To choose the right variety of nutmeg grapes for growing, it is necessary to take into account the main features of each representative. Below are the best varieties of muscat with the main characteristics and a detailed description.
Muscat Blau (Garnier 83/2)
Bred in Switzerland and belongs to highly frost-resistant varieties, withstands temperatures down to -29 ° C. But in the northern regions they do not plant it, because it needs a lot of sun and heat. This grape is suitable only for the southern climate.
By ripening medium late (135-140 days), the harvest is carried out in September. His bushes are tall. The clusters are large (up to 300 g) and loose. Berries up to 5 g, round, black. There are bones inside. The vine is sensitive to stress, so it needs regular pruning.
The grapes are undemanding to soil and location. It has good immunity to diseases of fungal origin, but still requires preventive spraying. Great damage to the crop is done by wasps who like the sweet flesh of grapes. Experts recommend protecting clusters with special nets.
Muscat Blau is a versatile variety from which wines are made, but also consumed fresh. Red muscat wines with a strong aroma are produced from this variety.
Yield is average. Mineral and organic top dressing and watering can increase it. Be sure to regularly water the grapes during hot and dry periods.
Pink Muscat (Red Muscat, Muscat Rouge de Fronttignan)
It is considered a variety of White Muscat. His exact homeland is not known for certain. Some believe that it is of European origin and was bred in the southwestern part of Europe. Other experts attribute to him Middle Eastern origin - they believe that he grew on the Arabian Peninsula, the territory of Syria and Egypt.
Now Muscat Pink grows in the CIS countries - Tajikistan, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, as well as in European countries - Italy, France.
Description:
- The bushes are medium-sized, slow-growing with reddish shoots and green foliage. All shoots are poorly pubescent. The one-year mature shoot has a yellow-brown color; it is darker at the nodes. Shoots ripen well or satisfactorily. The number of infertile - is 10-25% depending on the region of cultivation.
- The leaves are large, five-lobed, the edges are raised up. The lower part of the leaf plate is covered with bristles.
- The grapes are medium in size (up to 204 g), their shape is cylindrical or cylindrical, dense. The grapes are also medium, have a rounded shape and a dark pink color, covered with a strong coating.
- Ripe berries become almost black in color. There are 2-4 seeds inside. The ovaries are prone to shedding. The skin is firm, thin. The pulp is juicy with a strong musk aroma.
For full ripening of grape bunches, a temperature of at least + 29 ° C is required. The concentration of sugars in the pulp depends on this. Therefore, in the southern regions of Italy, Portugal, the southern coast of Crimea and Uzbekistan, it is sweeter than in the northern regions - in France, Russia, and the western coast of Crimea.
The ripeness of the fruits occurs in 140 days, the harvest is removed from the 20th of September. The yield is up to 80 kg / ha. The highest yield indicator is recorded on the southern coast of the Crimea - in areas with low relief.
The variety has no immunity to diseases of fungal origin - downy mildew and oidium, rot, suffers from an attack of phylloxera and bunch of leaves. In addition, he can not boast of high frost resistance. It freezes at low temperatures, often suffers from recurrent frosts.
Compared to other varieties, Muscat pink is less resistant to drought. In rainy weather, the berries rot.
This grape is universal, it is made from vintage liqueur muscat and table wines.
Pleven nutmeg
An early maturing table variety of Bulgarian origin, maturing period 115 days. He feels great in the climate of central Russia. The bush is vigorous (reaches 2 m in height), it takes root easily. The vine can withstand up to 35-45 eyes. Fruit shoots are cut into 6-8 eyes. The clusters are large - one weighs up to 600 g, conical, loose, which allows the berries to ripen evenly.
Grapes up to 8 g, green with an amber tint. Under the sun's rays they acquire a bright yellow color. The flesh is sweet and crunchy with a slight musky aroma. The culture enters fruiting in the 3rd year. Harvesting begins in early August and ends in the third decade of this month.
Ripe fruits attract the attention of wasps and birds, so you need to protect them from uninvited guests.
It is a frost-resistant variety that can withstand temperatures as low as -25 ° C, is undemanding to soil, but is not resistant to fungal diseases. The yield indicator is high - 140 kg / ha.
Summer Muscat
An early ripe variety from Moldovan breeders, ripening period 110-120 days. In the southern regions, harvesting occurs at the beginning of August, in the middle latitudes - at the beginning of September.
The bush is high, it can reach 3 meters. Clusters are cylindro-conical with medium density, one of the largest in size. On average, the mass of one bunch is 650 g, but there are specimens weighing 1 kg.
The berries are large - their length reaches 28 mm, and the width is up to 22 mm. By weight, the grapes are medium - up to 8 g. They have an oval-elongated shape and are colored amber-white. They turn golden amber in the sun. The culture is resistant to downy mildew and moderately resistant to powdery mildew.
It is a moderate frost-resistant variety that can withstand cold temperatures down to -23 ° C, but requires shelter. The load on the bush is 30-40 eyes, pruned fruit vines for 6-8 eyes. The number of fruit vines reaches 80%, they ripen well. Cuttings root easily.
Summer Muscat experts recommend cultivating on the sunny side, which has a beneficial effect on the yield and taste - the grapes will be sweeter.
Donut Muscat
An old technical grade used for the preparation of dry and dessert wines. This early ripe grape ripens in 115 days, that is, it is suitable for cultivation in regions with a short summer. Ripe bunches are removed in mid-August.
Bushes are tall. Leaves are medium in size, three-lobed. The upper part of the leaf plate is matte and wrinkled, the lower one is covered with fine bristles.
The clusters are medium - the mass of each does not exceed 200 g, of a cylindrical-conical shape and medium density. The berries are small (up to 2 g), round, bluish-black. The pulp is juicy with a strong nutmeg flavor. The yield is high. The culture begins to bear fruit after 2 years, grows on any type of soil.
The berries do not crumble, they can stay on the branches for a long time, they do not crack.
The variety is susceptible to the attack of phylloxera, with an average immunity to diseases, therefore, preventive treatments with drugs are necessary 1-2 times a year.
A distinctive feature of the variety is a large number of inflorescences on the shoots - so that the berries are larger, the inflorescences are thinned out.
The variety can withstand low temperatures down to -30 ° C. Shoots ripen well. The number of fruiting vines on the bush is 50%.
Super Red Muscat
Moldavian table variety. The eloquent name indicates that it ripens quickly, within 95-100 days. The variety is suitable for growing in the middle lane. If the temperature does not rise above + 20 ° C, then the ripening period will increase. In the southern regions, crops are harvested in mid-July, in cooler ones - in mid-August.
The bushes are strong or medium-sized. Leaves are small, rounded. The outer part has a wavy surface. The bunches are large - weighing from 300 to 600 g, conical, loose. The berries are medium in size, their weight does not exceed 5 g. However, the older the bush, the berries and clusters become larger.
The grapes are round or slightly oval, red in shape. Ripe berries turn purple. A whitish waxy coating forms on the surface. The pulp is fleshy, crispy with a seed inside and a pleasant mild taste.
This variety is resistant to gray mold and has an average resistance to downy mildew and powdery mildew. Grapes perfectly tolerates transportation. It has average frost resistance, withstands cold up to -23 ° C, requires shelter. There is not much sugar in the pulp, so wasps are not interested in them.
The yield is average. The load on the bush is 35-40 eyes, pruning of fruit shoots is carried out for 6-8 eyes. The vine and shoots ripen well, the ripened shoots acquire a bright brown tint. On the bush of fruiting shoots - 65%.
Muscat Livadia (Pavel Golodriga 5)
An early ripe variety from Ukrainian breeders, which is ideal for beginners, and refers to table species. Bushes are medium-sized, the vine ripens well. The bunch is loose, branched and large. On average, it weighs 500 g, the maximum weight is 800 g.
The berries are medium in size, yellow-green in color and have an elongated, egg-like shape. When ripe, they acquire a beautiful golden hue. Inside the berries there are 1-3 small seeds. It is a medium-hardy variety in frost resistance, can withstand temperature drops of -21 ° C, does not suffer from drought.
The advantage of grapes is excellent immunity to fungal and infectious diseases, as well as to phylloxera.
The yield is high. If the air temperature in summer is + 25 ° C on average, then ripe bunches are removed in the second half of July. Weather conditions influence the taste of berries and the amount of the crop. With a lack of sun and heat, the grapes become sour, the yield indicator falls.
The optimal load on the bush is up to 35 eyes when pruning shoots by 4-6 eyes. Shoots with a good degree of ripening.
Muscat Novoshakhtinsky
A hybrid from Russian breeders with an early ripening period (110-115 days), refers to the table form. The bushes are tall. Large clusters weigh 500 g on average.
The berries are also large in size, weighing up to 10 g. They have a rounded shape, their color can vary from purple-red to cherry. The pulp is juicy, crispy with 2-3 seeds and nutmeg-caramel flavor.
The rind is very thin, but it does not crack. The crop lasts a long time on the bushes, while their appearance and taste do not deteriorate. This is a frost-resistant hybrid, it is not afraid of cold weather up to -24 ° C, it perfectly transfers transportation over long distances. It has medium resistance to diseases and pests, it is often affected by black rot. The yield is high, but the berries ripen unevenly.
Russian amber
The variety was bred by Russian scientists, is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation, it is recommended to grow it in the Central Black Earth Region. It belongs to the table form and early ripening varieties - the harvest ripens in 110-120 days. The bush is medium-sized. Shoots grow well. The leaves are medium in size, five-lobed, green, sometimes grayish in color. A bunch of about 132 g in size, cylindrical-conical.
Berries are medium-sized, round, greenish-yellow with an amber blush. The pulp is fleshy and juicy with the aroma of forest nutmeg. Inside it there are 2-3 bones.
This is a medium-tolerant culture, tolerates frosts up to -22 ° C, requires shelter in winter. In the southern regions, it is enough to press the vine to the ground. The variety is immune to mildew, but susceptible to powdery mildew, and in wet climates - gray rot.
Berries are prone to cracking. On the shoot, 2-3 inflorescences develop - so that the bushes are not overloaded with the harvest, they must be cut shortly, and excess green shoots must be removed. The yield is average.
Hamburg (Muscat black Alexandria, Muscat de Hamburg)
The variety was bred by English breeders for cultivation in greenhouses. This thermophilic culture grows only in the southern regions of France, as well as in Spain, Greece, Tunisia, California and the Crimea. It is a medium-sized bushes with creeping shoots and a lot of foliage. The plant needs regular pruning. Read about spring pruning here.
A ripened vine changes its green color to red-brown. The leaves are five-lobed with a reddish border, they resemble hearts in shape. On all sides of the leaf plate there is pubescence, but in the lower part it is more plentiful. The bunch is conical - reaches up to 20 cm in length. Its mass is 170-260 g.
The berries are round or oval in shape, the weight of one berry is not more than 4 g. There are 2-3 large bones in it. The pulp is juicy, fleshy. The skin is hard, black with a wax coating.
Varietal features:
- In terms of ripening, it belongs to the medium late varieties (148 days). The harvest ripens in the second half of September. Berries can be stored for about 3 months without losing taste and presentation. They are transportable. However, the berries are prone to shedding and peeling.
- The frost resistance of the culture is very low - at -19 ° C, 50% of its eyes freeze out, so it requires shelter for the winter. Grapes are not immune to mildew, gray rot, powdery mildew, bacterial cancer. Of the pests, he is often annoyed by phylloxera (aphids), which settle in the root system of the plant.
- Yield indicators are unstable and depend on many factors. In favorable years, from 1 ha, you can collect up to 120 c. The load on the bush is 18-20 shoots, of which up to 17 are fruiting. Due to low frost resistance, pruning is carried out for 4-6 eyes.
More often grapes are used as table grapes, they are eaten fresh. Some winemakers use it to make wines.
Amber muscat
Moldavian early ripe variety (105-117 days). This allows it to be grown in areas with short but warm summers. In the southern part of Russia, ripe bunches are harvested in the second half of August. The culture prefers warm slopes with fertile, easily permeable soils.
The bushes are medium-sized. Bunches are cylindrical, medium density, with amber berries. The leaves are small. There are no streaks on the bottom of the leaf. They are round in shape and do not diverge into large blades. Blistering is observed on the upper part of the leaf plate, which is why the leaf has a convex shape. The bunch is no more than 17 cm long, weight up to 340 g.
The berries are usually round, rarely oval. It contains 2-3 seeds. The skin is dense, yellow-green in color, on the sunny side it acquires a golden hue. The pulp is fleshy, tender and crispy with a specific musky finish. This is a table grade.
During storage, grapes retain their taste and presentation for up to 3 months.
The berries are not prone to cracking and decay, but the plant is damaged by fungal diseases - downy mildew and powdery mildew. The variety can withstand frosts down to -18… -20 ° C. The yield is high - 120 kg / ha and more. When pruning, 6-7 eyes are left on a fertile vine.
Far Eastern Muscat
Variety from Primorye breeders with a very early ripening period, related to the table form. It is distinguished by the small size of the bunch, the mass of which does not exceed 80 g. It is conical in shape, less often branched.
The berries are also small up to 1.9 g, rounded, slightly flattened, yellowish-white in color with a pleasant taste. The leaves are medium, rarely large. The pubescence is absent on the lower part.
The advantage of the variety is its excellent winter hardiness - the plant tolerates frosts down to -30 ° C, and average resistance to diseases and insects. The yield indicator is average.
Muscat noble
This is a new hybrid belonging to very early ripening varieties. Maturity of the fruits occurs in 105-115 days. The bunches are large (600 g), conical.
The berries are large, the weight of one berry often reaches 18 g, ovate. The skin is dense, thin, white. On the sunny side - yellowish, translucent.
Grapes are not afraid of wasps. Noble nutmeg withstands frosts down to -23 ° C, medium resistant to diseases. Bushes need preventive treatment 1-2 times a year.
Since this is a new hybrid, its specifications are inaccurate.
Muscat Moskovsky
The variety is included in the State Register of the Russian Federation and is recommended for cultivation in all regions of the country. This early ripe grape belongs to the table form. The bush is high. In the suburbs, shoots reach an average of 1.5-1.8 m. The leaves are large, five-lobed, almost without pubescence. It can appear only at the base of the sheet plate. The bunch is medium - up to 475 g, cylindrical conical in shape and medium density.
The berries are medium in size, round, light green in color, sometimes with a yellow tint. The pulp contains 2-3 seeds. It is crispy, juicy and very sweet. The skin is very thin and easy to chew.
The plant needs annual yield rationing. It also requires treatment against spider mites. Diseases are rarely affected. The frost resistance of the variety is increased, withstands frosts of -25 ° C, does not require shelter for the winter. The plant does not like shaded areas; it is planted only on the sunny side.
Muscat Dievsky
Hybrid of early ripening (110-120 days) and table form. Suitable for medium latitude cultivation. The bushes are medium-sized. The vine ripens well. The rates of rooting and grafting are high. The leaves are large with a slight dissection. The bunch is large, moderately loose, weighing an average of 600-800 g.
Varietal features:
- The berries are very large, weighing 20 g, oval and white in color; in the sun they acquire a yellowish tint. The pulp is juicy with a harmonious taste. The peel is dense, so the grapes are not damaged by wasps.
- The culture can withstand temperatures down to -23 ° C, but if the frost in the region is severe, then the bushes must be covered. It is not afraid of drought and high humidity, it is undemanding to soils.
- The yield is high, but its performance depends on the weather. Rainy summer prevents the full ripening of berries. Ripe clusters under favorable conditions are removed in mid-August.
- The resistance of the hybrid to diseases and pests is at the level of standard varieties.
- Muscat needs frequent pruning, since the average load on a bush is 45 eyes. Before the harvest begins to ripen, overloaded vines are shortened, since the berries will not reach the required size.
The yield is stable and high.
Paradise
A new hybrid of Muscat table grapes, the characteristics of which still need to be clarified. This is an ultra-early ripening variety (95-100 days), but the weather conditions strongly influence the ripening time. Bunches of irregular conical shape, loose, large - weighing up to 800 g.
The berries are large (up to 17 g), oval with an elongated tip, white-green. When ripening, they acquire a pinkish tint. The pulp is fleshy.
The peel is thin, but dense, perfectly protects the berries from wasps. The variety is valued for its high immunity to major diseases. In rainy weather, grapes do not crack or rot. It is a highly frost-resistant variety that tolerates temperatures as low as -23 ° C.
Crunchy
Another new selection. The bunches do not exceed 600 g in weight and are of medium size. The berries stick well to the branches. They are large with a mass of 10-16 g, an elongated oval shape and a rounded tip.
In appearance they resemble grades of the Lady's fingers variety. They have a beautiful purple-crimson color that does not darken when ripe. The pulp is fleshy, crispy with a nutmeg taste. Grapes are not prone to cracking and decay, even under the most adverse conditions.
The variety refers to the dining form. Harvest is transportable, well tolerates transportation over long distances. It is distinguished by a long shelf life, which exceeds more than 3 months, but this does not in any way affect its taste and presentation.
An overview of the Khrustinka grape variety is presented by the gardener in the video below:
Comparative characteristics of varieties of muscat grapes
The table below shows the main characteristics of the considered varieties:
Variety name | The form | Ripening period | Yield | Colour | Frost resistance (C °) |
Muscat Blau | universal | mid-late | average | the black | up to -29 |
Nutmeg pink | universal | late | average | dark pink | low |
Pleven nutmeg | canteen | early | high | yellow green | to -25 |
Summer Muscat | canteen | early | high | amber | up to -23 |
Donut Muscat | technical | early | high | blue-black | up to -30 |
Super Red Muscat | canteen | early | average | Violet | up to -23 |
Muscat Livadia | canteen | early | high | yellow-green | to -21 |
Muscat Novoshakhtinsky | canteen | early | high | red violet | up to -24 |
Russian amber | canteen | early | average | greenish yellow | up to -22 |
Hamburg | canteen | very late | low to high | black with wax bloom | low |
Amber muscat | canteen | early | high | yellow green | before 18 |
Far Eastern Muscat | canteen | very early | middle | yellowish white | to -30 |
Muscat noble | canteen | very early | high | white | to -23 |
Muscat Moscow | canteen | early | high | light green | to -25 |
Muscat Dievsky | canteen | early | high | white | up to -23 |
Paradise | canteen | early | no exact data | white pink | up to -23 |
Khrustinka | canteen | no exact data | no exact data | purple-crimson | no exact data |
Distinctive features of nutmeg grapes
The taste of the nutmeg is given by the ternoid compounds. Grapes of this variety are pleasant to the taste and much sweeter than other varieties.
Central Asia is considered the birthplace of nutmeg grapes. Therefore, it needs a lot of sun and warmth to fully ripen. After all, only fully ripe fruits acquire a nutmeg taste and aroma. Low temperatures are detrimental to grapes.
A great disadvantage of nutmeg varieties is considered instability to a variety of diseases. In this regard, during its cultivation, one of the main agrotechnical measures is regular treatment with drugs. On the other hand, grapes have high yields. The fruits are transportable and are distinguished by good keeping quality. The taste and aroma lasts for 2-3 months.
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, new varieties and hybrids with improved characteristics appear on the market. Therefore, vineyards can now be found not only in southern sunny regions, but also in areas with cooler climates. And also the work of scientists is aimed at increasing the immunity of culture to major diseases.
Most often, the plant suffers from fungal diseases:
- mildew, she is a downy mildew;
- oidium - better known as powdery mildew;
- anthracnose;
- gray, white and black rot.
The most common diseases of bacterial origin are:
- bacterial cancer;
- bacteriosis;
- sour rot;
- bacterial necrosis.
Of viral diseases:
- marbling of leaves;
- chlorosis;
- mosaic;
- dwarfism.
Muscat grapes are valued for their unique taste and sweetness, however, not all varieties are resistant to frost and disease, therefore care for it requires certain knowledge. The information presented in the article will help you choose a variety that suits you in terms of climatic conditions and method of application.