Grapes

Pick an area with full sun or partial shade where ground is fertile and well drained.  The addition of Perlite and compost will help heavy clay soils.  Remember grapes need support and can eventually grow 15’ wide.  Also, keep in mind ease of picking fruit and pruning.  Fertilize with balanced, time-release fertilizer with trace elements.  Grapes are known to last for 100 years if a minimum of care is given them.  Once established, they are fairly easy to grow.

 

Pruning

 

First season select the strongest cane and tie it to a 5’ stake.  Remove all other canes.

 

Second season prepare 5’ high post 20-30’ apart and stretch galvanized wire at a height of 30 and 60” high.  Remove all side branches on the most vigorous cane and tie to lower wire.

 

Third season use the ‘four arm’ system to support the vine.  Select the two best canes near each wire.  Prune away the rest leaving one additional cane containing two buds, cut back to short stub.  Cut the canes on the lower wire to six-bud length and the top wire cane to 4 or 5 bud length.  Spiral the canes around the wire and tie loosely.

 

Concord

 

Blue-black grape.  The most popular grape.  Vigorous, reliable and tasty. Ideal for jelly, juice and wine or table.  Mid-late season.

 

Niagara 

 

White compact clusters of large, excellent flavor.  The most popular white grape.  Table and wine use.  Late season.

 

Catawba

 

Vigorous, hardy, red, medium sized.  Late season.

 

Lakemont

 

Large, sweet, white grape.  Ripens yellow-green.  Good table grape.

 

Candice

 

Red, medium sized fruit, excellent flavor.  Disease resistant.  Hardy.  Early season (approximately two weeks before Concord).  Early season.