The need for shelter
Yes
Mildew resistance, points
5 points (strong susceptibility)
Resistance to powdery mildew, points
5 points (strong susceptibility)
Maturation
Ripening period, days
110 – 115
Ripening period
early
Reviews
There are no reviews.
Popular grape varieties
Augustine grapes Augustine Aleshenkin grapes Aleshenkin Arcadia grapes (Nastya) Arcadia Baikonur grapes Baikonur Veles grapes Veles Vinograd Victor Victor Grape Delight Delight Grapes ladies fingers Lady fingers Grapes Dubovsky pink Dubovsky pink Isabella grape Isabel Cardinal grape Cardinal Kesha grapes Kesha Grape Kishmish Radiant Kishmish Radiant Codryanka grape Codryanka Grape Crystal Crystal Lily of the valley grapes Lily of the valley Libya grapes Libya Lydia grapes Lydia Laura grape Laura Grapes Moldova Moldova Monarch grape Monarch Teacher Memory Grape In memory of the teacher Grape Transfiguration Transformation Rochefort grape Rochefort Saperavi grape Saperavi Grape Senator Senator Grape Sensation Sensation Grapes Anniversary of Novocherkassk Anniversary of Novocherkassk Julian grape Julian Jupiter grape Jupiter
All grape varieties - 329 pcs.
Other cultures
Apricot varieties Apricot varieties Cherry plum varieties Cherry plum varieties Eggplant varieties Eggplant varieties Grape varieties Grape varieties Cherry varieties Cherry varieties Blueberry varieties Blueberry varieties Pea varieties Pea varieties Pear varieties Pear varieties Blackberry varieties Blackberry varieties Honeysuckle varieties Honeysuckle varieties Strawberry (strawberry) varieties Strawberry (strawberry) varieties Zucchini varieties Zucchini varieties Cabbage varieties Cabbage varieties Potato varieties Potato varieties Gooseberry varieties Gooseberry varieties Onion varieties Onion varieties Raspberry varieties Raspberry varieties Carrot varieties Carrot varieties Cucumber varieties Cucumber varieties Peach varieties Peach varieties Pepper varieties Pepper varieties Parsley varieties Parsley varieties Radish varieties Radish varieties Rose varieties Rose varieties Beet varieties Beet varieties Plum varieties Plum varieties Currant varieties Currant varieties Tomato varieties Tomato varieties Pumpkin varieties Pumpkin varieties Dill varieties Dill varieties Cauliflower varieties Cauliflower varieties Cherry varieties Cherry varieties Garlic varieties Garlic varieties Apple varieties Apple varieties

Kitchen

Bedroom

Furniture