Grape Rhombic

One of the most amazing varieties because of its early maturity is the Rhombic table grape. This young variety is gaining more and more fans among winegrowers - both professionals and amateurs.

Hybrid grape Rhombic is still considered on a trial period - it is only a few years old, and it is too early to call it a variety. The authorship belongs to E.G. Pavlovsky, a national breeder. There are dozens of varieties and hybrids on the account of an experienced researcher and tester, some of which are included in the state selection register.

The parental varieties of Rhombica are Super-Extra and Krasotka, synonymous with C-4-2. The table variety is transportable, but it belongs to low-yielding varieties with a low degree of marketability. One of its main features is very early ripening.

Because of his youth, Rhombic has not yet managed to massively spread among winegrowers and gardeners, although he has a great future. So far, it is successfully grown in the middle lane and in the Trans-Urals, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod. However, its unpretentiousness and frost resistance makes it possible to assert with confidence that it will soon appear in the horticultural farms of Siberia and Primorye.

Vigorous bushes actively grow and grow fruitful shoots. The first signal clusters appear in the second year of planting. Shoots are covered with large, five-lobed, dissected dark green leaves with weak purl pubescence. The crop is used for fresh consumption, excellent in canning - juices, preserves, jams, compotes, and in the latter the berry keeps its shape well.

The time required to reach technical ripeness amazes the imagination of experienced winegrowers, while beginners are simply happy with it. The timing is very early, so much so that the berry ripens 85-95 days from the time the buds open. According to the gardeners, on whose plots Rhombic has already been "registered", by the beginning of August the berry not only ripens, but also begins to ripen. In subtropical climatic zones, the dates are shifted by almost a month, that is, technical ripeness begins in early July. The sum of the active temperatures required for the ripening of the berry is surprising no less than the time period - 2000–2100ºC.

Conical clusters have a loose or medium density, an average weight of 516 grams, however, with good agricultural technology, the result can be higher. Brushes do not crumble in the hands, perfectly retaining their shape, they are not prone to peeling. Thanks to these properties, they do not wrinkle when placed in container containers and tolerate transportation well. The originator claims that at first, medium-sized bunches, with the age of the bush and the build-up of perennial vegetative mass, increase in size. It is difficult to say whether this is so or not because of the small amount of information.

Dark blue elongated-oval large berries, upon reaching physiological ripeness, change the palette to an almost black color. Inside there are 1-2 bones, surrounded by crispy juicy pulp with a barely bitter skin of medium density, almost not felt when eating. Sugar content of grapes is 200-210 g / dm³, weight is 9.4 grams, there are no objective data on acidity yet, however, the tasting characteristics indicate a balanced parameters.Visually, all the berries look aligned, the medium-loaf arrangement protects them from deformation.

Hybrid Rhombic has a wonderful harmonious taste with moderate sweetness and a delicate prune aftertaste. The barely noticeable bitterness of the peel gives the sweet taste a piquant sourness.

The productivity of the vine grows as it grows, especially in the first years it is not recommended to overload the bushes, this should be done gradually, as it develops and expect full fruiting no earlier than 4-5 years.

For a good yield of a table hybrid, you need to follow the rules of planting and care.

The site should not be in the lowland, the seedlings protect from strong winds, drafts, frosts. The location on the southern slope is ideal - it will not allow moisture to stagnate, at the same time it will serve as a greenhouse and a cover. Powerful vigorous bushes will need a lot of space, so a distance of up to one meter is left between the holes, 1.5-2 m between the rows.

The acidity of the soil is in the region of 6-7 pH, with a light sandy composition.

A drainage layer is poured at the bottom of the hole, the soil is enriched with chernozem. A healthy root system of seedlings is treated with a growth stimulator 3 hours before planting, after which the entire seedling is sprayed with a weak solution of copper sulfate.

Rhombus does not need additional pollination, since the flowering is bisexual, successful even under adverse weather conditions.

The procedure is carried out twice a season. In the spring, remove all defective shoots, in the fall those that did not have ovaries.

Despite its drought tolerance, an adult plant consumes a lot of moisture, pulling it out of the soil with powerful roots. If the vine feels a prolonged shortage of water, then this negatively affects the yield and its development. At first, young plantings require regular abundant watering. After about a couple of months, the frequency is reduced to once a week.

The originator does not advise feeding Rhombic in the first year of life.In the second spring, the first feeding with a solution of bird droppings should be carried out before the beginning of the growing season. During the ovary, they are sprayed with boric acid, and after harvesting, they are fed with a special complex fertilizer. Throughout the season, plants are fed with a mixture of protective agents and growth stimulants.

The hybrid has good frost resistance, up to minus 22 degrees, but in temperate and cold climatic zones it needs protection from winter frosts. The vine is removed from the support, bent closer to the ground, covered with sawdust, soil, covered with spruce branches and covered with agrotechnical cloth.

E.G. Pavlovsky claims that the variety is resistant to diseases and pests, but while Rhombik is undergoing approbation, and a complete database for all indicators does not exist, preventive treatments for fungal diseases are required. For this, there is a whole range of fungicides, which are replaced by many gardeners with a solution of copper sulfate.

The crop is stored in a dark, cool room equipped with ventilation, with a temperature not exceeding +8 degrees, avoiding sudden changes.