In the information age, we all have a lot of worries and urgent work that often prevent us from getting out of the apartment.
What do people dreaming about their vineyard in such cases?
There are varieties of grapes that are able to impress with their beauty and taste, but do not need careful and constant care.
“Chameleon” belongs to such wonderful varieties.
What kind is it?
This grape was grown by an amateur breeder in Ukraine, Nikolai Pavlovich Vishnevetsky. It turned out with the help of hybrid crossing of varieties Arkady, Kishmish Radiant, "Glasha" and "Atlant Zaporozhsky". Vishnevetsky planned to create a unique variety with excellent properties and abundant fertility. And it is worth admitting that he did it.
The hand of this breeder also owns Valek, the Black Panther.
The hybrid takes quite a bit of time to ripen (about 100 days), so that in the first days of August, you can begin harvesting.
Do not worry if you could not immediately harvest. The fruits of the Chameleon can be on the bush for a very long time, without losing their wonderful taste properties.
Good plant care can thank you for an impressive crop - up to 30 kg from one bush. In this case, the picked berries will also remain fresh for a long period of time, which has a good effect on long shipments.
Great news for winegrowers in the northern regions will be the information that this hybrid variety also has excellent frost resistance. It is able to withstand cold to -23 ° C.
The varieties Super Extra, Pink Flamingo, Arched and Beauty of the North possess the same sign.
Grape Chameleon: variety description
Chameleon bushes are very vigorous and lush, and flowers are bisexual. The clusters are large and heavy, with an average weight of 1.7 kg (they can grow up to 2 kg). The berries also differ in large size, reaching an average of 32 x 28 mm, and weighing up to 14 g.
Amirkhan, the Count of Monte Cristo and Krasény can boast large fruits.
Fruits have a very soft salmon color. The crust is crispy, the flesh is juicy and fleshy. All this creates a beautiful presentation, and taste will not leave indifferent any buyer.
A photo
Photos of Chameleon grapes:
Planting and care
As it was written at the very beginning, the Chameleon does not require excessive care and special conditions for life. For planting fit almost any soil.
Aleshenkin Dar, Giovanni and Delight Ideal are also distinguished by unpretentiousness.
As for the landing period, then fall and spring will do. But if you choose between them, then spring will be a little preferable. Grapes can be planted since the end of March.
Planting in the spring period will allow the plant to better harden in the ground and develop its root system well. This will allow him to better prepare for the winter frost.
The roots of seedlings when planting should be up to 20 cm in length and several cm in width. In cases when the seedling has several shoots, it is necessary to leave only the most powerful of them, otherwise the grapes will develop for a very long time. Do not forget about the large size of adult bushes, so it is better to calculate in advance the distance between them.
Ideally, you should leave about 3 meters of free space between the plants.
On general care for the Chameleon, you can select a few basic tips:
- Some brushes can reach a huge weight (up to 2 kg), which in itself is a big load on the vine.
Therefore, it will not be out of place to control their growth. Leave 5 - 6 eyes on fruit-bearing shoots, and the weak ones just prune. This will greatly facilitate the load, and still a sufficient number of eyes (in total there will be about 30 for one bush) will provide you with a decent harvest;
- In terms of watering this variety does not require any frills.
Three buckets per square meter will be the norm for standard watering, and the latter will require an increase in the cost of water to six buckets per square meter. Between watering need to make a pause in a few weeks;
- Don't forget about the mulching, which helps retain moisture in the soil and protects the grapes from weeds.
Here a variety of materials may come up: straw, burlap, sawdust, shredded bark of trees, etc;
- As for fertilizers, mineral supplements are best suited, supplementing the amount of phosphorus, zinc and potassium in the soil.
Also a good option would be organic fertilizers: compost, peat, droppings, etc.
- Despite outstanding frost resistance, Chameleon is still worth covering for the winter.
Suitable as polyethylene, and powder from the ground.
Such varieties as the Kishmish Century, Harold and Lorant also require shelter.
Diseases and protection from them
Chameleon is resistant to many grape diseases, however affected by mildew.
Mildew can affect not only sheets of grapes, but also berries with shoots. What makes it a terrible disease that can destroy more than one bush. However, the timely use of protective agents will protect your grapes and from it.
An excellent measure of plant protection is its treatment with fungicidal agents. It is necessary to spray the plants before and after flowering - starting from reaching the shoots of 20 cm in length and ending with the period when the berries grow to the size of a pea.
Of the drugs themselves can be distinguished: Ridomil, Tsinos, Thiram, Folpet and Kaptan.
The Chameleon grape variety is considered an excellent option for beginner growers or people who cannot spend too much time on their garden.
Demanding a minimum of expenses and efforts, he is able to give you a big crop with excellent taste and external properties. Thanks to all this, it is suitable both for personal use and for cultivation for the purpose of sale.
Among the unpretentious varieties should pay attention to the Delight of Muscat, Giovanni and Black Raven.
