Grapes: Planting, Care, and Varieties

Cultural Information: Grapes thrive in deep, fertile, well-drained sandy loam soils. With several vineyards and wineries in the Treasure Valley, it’s clear that certain areas of the valley provide the ideal conditions for producing high-quality grapes. Once established, grapevines grow vigorously. Fruit is produced on stems that develop from one-year-old wood, these are stems formed during the previous season. One-year-old stems have smooth bark, while older wood develops rough, shaggy bark.

Fertility: Grapes respond exceptionally well to fertilizers applied at bloom time. Ferti-lome “Gardener’s Special” fertilizer is highly recommended. Organic options such as Natural Guard’s “All Purpose Plant Food” and/or “IFA Bountiful Earth Humates” which promotes healthy growth. Cowgirl sterilized steer manure or O'dells Chicken Compost are excellent alternatives for enriching the soil.

Planting Instructions: For bare root plants, plant at the same depth as they grew at the wholesale nursery, making sure to cover any white sprouts at the crown. Avoid crowding or wadding the roots in the planting hole; be sure to prune the roots if necessary. For container-grown plants, follow the planting instructions provided in our guide. If you don’t already have a copy, ask for a free copy, given to you when you purchase plants from our garden center.

Pruning: There are several methods for pruning grapes, with spur pruning and cane pruning being the most common.

• First Summer: Allow the vine to grow freely without pruning. More leaves encourage strong root development.

• First Late Fall: Before the onset of cold weather, select the strongest shoot to become the trunk. Tie it to a post and shorten it to three or four of the lowest buds.

• Following Spring: Choose the strongest new shoot to continue the trunk. Select two strong lower shoots, tie them to horizontal wires, and let them develop. When the trunk reaches the second wire in the second season, pinch back for branching. Train the two strongest shoots along the second wire and remove any lateral shoots. During the second winter, prune all growth on the trunk and arms, ensuring wires are loosely tied to avoid damage.

• Third Summer: Let the vine grow but remove any shoots emerging from the trunk.

From this point, cane pruning and spur pruning diverge:

• Cane Pruning: Cut back each cane to 12 buds, which will bear fruit the following summer. Select two strong lateral shoots as renewal spurs and cut each to two buds. Each winter, remove fruiting canes at the base and choose new shoots from renewal spurs to become the next fruiting canes. Tie the two of the strongest canes to the wire and select the next two for renewal spurs.

• Spur Pruning: Remove weak side shoots from the arms. Leave strong spurs spaced 6–10 inches apart and cut each to two buds. Each spur produces two fruit-bearing shoots in the next season. Each subsequent winter, remove the lower shoot from each spur and cut the upper stem to two buds for next year’s fruiting stems.

Varieties:

• Concord: Self-fertile, moderate vigor. Tough-skinned blue grapes, medium to large, aromatic and flavorful. Blooms mid-season, matures late September. Excellent for eating, jelly, or juice; usually seeded, with rare seedless types.

• Niagara: Self-fertile, moderate vigor. Light amber, slip-skin grapes, sweet and juicy. Blooms mid-season, matures late September. Great for eating, arbors, or fences; seedless variant known as White Concord.

• Himrod: Self-fertile, moderate vigor. Large, loose, golden-yellow clusters. Sweet, delicate flavor. Blooms mid-season, matures early September. Ideal for raisins, juice, or fresh fruit. Seedless.

• Suffolk Red: Self-fertile, moderate vigor. Medium, round, meaty berries, bright red to grayish pink. Sweet flavor. Blooms mid-season, matures early to mid-September. Requires good moisture and full sun. Seedless.

• Candice: Self-fertile, vigorous. Medium red fruit in long clusters. Sweet, spicy flavor similar to Concord. This early blooming variety matures mid-August to September. Requires heavy pruning for wood maturity. Seedless, excellent for table use, jelly, juice, and wine.

• Golden Muscat: Self-fertile, moderate vigor. Large amber clusters, juicy and sweet. Blooms mid-season; full sun ideal.

• Interlaken: Self-fertile, moderate vigor. Medium tapering clusters, crisp and meaty, sweet-tangy flavor. Blooms mid-season, ripens mid- to late August. Seedless, disease resistant, good for fresh use or raisins.

• Concord Seedless: Self-fertile, vigorous. Blue, tough-skinned, semi-tart flavor. Blooms mid-season, matures September. Ideal for jams, jellies, or wine.

• Glenora: Self-fertile, vigorous. Large, seedless, extra juicy blue dessert grapes. Blooms mid-season, matures September. Great for pergolas, arbors, or trellises; adaptable and disease resistant.

• Vanessa: Self-fertile, moderate vigor. Firm, seedless red grapes, fruity flavor. Blooms mid-season, matures mid-September. Resists cracking, excellent for fresh eating or raisins.