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Post by ladymarmalade on Dec 30, 2013 12:07:10 GMT -5
I have the space and perfect location to put in grapes. I tried growing grapes once at my mom's house, and we made the mistake of planting them in a part of the yard that doesn't dry out well, and learned from my grandfather that grapes "don't like wet feet". That's the only tip I know to grow successful grapes. I haven't even begun to look at varieties yet, I'm thinking I want something along the lines of a concord grape- something tasty out of hand, but also something that can be juiced or turned into jelly and jam. Is there anything specific I should look for when selecting which grapes to grow other than location? The spot I want to put them is full sun.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 30, 2013 16:40:50 GMT -5
Full sun and decent soil that drains properly are the most important. I can't help you with variety selection...anything that would grow well for me (Florida grapes have to be resistant to Pierce's Disease) probably wouldn't survive your winters. But disease resistance is always a good thing, IMO. You probably don't want a grape that requires a diligent spray schedule. You should build your trellis/support ASAP after planting, or - better - before planting, so you don't disturb the roots. A healthy grape grows fast and you want to train it up the post the first summer so you can send the canes along the wires (or along the top, if you're using an arbor) the second year. Speaking of training, proper pruning is important to get good fruit production and quality. The vines need enough leaves to provide sugars for tasty fruit, but the clusters also need sunlight exposure and air flow to prevent fruit rots. Some grapes are cane-pruned and others are spur-pruned - depends on the variety. After you pick a variety you can learn the right way to prune it. Ooh, lookie what I found on the web: a PDF which discusses homeowner grape growing in WI: Growing Grapes In Wisconsin. There is a lot of discussion on individual varieties, including which ones are reliably winter-hardy and will reliably ripen fruit in different parts of the state. Hope it helps!
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billh
Pro Member
Posts: 231
Zone:: 6a
Joined: December 2011
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Post by billh on Dec 30, 2013 18:24:42 GMT -5
Henry Fields is offering a grape called Razzmatazz this year. extremely disease resistant and fruits from spring till fall. Sounds pretty good, check it out
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Post by ladymarmalade on Dec 30, 2013 19:52:07 GMT -5
Henry Fields is offering a grape called Razzmatazz this year. extremely disease resistant and fruits from spring till fall. Sounds pretty good, check it out Alas, I'm in Wisconsin in zone 5A, so no Razzmatazz up here. Sounds lovely though! I've also never heard of Henry Fields- thanks for the suggestion, I bookmarked the site.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Dec 30, 2013 19:55:00 GMT -5
Full sun and decent soil that drains properly are the most important. I can't help you with variety selection...anything that would grow well for me (Florida grapes have to be resistant to Pierce's Disease) probably wouldn't survive your winters. But disease resistance is always a good thing, IMO. You probably don't want a grape that requires a diligent spray schedule. You should build your trellis/support ASAP after planting, or - better - before planting, so you don't disturb the roots. A healthy grape grows fast and you want to train it up the post the first summer so you can send the canes along the wires (or along the top, if you're using an arbor) the second year. Speaking of training, proper pruning is important to get good fruit production and quality. The vines need enough leaves to provide sugars for tasty fruit, but the clusters also need sunlight exposure and air flow to prevent fruit rots. Some grapes are cane-pruned and others are spur-pruned - depends on the variety. After you pick a variety you can learn the right way to prune it. Ooh, lookie what I found on the web: a PDF which discusses homeowner grape growing in WI: Growing Grapes In Wisconsin. There is a lot of discussion on individual varieties, including which ones are reliably winter-hardy and will reliably ripen fruit in different parts of the state. Hope it helps! This is great to know about building the support system before planting. I would not have done that, as our method is usually that I forge ahead with something new, and only when in dire need will DH decide to do the building I need. I would love to use an arbor instead of wire, but the wires would probably be easier, and something I could set up myself. And of course, I have that PDF you linked to in hardcopy! A friend of mine gave me his master gardener textbook... I don't know why I didn't think to look there! Thanks for the reminder.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 1, 2014 20:02:38 GMT -5
Arbors are prettier, but not as easy to deal with as wires. My grapes are on an arbor, and they are a real tangle at pruning time. Also, having to reach and look UP, or even use a stepladder to prune and pick makes the jobs more tiring. If you just have a couple of vines like I do it's not that big a deal. But if I were going to grow several vines, I would definitely go with wires at a comfortable working height. I saw that Razzmatazz grape in Henry Field's catalog and it sounds wonderful. Since it's a hybrid of bunch grape and muscadine, it should be resistant to Pierce's disease, so I could grow it here. Seedless, disease-resistant, and multiple crops per year? Terrific! $97.99 plus shipping per vine? Umm...no. I am going to have to wait until it's less shiny and new, and the price comes down. If you guys get one, be sure and post how it works, though. I'd really love to hear some real-people reviews.
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dogfish
Junior Member
Posts: 56
Joined: January 2014
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Post by dogfish on Jan 22, 2014 14:54:56 GMT -5
Well I am in 5b but it is not that far off from your 5a. I have: Concord grapes- The classic northern slipskin seeded grape Superior- A seedless red very nice sweet grape Himrod - a green seedless grape that is an offspring of the classic Thompson seedless Canadice - A great red seedless that you can start picking in August and last through Sept.
They all do well for me
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 22, 2014 16:16:50 GMT -5
Well I am in 5b but it is not that far off from your 5a. I have: Concord grapes- The classic northern slipskin seeded grape Superior- A seedless red very nice sweet grape Himrod - a green seedless grape that is an offspring of the classic Thompson seedless Canadice - A great red seedless that you can start picking in August and last through Sept. They all do well for me Thank you for the variety suggestions!
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Post by coppice on Jan 31, 2014 10:11:19 GMT -5
LM, if your feeling a lot like you're living on the edge of the tundra, pick a seeded grape over a seedless one. It will be heartier.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 31, 2014 10:40:12 GMT -5
LM, if your feeling a lot like you're living on the edge of the tundra, pick a seeded grape over a seedless one. It will be heartier. Really? That's very good to know- I've been looking at the catalogs in earnest, and automatically drifted towards the seedless varieties. However, with this winter and the awful sub-zero temps we've been experiencing, hardiness is an important factor to consider. Thanks!
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Post by coppice on Jan 31, 2014 13:43:57 GMT -5
Us, we, the civilians, we grow grapes at least in part for the table and or jelly making. The real push in grape production is for disease resistant root-stocks and the highest possible sugar production for vini-culture.
The amount of acreage devoted to table grapes is barely the sweat off the brow of wine making...
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