Whether eaten fresh off the vine, pressed into juice or made into wine, grapes are a delicious and the vines are a decorative addition to your garden.
Where to Plant Your Grape Vines
When considering a spot to plant your grape vines, choose a site that provides plenty of direct sunlight. Grapes do well in a wide range of soils as long as there is good drainage. Cionsistently moist or wet soils are a killer. An ideal soil pH level for grapes is 6.5, however they grow well anywhere between 6.5 to 7.5.
You can plant your grape vines the simplest way: to grow on an existing fence or overhead structure such as an arbor, or you can train your grape vines to grow on a post and wire system, such as the Four-Arm Kniffin System, designed to increase production of fruit.
Choosing Vines
Container-grown grape vine plants can be planted any time of year, however most nursery and garden centers and other suppliers have more plants and varieties in stock during the spring and fall seasons.
Clusters of sweet grapes hanging from rows and rows of vines seems to be the essence of natural abundance. The fruits are loved for their taste and versatility. But if you're hoping to plant a few grapevines of your own, be prepared: there are quite a few to choose from.
Wine Grapes - There are thousands of varieties of grapes for winemaking, but they come from two primary groups. Vitis vinifera grapes grow primarily in Europe, while vitis labrusca grapes grow largely in Canada and the U.S. Wine grapes can be blended with other grape varieties to achieve a specific taste. In other cases, though, certain grapes are used for distinct wines: Zinfandel grapes, for example, are used to make red and white Zinfandel wine.
Other Types - Other varieties of grapes are grown primarily for eating. These can be eaten raw, but they can also be turned into jams, jellies and juices. Many of these varieties are also used in winemaking. Concord grapes, for example, are a popular variety grown for fresh eating and also used for making wine.
When selecting specific varieties of grapes, cunsult with your local nursery and garden center professional, your Local Extension Agent or, if you're lucky, someone in your area who has had a lot of success growing grapes.
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