If you're interested in more extensive information about all of these varieties, you can find a current list of nurseries at the Minnesota Grape Growers website. The University of California at Davis also maintains a national grape registry nursery list that includes northern suppliers. Please note that some nurseries only sell wholesale. Varieties in bold were cultivated by the University of Minnesota and include the year they were introduced.
Seedless grapes generally don't do well in northern climates. Three varieties that are best for fresh eating and have been tested to grow reliably in zone In Minnesota, spring planting is recommended to give the young vines the most time to get established before their first winter.
If you order from catalogs or online sources your plants will arrive as dormant, bare root plants. When you receive the plants, keep them in a cool place with the root system moist.
You should plant the vines as soon as possible. Local nurseries also carry potted vines. These vines should also be planted as soon as possible, but because the roots are growing the timing is not as critical. Mulching is not usually recommended for grapes because mulch will keep the soil temperature too cool. Grape vines grow best in warmer soil. After planting, water the vines regularly throughout the first year. The root system needs to grow and establish to allow for shoot growth in the first year.
Grapevines need some type of support or they will trail along the ground. The support can be an arbor covering a patio for shade, or can be as simple as a post in the ground to support the trunk of the vine. Grapevines can also be grown along an existing fence.
Virtually any type of support structure will do, provided it is sturdy. Grape vines grow quickly and get quite heavy. The first two or three years, each early spring, apply compost around the base of the vines. Grape vines grow vigorously and might need a nutrient boost each year. You may not have to do this as the vines mature; it all depends on what you observe.
Do the vines look vigorous and healthy? Maybe you don't need any fertilizer. Unlike many other plants, it is best not to mulch around the base of your vine as the mulch can keep the soil too cool.
Grapevine roots like to be warm. Keep grass and other plants from growing under grapevines. This allows the soil to heat up early in the spring and maintain higher soil temperatures to encourage growth.
When plants grow under vines, the soil temperature stays cooler. With grapes, this will delay growth in the spring. Keep the ground under the vines clear of other plants throughout the growing season by hoeing gently under the vines. Grapevines must be pruned every winter or spring. It is an important step to growing grapes, because it helps them produce a healthy crop of fruit and survive for many years.
New grape growers are often surprised about how much of the vine gets removed during pruning. This is because grapes are produced on new shoots, not old branches. The exact process of pruning grapes depends on how you decide to grow them in your garden and how much space you have. Fences are ideal to use as support for vines. Vines can also be contained to one stake in the ground. If you have an arbor or pergola, grapevines can be grown over the top to produce shade.
If your goal is shade, you may prune less than if your goal is fruit. If your goal is to produce a lot of high quality fruit, it is best to grow it on a basic trellis or fence where it will have lots of sunlight.
Remember, flowers and fruit are located on buds that developed the previous year. Therefore you need to encourage new growth, but not too much. For the first year, pruning is the same no matter how you plan to train your vine. The key is to develop a strong root system and straight trunk. During the second summer, train lateral shoots onto the trellis or fence, so that they run parallel to the ground, on both sides of the trunk.
Once the trunk has reached the trellis and is the height that you want it, and the lateral cordons arms have been formed, prune the vine each winter or spring before growth begins.
Have you moved into a house and inherited some old, overgrown grapevines? Don't dig them out just yet; they can probably be saved! You want to prune old and neglected vines in stages. Your goal is to get the vine back to a single trunk with well-placed canes. Prune when the vine is dormant, just before growth begins in spring. If the vine is overwhelmingly large or has excessive dead wood, it is fine to cut off the entire vine a few inches above the ground.
This will encourage new canes to grow from the ground suckers that you can use to re-grow the grapevine from scratch. This is a common practice. Even if you wish to leave behind some of the old growth, you should still start a new trunk, and remove the old one once the new one is established:. The best way to tell if grapes are ripe is to taste a few. Many varieties turn color before they are ripe. Grapevines are often able to regrow new canes from low down on the trunk.
You may need to limit pruning for the year to determine how much of your vine has died. We ended up building one structure for each grape vine. Grape vines can grow big, strong and heavy over their 20 year life span, so starting with a strong support system is important. This structure is 10 feet long and uses three horizontal wires. The vines will eventually be trained to grow up and along the wire. No matter which type of support structure you choose, make sure there is enough space above and below the grape vines for air circulation.
Concord grapes are pretty easy going plants. Once planted, make sure to water often shortly after planting until the roots have a chance to establish.
Clear the weeds and grass around the plant and mulch to prevent their return. Fertilize in the spring and prune slightly. In the first and second year, pinch off clusters. This will help the vine grow strong. In the third and fourth year of growth, pinch off all but one cluster on each shoot. Pruning usually takes place in the spring, though you can prune in the winter.
To prune concord grape vines, cut off the weakest shoots leaving only two buds if it did not grow strong enough previously. If the vines are looking good and strong, tie the strongest shoot to your trellis with vinyl tape. Tie it again every 12 inches 30cm of growth. This will become the trunk of your grape vine. Concord grape vines like moist soil, but not soggy soil.
Water deeply once a week in the summer. You can also fertilize another one or two times, six weeks apart. After that, concord grape vines are pretty self sufficient. While concord grape vines are usually pretty disease resistant, look out for these possibilities:. You can use a garden disease control spray to prevent many problems with your concord grape vines. While most of your fruits and vegetables will be harvested in the summer, grapes are harvested in September.
Grape vines require a trellis or other climbing surface, the sturdier the better, since the fruit can be heavy. The best time to plant grapes in New England is very early in the spring after frost leaves the ground, although any time before summer will work. Grape vines purchased at a greenhouse will typically have been pruned, so additional pruning may not be necessary until the following spring.
To prune grape vines, start by cutting off the top two-thirds of the plant. Then prune off the side branches, allowing buds to remain. The buds are where the flowers — and eventually the grapes — will grow. Fertilize after the second year, between April and May, following recommendations from a trustworthy greenhouse or garden center.
Grapes should be ready to be harvested by the third year after planting. They are ripe and ready to harvest when the vines and stems begin to turn brown. After the grape leaves fall off in autumn, cut the securing twine from the trellis and loosely pile the vines on the soil under the trellis. Insulate for the winter with about a foot of straw or mulch and cover with a secured tarp or wood pallets. Remove tarps and mulch in late winter or very early spring. Now that you know how to plant Concord grapes, care for them, and even build your own grape vine trellis, why not add a mini vineyard to your property this year?
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