How to care for Far Eastern raisins
In the Far Eastern forests, fruit liana is often found. Several of its cultivated species are united by gardeners under the name Far Eastern raisins. It is an ornamental plant that differs from other vines in appearance and richness of useful elements.
Growing Far Eastern raisins
Characteristics of the variety
Far Eastern kishmish is better known as Actinidia.
The growing season of Actinidia is 160 days in a frost-free period. The buds bloom in early spring, therefore it is important to protect them from sudden cold snaps. Cultivated varieties are more resistant to frost, but require careful care and protection in winter in central Russia.
Description of the bush
Far Eastern kishmish is a decorative curly tree liana.
Its height depends on the variety, the minimum is 2.5-3 m, the maximum grows up to 10-15 m.The plant does not have antennae or suckers, for proper growth it requires a support, along which it twists counterclockwise upwards, starting from a mark of 30- 100 cm.
The bark of the vine has a dark brown color, there are small white scales. The leaves are large, oval or elongated, they are round in shape. The color is often dark green, glossy, but the leaves of the masculine plant can change hue during flowering from whitish to crimson red.
Description of fruits
The grapes are represented by plants with male and female flowering types separately, therefore, several representatives of the variety must be planted to obtain a harvest. Flowering occurs 4-6 years after planting. The buds are large, fragrant, creamy white, with bright yellow centers. Flowers are found one at a time, but can be collected in inflorescences of 2-3 buds.
The fruits have a cylindrical elongated or rounded shape, each weighing 2-3 g. As they ripen, the berries acquire a dark green color, sometimes with a raspberry, light or orange tint. Each grape is covered with a light reddish downy, like any part of this plant.
The aroma of the fruit resembles pineapple. Taste qualities are close to sweet and sour. Far Eastern kishmish is a multi-chamber berry that holds about 90-100 small seeds. They are not perceptible when chewed, but add a slight nutmeg hue to the taste.
Interest in Far Eastern raisins and its benefits is attracted by the richness of its chemical composition. It includes a high content of vitamin C, the amount of which exceeds that of lemon fruits by 10-15 times. The sugar content of the berries reaches 10-13%. The vitamin composition is diverse, it includes vitamins of groups A, P, B, fiber, organic acids (about 1-1.5% of the total weight of the fruit).
Growing raisins
The ideal place for planting seedlings on the site is a slightly shaded place, protected from the winds. Liana is able to withstand frosts down to -30 ° C, but provided that it is well covered with snow and does not come under the influence of drafts.Some varieties die when the temperature drops to -12 ° C, therefore they are not used for cultivation in the northern regions of the country.
The plant loves moisture
The soil should be of average composition, preferably with the addition of sand or peat. The acidity is brought to a pH level of 5.5-7 units, the soil should be neutral or slightly acidic. Actinidia loves moisture, but the root system does not tolerate the accumulation of water, therefore it is important to provide a good drainage base under the roots.
Planting a plant
After preparing the place and choosing the variety, they begin to plant the raisins in the ground. Actinidia is propagated by cuttings cut in the summer from adult plants, or by seedlings that emerged from the seeds of the fruit. Vine propagation by cuttings of 2-year-old young shoots is more effective.
The process of planting in the soil is carried out in several stages:
- The stems are prepared for planting in separate boxes after wintering. They dig up the area to a depth of about 30 cm. Then the ground is cleared of excess roots and small objects.
- It is better to plant raisins in rows. For planting, grooves are filled with a depth of 50-80 cm. Drainage is placed on the bottom in the form of small pebbles or broken bricks with a layer of 20 cm. The next layer will be fertilizer - wood ash or peat chips. Organic fertilizers are optional, but sometimes a small amount of humus is added.
- Sprinkle the lower layers with a small ball of soil so as not to burn the roots of the vine. Seedlings are buried at a distance of 0.5-2 m from each other: so they will not interfere with the development of their neighbors. Plants are watered with settled warm water.
Care features
Far Eastern grapes are characterized by unpretentiousness. The main condition for caring for him is to maintain a favorable environment, reminiscent of native latitudes. To do this, even at the stage of disembarkation, they organize a good support up to 3-4 m high. Make sure that young shoots in the first 2-3 years are not under the influence of direct sunlight.
The root system of the vine is shallow, reaching a depth of 25-30 cm from the soil surface, therefore, loosening and weed destruction is carried out carefully. At first, it is better to pour 2-3 buckets of humus under the stem instead.
Pruning grapes also has its own distinctive features:
- it is carried out in the fall, after the end of the active growing season, first removing dry, diseased and ceased to bear fruit branches;
- more often vines are left on the side vines of the first order, it is they who give the largest and most delicious fruits;
- spring pruning is undesirable, because the plant buds early, and pruned branches tend to freeze in early spring.
Watering is done regularly, but in small quantities, in the evening or morning. It is best to do this during the dry season if there is not enough natural rainfall. For irrigation, use settled well or rainwater. Before the process itself, they allow it to warm up in the sun so as not to injure the root system of the vine with the cold temperature.
Fertilizer is applied along with irrigation, if a small amount of humus or wood ash diluted in water is used for this. The main source of nutrients is humus or compost, which is regularly added at the base of the grape trunk. Before winter, it is recommended to add potassium substances to maintain the frost resistance of actinidia.
Diseases and pests
A big plus of all varieties of Far Eastern raisins is its extraordinary resistance to diseases and pests. Under some conditions, preventive measures should be followed in order to ensure a good harvest for the plant. Fungal infections, especially powdery mildew, can infect the leaves of the vine. With this misfortune, the green mass tends to become covered with dry spots that can pass on to the fruit, therefore the grapes are sprayed with appropriate preparations for preventive purposes and the infected parts are removed.
The leaf beetle is the only insect that harms Actinidia.It damages the buds, leaves and ovaries of berries. This is especially during the period of active flowering of the plant. To get rid of the pest, the vine is sprayed in early spring and before blooming with a Bordeaux mixture or a half-percent solution of soda ash.
Conclusion
Far Eastern kishmish is an original fruit and ornamental plant, the berries of which are rich in nutrients and elements. The appearance of the creeper is able to decorate any personal plot.