Jupiter grape

Growing grapes takes a lot of time, effort and requires certain material costs, so every gardener wants to get the maximum return in the form of large bunches, completely hung with sweet berries that will withstand transportation and long-term storage. In an attempt to create the ideal variety, experts cross different varieties, but it is quite difficult to get a good result. The Jupiter grape has become one of the best varieties bred in recent times.

American scientists from the University of Arkansas took the liberty and conducted an experiment to cross two grape varieties - Arkansas 1258 and Arkansas 1672. From his parents, Arkansas 1985 received the best qualities. The year next to the name of the state in the name is the year of the breeding of the variety, but the world learned about this miracle only in 1998, after the end of all tests.

The author of the grapes, J.R. Clark, was sure that Jupiter was bred only for growing in the United States, but due to its special frost resistance, the variety was entrenched in many countries, including in the north of Russia.

The grapes are characterized by high yields, large and sweet berries, frost resistance and resistance to fungal diseases. This is what makes the variety one of the most popular among amateur gardeners and experienced winegrowers.

Another advantage of Jupiter is its early maturation. Berries take 100-102 days to delight gardeners with their taste.

Jupiter has medium cylindrical conical clusters weighing 200-320 grams, completely covered with berries. The peculiarity of the variety is the absence of peas.

Large berries of a dark purple color are indeed associated with space, but they are not very similar to the planet of the same name. They are oval in shape and weigh an average of 4-5 grams. The peel, under which the juicy pitted pulp is hidden, is dense, covered with a prune bloom.

Tasters rate the taste of grapes at 8.9-9.2 points out of 10 possible. The berries are sweet, you can feel a combination of various fruit notes with light nutmeg shades. The fruits are characterized by a high sugar content (22-24%) and a low acidity - 5-7 g / dm3.

The universal grape Jupiter has a high yield - 150 kg / ha, the plant begins to bear fruit in the second year.

Unlike analogues, Jupiter can be grown both at home and on an industrial scale. All this is due to unpretentiousness and endurance.The grapes do not require special conditions and take root well in all parts of the country.

The creators of the variety recommend planting Jupiter in open ground in spring, when a constant temperature of at least + 12-15 C. is established. The planting site should be protected from the wind and not be in a lowland, because high humidity leads to diseases. It is advisable to choose a sunny place, since sugar accumulation depends on the amount of light. Due to the peculiarities of the root system of Jupiter, the distance between two adjacent bushes can be much less than that of other varieties - 1.5-2 m, and between rows - 2-3 meters.

It is important not to rush and properly prepare the soil - Jupiter is not afraid of frosts, but the lack of nutrients negatively affects the state of the grapes. The hole should be dug 10-12 days before planting, be at least 90 cm deep, have drainage and be 2/3 filled with humus, ash and superphosphate.

The roots of the seedling are neatly placed in the hole, sprinkled with earth, watered and mulched with straw. Planting a seedling can take place in early autumn, but in this case the plant may not take root.

Jupiter cuttings are best planted in a cleft. The choice of the variety for the grower, but the experience of most suggests that the ideal rootstock is the Delight grape. Sections of cuttings must be prepared in the fall and dipped in paraffin, after all, remove the leaves and the upper part of the shoot. On Jupiter, 3-4 eyes are left and the cuttings are removed to a cool place, for example, in a cellar.

Before grafting (in mid-spring), Jupiter cuttings should be left in warm water mixed with growth stimulants for 20-30 hours, cut off the bottom edge and inserted into the split rootstock. The grafting site is tied with a cloth and covered with clay.

Jupiter's flowers are bisexual, so that even a separate sitting bush will not have problems with pollination.

Jupiter is known to be prone to crop overload - 20-30 kg of berries per bush is definitely too much of a strain on the branches. You can avoid damaging the vines by pruning. It is held several times a year - in spring and autumn.

Spring pruning requires leaving 30-40 eyes on each bush, pruning length - 8-9 buds. In the spring, damaged and weak shoots are necessarily removed.

In autumn, all shoots are cut into 6-7 eyes; no more than 30 shoots must be left on the bush. The barren vines are destroyed.

In regions where rain is not considered a rarity, you only need to water Jupiter three times: when buds appear, ovaries form and after harvest. The volume of water is no more than 15 liters for each bush. On dry days, the grapes need additional watering: every 4-5 days, 10 liters.

Watering should be stopped 2 weeks before harvest.

The plant can withstand temperatures up to -30 degrees, and does not need additional shelter. In areas where the average temperature in winter reaches -35 and below, the bushes must be covered with spruce branches or foil, and then covered with snow.

Jupiter is resistant to fungal diseases, so high humidity is not so terrible for him. However, even this variety sometimes gets sick with mildew and gray rot, therefore prevention is important - treatment with Bordeaux liquid or fungicides 1-2 times per season. Before wintering, it is worth watering the bushes with iron sulfate.

Damage to the plant by aphids, ticks and leafworms is also possible. It is important to identify the first symptoms in time and remove the damaged parts of Jupiter; it is often necessary to loosen the soil around the bush and fight weeds. When infected, the bushes are treated with insecticides.

Birds and wasps are pests that can leave the grower without a crop. Poison baits and bunch covers will help preserve the berries.

The dense skin protects the berries from damage during transportation and long-term storage in a cool place.

It is necessary to inspect the crop every 10 days for the presence of rotten berries and harvest them in time.

Experienced and novice gardeners unanimously recommend the Jupiter variety - it does not require special care, gives a huge harvest in a short time, the berries themselves are large, sweet and seedless, the grapes withstand low temperatures and pleases with the possibility of long-term storage and processing into juice and wine.