Grape variety Libya: characteristics, characteristics of planting and care

Grapes Libya is a relatively young variety, but has already managed to win the sympathy of experienced gardeners. Due to its varietal qualities, Libya is growing in popularity in private viticulture. Not every gardener is familiar with the description of its properties due to the novelty of this variety of grapes. Useful information about the features of growing grapes of this variety will help to avoid common mistakes and get a good harvest of sweet berries.

Features of the grape variety Libya

Libya is one of the youngest and not very well-known varieties. However, he has already earned the recognition of many gardeners as promising and worthy of attention. Libya is rapidly gaining popularity and is perfect for growing in a summer cottage.

History of Muscat Berry

The authorship of the variety belongs to a resident of Zaporozhye V.V. Zagorulko. The results of the work of this breeder are grape varieties already familiar to Russian winegrowers:

• Fun;
• Veles;
• Bazhen
• Sofia.

Zagorulko brought Libya by crossing table grape varieties Arcadia and Flamingo. Libya inherited from its parental forms excellent external data, marketability.

In the homeland (Ukraine), the variety was included in the Register of selection achievements in 2011. This grape table variety is considered to be ripe, the ripening time is 105-110 days from the beginning of bud opening to the ripening ripeness of berries.

Photo gallery: parent varieties and a bunch of Libya

Description of grape variety Libya

Young vines of Libya have a light brownish color. There are two types of flowers in this variety: both male and female. Their nondescriptiveness does not in any way diminish the taste of future fruits, because the berries ripen incredibly tasty, with a slight touch of nutmeg.

The color of the berries is from light to dark pink. Pink and yellow berries can be noted in one brush. It's all about the unevenness of the onset of technical ripeness, while the color of each berry changes as it ripens.

Libya's berries are large, do not contain many seeds, have a beautiful light pink color

Most often, the variety Libya berries are oval, often round, their sizes are 2.5 cm by 2.8 cm (width and length, respectively). The mass of one grape is approximately 10-15 g, the pulp is sweet and juicy, few seeds (2-3 pieces).

Berries are collected in large brushes, which most often take a cylindrical structure or do not have a certain shape. The weight of such a brush varies within a kilogram, and the length can be up to 25-30 cm.

The leaves on the shoots are light green, without pubescence. The first leaf is whole, while others are five-lobed and moderately dissected. Libya's adult vine is strong, powerful, and significantly lengthens upward.

Characteristics of the grape variety Libya: its advantages and disadvantages

The characteristic features of Libya grapes are endurance in adverse weather conditions and resistance to most diseases.

An important plus of the variety is large-fruited. The fruits do not feel hard peeling and astringent aftertaste. But the nutmeg aroma persists for a very long time - almost a month after the harvest. Excellent taste and nutritional properties of berries characterize this grape variety. The concentration of acids in the fruit is 6-9 grams per liter, while the sugar level in them is 20-23%. Due to this, this grape variety is called "sweetie" vineyards.

Good transportability and marketable appearance are qualities for which the Libya variety is valued. It is possible to store the fruits for a month.

Libya today is bred not only privately, but also on an industrial scale. This variety is self-pollinated, because on the site you can place the only bush of Libya for the experiment. Even so, it will be possible to collect a good crop. At the same time, it is able to ripen only on moderately loaded vines, while on overloaded branches the yield indicator is only 70-80%.

The disadvantages of the Libya variety are few, but the gardener should know about them:

• heterogeneity of coloring of berries on the brush;
• poor resistance to such an ailment as oidium. It is dangerous because all the leaves on the plant are covered with gray mold. The problem is solved through treatments with fungicidal drugs. Resistance to mildew in Libya is slightly higher, although preventive treatments will not be superfluous for the plant;
• high probability of damage by wasps;
• low resistance to frost - survival is possible only up to -21 ⁰FROM.

Video: Libya Variety Overview

Features of planting and growing varieties Libya

Fruiting of young seedlings begins after three to four years after planting them in open ground. If regular and conscientious care is carried out, Libya is able to give a rich harvest.

Basic landing rules

The Libya grape variety can be grown on the site using one of two possible methods - seedlings or grafting. The least troublesome way is planting finished seedlings. Its advantage is that the grape bush will quickly gain in growth, the taste characteristics of the berries will be quite high.

What should the seedling look like before planting:

1. There are no signs of diseases and insects on it.
2. 2-3 kidneys are saved.
3. Each root is live, the slices are green.
4. The trimmed root tips are treated with a root stimulant.

Necessary conditions for planting seedlings of grape varieties Libya:

• a well-lit area;
• any building (house, porch, etc.) can act as a support, as well as protect the plant from drafts and strong winds;
• any soil is suitable for Libya; it is always possible to fertilize it with organic or mineral components.

The ideal solution for arranging a vineyard is a place on the sunny side with loose and nutritious soil, representing sandy loam or light loam. Improving the composition of the soil contributes to the introduction of organic matter immediately at the time of planting a seedling.

In areas of medium latitude and with cool weather, Libyan bushes are planted on the site in the spring, without waiting for the growth phase of vegetative buds.

Seedling planting sequence:

1. Dig a hole 80 cm in depth (the depth depends on the size of the seedling - it should be 4 times larger than the last).
2. Half of its volume is laid with humus, soil or sand is placed on top of it, on which the roots of the seedling are placed. Do not lay roots immediately on humus in order to avoid the appearance of burns on them.
3. When digging a seedling, be careful not to injure the already quite fragile roots.
4. Above the surface of the soil leave two kidneys. In regions with a warm climate, the seedling is placed so that one bud is at ground level, and the other is higher.
5. The rest of the seedling is cut.

Planting a seedling should be carried out with extreme caution, being careful not to damage the delicate roots

Young bushes are planted in autumn or spring.. The undersized shoots of the first year of life are tied to pegs. For shoots two years old and older, an already strong support is required, which is a trellis.

How to organize plant care in order to get a good harvest

Livia grapes are demanding for timely and proper care - this will allow you to get the crop in the required volume, remove sweet and juicy berries. Caring for this grape variety is similar to that inherent in most grape varieties and includes procedures:

• watering;
• top dressing;
• circumcision;
• topping.

Libya feels comfortable on well-irrigated soil. Most of all, this grape needs watering before flowering and after that. They also increase the watering rate during a period of severe drought, but make sure that the plant is not too wet. Otherwise, the risk of putrefactive and moldy processes increases. Regulate the amount of watering according to the condition of the foliage. Its brown hue indicates that the soil is oversaturated with moisture in the heat. A dark green shade of leaves indicates a danger to the health of grapes - it can indicate the onset of chlorosis.

Grape chlorosis is a plant's inability to produce photosynthesis due to a lack of iron in the soil. A disease manifests itself in the form of yellow spots on the leaves.

With severe chlorosis, grape leaves begin to stain, which threatens the death of the plant

Mulching the soil in autumn and spring is a prerequisite for growing this form of grape. A layer of organic matter not only contributes to the retention of water in the soil, but also serves as an additional insulation in case of frost. Sometimes it acts as a food source, since Libya is often humus for mulch for grapes.

During the period of rapid growth of vines, grapes require top dressing, especially potash-phosphorus and organic. The best way to fertilize is in dry form directly under the bush.

Since the bushes of Libya grow strongly in length, they are sometimes subjected to short pruning. The procedure is performed to increase fruiting. In this case, the vines are shortened by 4-6 eyes.

The type of pruning is selected according to the age of the plant.

The recommended number of eyes to keep on one bush is 45 pieces.. This figure is called experienced growers. They note that a larger number of preserved eyes will affect the deterioration of productivity due to the appearance of unripe clusters on the vine. Also do not recommend picking leaves. If a large number of flowers are formed on one bush, it is advised to remove some of them.

Be sure to regulate the formation of shoots and stepsons in Libya. Before flowering, pinch extra fruiting shoots, remove stepsons, which allows you to preserve the strength of the plant for development and fruit formation.

If the region has frosts greater than -21 ⁰C, plants necessarily cover for the winter. The shoots are pruned and tilted to the ground, remove the remnants of dry leaves and berries, treated with fungicides. Shelter are the following materials:

• film;
• the soil;
• hay.

Video: all about proper grape care

Reviews gardeners about growing Libya

Libya is one of my favorite varieties. In our conditions, she has one problem - poor vine ripening at the slightest overload, she is subject to this disaster even more than her ancestor - Arkady. But if you do not ship the substitution shoot, then such problems do not arise. And I love this variety for delicate nutmeg and delicate berry with inconspicuous skin.

Evgeny Polyanin

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And I have another problem, the berry burns in the sun. I have to additionally cover the clusters. And the rest, it's just gorgeous.

Alexey Filippov

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Libya, with two treatments with thanos every year I have enough mildew. I cleaned it yesterday, I didn’t measure sugar, but it tastes sugaryly sweet like Super Extra. We'll have to do one more treatment, on several leaflets appeared mildew: bf:. This year, after the strongest hail, 30 percent of the berries had to be removed: :(:, but while the rot did not develop much, just before the hail I did the switch processing.

Grishin Vladimir

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In my Libya, the vine always ripens to the top of the trellis. And the bush with standard shelter without any visors winter perfectly.

Petrov Vladimir

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The Libya grape variety is ranked among the unique selection varieties that are developed as a result of single or multiple selection of different varieties. He has already managed to fall in love with domestic winegrowers. The variety is great for growing in non-traditional areas for viticulture and does not require special knowledge and skills. Libya is unpretentious and high-yielding, and huge sweet berries with an amazing caramel flavor will appeal to both adults and children.