Grape Vines

Info

A grape is botanically a true berry that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts and grape seed oil.

Grapes grow in clusters of 6 to 300, and can be crimson, black, dark blue, yellow, green or pink; however, "white" grapes are actually green in color, and are evolutionarily derived from the red grape. Mutations in two regulatory genes of white grapes turn off production of anthocyanins which are responsible for the color of red grapes. Anthocyanins and other pigment chemicals of the larger family of polyphenols in red grapes are responsible for the varying shades of purple in red wines.

Varieties

  • Cayuga (White)

    Mid season. Large, compact clusters. A white wine hybrid. Large, vigorous, very productive, moderately hardy vines. Excellent productivity. Late blooming.

  • Chambourcin (Dark Blue)

    Mid late season. Large, moderately loose clusters. Dark, bluish black fruit. Used to make very superior, Claret-type red wine. Vine has only medium vigor. Short cane pruning. Relatively disease resistant.

  • Chardonel (White)

    Late season. Medium to large, loose clusters. Medium size, amber berries. Vigorous and productive vine that can produce a high quality wine with varietal character.

  • Concord (Blue) Seedless

    Mid season. Slightly smaller clusters and berries than regular Concord. Bluish black berries with an excellent, distinct flavor. Vigor and productivity improve as the vine becomes well established.

  • Fredonia (Blue)

    Mid season. Medium to large, compact clusters. Large, slip-skin, dark blue to black berries covered with a beautiful blue bloom. Delicious, spicy flavor. Fine quality. Very productive, vigorous, strong growing vines. Needs less pruning.

  • Mars (Blue) Seedless

    Mid season. Medium to large, compact clusters. Medium to large, sweet, juicy, slip-skin crimson fruit turns deep blue at maturity. Mild flavor similar to Concord. Very productive & dependable.

  • Muscadine (Bronze or Purple)

    Early season. Small, loose clusters. Medium to large fruit with thick, tough skin. Color ranges from greenish-bronze to purple, and pink to almost black. Vigorous deciduous vine.

  • Niagara (White)

    Early mid season. Large, tight, compact clusters. Huge, thick-skinned, light green to white fruit. Tangy but delicate flavor. Very attractive, vigorous vine.

  • Reliance (Red) Seedless

    Mid season. Large, well-filled clusters. Round, medium size, firm, pinkish red grapes. Outstanding, mild, fruity flavor. High sugar content. Productive and dependable vines.

  • Vidal Blanc (White)

    Late season. Large clusters. Greenish-white, small to medium berries with a thick skin. Known to produce very good white wines.

  • Vignoles (White)

    Mid season. Small, very compact clusters. Juicy berries are small and oblate with a thick skin. Light green flesh with a tinge of pink. Moderately vigorous and upright vine. Produces excellent wines.

Care and Maintenance

  1. Preparing the Hole

    Dig the hole as deep as the root ball, and as much as three times as wide as the diameter of the root ball. Breaking up the soil around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to grow into loose soil to hasten establishment.

  2. Placing Your Tree

    Place the tree carefully in the center of the hole after removing it from the container. The tree's root collar (the bulge right above the root system) should be just above the top of the soil. Don't dig the hole too deep. It is better if the root collar is slightly (1 to 2") higher than ground level because of possible setting.

  3. Filling the Hole

    Carefully fill the hole with soil when the tree is positioned and straight. Fill the hole about 1/3 full and lightly push the soil around the base of the root ball. Fill the remainder of the hole taking care to gently but firmly pack soil to eliminate air pockets that may cause the roots to dry out. Don't plant the tree too deep. Back fill the soil to the height just below the root collar.

  4. Mulching

    Place 2 to 4 inches of mulch in a 2 to 3 foot circle around the tree. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk to keep fungus from growing on the trunk. Mulch can be aged wood chips or bark. Mulch helps keep roots moist and insulates them, and prevents weed growth. It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.

  5. Watering

    Water the tree well as soon as you plant it. Water the tree at least once a week for the first year after planting. A slow, root-saturating, one-hour trickle once a week is recommended for a new tree. The watering schedule should be adjusted accordingly if it rains or is very dry.