Grape Site Selection
• Full sun • Well-drained soil Growing Grapes in the Home Garden • Good air drainage
Peter Nitzsche Morris County Agricultural Agent
Types of grapes Types of grapes
• European types • American types – vitis vinifera – vitis labrusca – table & wine grapes • Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay • Concord, Catawba, Niagara – grafted onto phylloxera resistant rootstock – own rootstock – long season not very hardy – Vitis rotundifolia – good for wine • Muscadine type grapes • Grown in the South
U. of Kentucky
Grape Types (cont.) Grape Establishment
• French x American Hybrids • Graft union 6” above soil – vitis labrusca X vinifera surface • Seyval, Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin • Mulch to control weeds but – more hardy than vinifera keep 6” from trunk to avoid rodent damage – good wines • remove flowers 1 and 2nd year
1 Grape Fertilization Grape Spacing
• Soil test • 6-10’ between rows • year 1 • 6-8’ between plants – 1/3 lb 10-10-10 per vine after growth begins in May • year 2 on – 1/2-3/4 lb 10-10-10 per vine depending on growth
The Grape Vine Grape Training and Pruning
• Decrease fruit load to increase fruit size and quality • To open canopy to decrease disease
Grape Pruning grapevine unpruned grapevine unpruned grapevine pruned grapevine pruned
2 Modified Keuka Training System Training a grapevine
Four arm Kniffen system
Steps to Pruning Grapevines Steps to Pruning Grapevines (cont.)
1) Select proper training system based on varietal growth habit 5) Select canes or spurs to maintain - Spread evenly and vigor. 6) Determine # buds/spur based on # of spurs/canes. 2) Remove dead wood, suckers, mummies, and “bull” canes - > 7) Remove all remaining wood 3/4” in diameter 8) Cut canes and spurs to length 3) Evaluate balance of vine. Determine # of buds to maintain. 4) Select trunks and arms to maintain
Grape Black Rot Grape Black Rot
3 Grape Black Rot Control Grape Phylloxera Control
• sanitation • Insect pest that originated in • eliminate “mummies” during U.S. almost wiped out French winter wine industry in 1800s • pick off leaves with lesions • resistant cultivars & rootstocks • proper pruning & training • vinifera varieties must have • maintain open canopy rootstocks • resistant varieties • Bordeaux mix – copper sulphate & hydrated lime • Captan U. of Kentucky
Grape Downy Mildew Grape Downy Mildew Control
• sanitation • eliminate diseased leaves in fall • proper pruning & training • maintain open canopy • resistant varieties • Bordeaux mix – copper sulphate & hydrated lime • Captan
Japanese Beetle Control Grape Crown Gall Control
• Hand-pick • plant certified material • Shake onto drop cloth • prune out infected trunks – early morning – above graft union • Sevin • multiple trunks – Be careful with honey bees • Bag traps – in neighbors yard only!
4 More Information
• FS 100 Grape Growing in the Home Garden: Pest Control
• Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America http://www.nraes.org/
• Wine Grape Varieties for Pa http://agsci.psu.edu/fphg/tables/Table6-3.pdf
• Table Grape Varieties for Cool Climates http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/hort/faculty/reisch/bulletin/table/in dex.html
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