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Grapevines-Need info

3K views 33 replies 10 participants last post by  The Funny Farm 
G
#1 ·
I bought some of those grapes they are selling at Lowes right now(Concords). I live in zone 6 and my yard gets sun from sun up till sundown. I'm just wondering how long it will be before we get any grapes from these plants? Will it be years or this year? Thanks for any answers!! Oops, Forgot to say thay are 2-yr plants!
 
#5 ·
I would expect fruit next year, if you baby them.
sure they won't have theri roots down far enough to stand neglect, but if watered regular, and especially don't let them dry out or they might drop their fruit.
To get fruit this fast, you will have to treat the vine like a tomato plant, weed-free, fertilised but not too much nitrogen, etc.
My Mars plant that I got bare-root by mail gave fruit its first year. I would not expect less from Concord.
Walter
 
#7 ·
Grapes - 101

Grapes need to cross pollenate with different species of grapes, they will not produce if there is only one species.

The first year you will get folage only, train it to run your trellace as you wish to. This comming fall while dormant, trim away any thing smaller that a pencil by sniping it at 2 noduals beyond a 'Y' fork, away from the root system. Grapes only come from new growth, each vine must be trimmed every year to have grapes the following spring. Adequate water is needed at all times, grapes become very thirsty while growing.
 
#8 ·
Thanks moopups, I haven't had much time for reading about pruning them yet. Our local County extension office seems to be pretty helpful as far as sending out booklets on animals and gardening etc so I'm planning on giving them a call this week. I've got my arbor all ready to plant. It's approx. 12 feet long and 3 feet wide, 5 1/2 feet high. I wonder how much growth i'll have on the vines this summer? I can still taste the juice my grandma use to make from hers... nothing in a jar comes close to that!!
 
#11 ·
Well, TFF and Mike, I hate to post conflicting info, but Concord (like almost all bunch grape varieties) does not need a pollinizer, although I believe that some (but not all) Muscadines do.

Mike, what varieties (I suspect that you mean varieties when you said species) did you order?
 
#12 ·
:eek: :eek: :eek:
WOW!!!
I guess I better tell hubby the bad news that we need more trellis space!!!! I had no idea they'd grow so much in one year. I knew eventually I'd need more arbor but not quite so soon!! Thanks for all the good info. Kathy

PS-- Should I train the vines around the supports or just alongside of it?
 
#14 ·
Kathy wrote -

"I've got my arbor all ready to plant. It's approx. 12 feet long and 3 feet wide, 5 1/2 feet high."

Why only 5 1/2 feet high, and how many support posts?

"Should I train the vines around the supports or just alongside of it?"

I assume you mean alongside of the supports. Yes, that's what I'd do. It'll make trunk replacement easier in the future, if you need to do that. How many vines do you have?

Mike,

I've had wines made from both Foch and DeChaunac, and while I like DeChaunac better, they both make reasonably good wine. They both tend to over-crop (especially DeChaunac), so you'll probably need to thin. I like the flavor of Seneca, and I don't mind the seeds. All three varieties have a trailing growth habit, so they work well on an arbor or high wire system.
 
#15 ·
Howdy all! I have 3 Concord grape vines. I agree that they need lots of space! I only have the 3 Concord vines and they didn't have a pollinator. They give me more grapes than I can even can in one season! I made 56 quarts of grape juice last year and that is concentrated...so enough for 56 half gallons! I gave LOTS of them away too! That juice IS Great stuff! I have another confession...although I know you are supposed to prune them every year...I haven't ever messed with them. They are on an arbor and part of the fence and I would guess that they stretch about 40 feet all together. Maybe more??? They gave me grapes the second year...but they were these eeeny stick like things that I got bare root at 5 for 9.00. 2 didn't make it that I planted in the backyard, but the three in full sun did great! I water mine when I water the garden. I did have to give them some added support year before last because they get really heavy when they produce all of those grapes. Not great for fresh eating...but terrific for juice and jelly! Hope your's do great! Blessings! Nan
 
#16 ·
Steve L,
My whole arbor is welded metal, basically its heavy enough that you could do anything on it (I'm thinking about having him weld some swing supports on the underside so I can have a shady place to sit and rest). It ain't goin anywhere soon! :haha: We were afraid to use pressure treated because of the chemicals in it and didn't want to have to replace it every few yrs so went with metal. It's actually 6 ft high (went and measured). Its that height because thats how much was sticking up after we set it deep for stability. Just used what we had instead of spending money we need for other things.

Nan,
That is a whole lotta grape juice!!!!!!!! Sounds wonderful!!! Thanks for the good wishes, Kathy
 
#17 ·
Kathy -
So, six feet high, eh? That's the "standard" height for most grape trellis. I only asked because I think of a grape arbor as covering an outside living space, and that just seemed a little low. A welded steel frame like that should hold up well. If the arbor is really high, it makes for hard picking and pruning.

Nan -
How did you make your juice?
 
#18 ·
Well, now I have a different problem-- I just looked at my grapevines and they are green and growing and it's way too cold to plant them out yet. What should I do in the meantime? And when CAN I plant them now? (Zone 6 WV)
They are leafing out while still in their plastic bags...HELP!!! :waa: :waa:
 
#20 ·
Hey Steve,
Theres 4 of them and they are in plastic bags that have soil in them. I had them in the basement where it is cool and dark but evidently not dark or cool enough... Could I put them in buckets of dirt until its warmer outside? Should I give them some miracle grow or something so they don't starve? It was 45 here today but nights are still real cold. Easter flowers just now poking through as well as rubarb. Basically all the plants I bought at Lowes are now growing, wondering if it was the heat at Lowes that started them growing. This includes wisteria, the grapes and the raspberries too! Kathy
 
#21 ·
Hi, Kathy.

Don't worry about any fert. for now. They won't really need any until you get them into the ground. Right now they're using reserves stored in the roots and woody tissue, anyway, and there's a chance that you'll apply too much MG and burn roots, which is something you don't want.

It looks to me like you have three options.

1. Plant outside now, either in their permanent locations or close together ("heeled in") temporarily.
You're still about three weeeks from last frost, right? If you plant now, you'd have to cover them every time there's a chance of frost.

2. Plant in pots.
This means that you'd need space for them in a well lit spot, or move them in and out at night, and keep them watered.

3. Store them in a cool place.
If they're small enough, they should keep a couple more weeks in your fridge (or other place that stays between 32 & 35). If you do this, you'll want to harden off the plants under fairly low light conditions for a couple of days prior to planting.​

If they were mine, I'd just stick them in the ground in some shade and cover them at night with a bucket, tub or tarp. The only problem with this is that a lot of mornings it's still too cold to uncover them before I have to leave for work.
 
#22 ·
Sorry ya'll...I haven't been on here for a while and didn't know someone asked me a question...but my new siding on my house looks GRRRRREAT! We've almost finished it! :)

For grape juice(actually grape drink since technically you do add water)

I make mine concentrated and when I open it up I add another quart of water
Into a quart jar.....
2 cups of grapes
1 cup of sugar(some folks only add half a cup.....we like it sweeter)
fill the rest of the jar with boiling water and screw on your double lids, then process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Concord are the best for this recipe in my opinion.....I have tried some out of a few other types, but the Concord are the strongest grape tasting.
 
#23 ·
Oh...the recipe above is for the concentrated juice..you can make it where you just open up the jar and strain out the seeds....push the pulp and juice through a tea strainer or colander......and drink...or you can make it concentrated like the one above and strain as above...then add another quart of water. For the non-concentrated kind you just add a cup of grapes and half a cup of sugar then fill the jar up with boiling water and process.

I have a tea strainer that is made of screening type stuff...I pour the whole shebang through that then use my lid off the jar and squish what I want of the pulp through it.
 
#24 ·
Hi there, grape people :)

Last fall when we moving in here there was a huge old grape that was taken over by blackberries. So we hacked the whole mess down. The Grape ended up having about one foot long branches on the stump. The branches are about 1" through. Did we murder it? If so, we need to replace it before we move!
 
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