Grape Growing 102 Answers To Questions • Site Selection and Soil Science Thank you to the following for contributing to this presentation: • Rebecca Harbut - University of Wisconsin Madison, Extension Fruit Specialist • Wine or Table Grapes • Kevin Schoessow – Agriculture Agent NW Wisc – Spooner – Which Varieties to Plant • Tim Rehbein - Agricultural Agent Vernon County • Planting, Trellis, etc….. • Dean Volenberg - Agricultural Agent Door County • Wisconsin Grape Growers Association • Vine Anatomy and How To Prune and Train • Pest Problems • Harvest Site Selection Site Selection Location - Cold Location – • SE-S-SW facing slope Couderay Heat Accumulation • Air drainage down slope to open area -55 °F • Avoid cold air traps at 4 February 1996 bottom of slope • Avoid sheltered areas with little air movement – Frost free season of 140- 150 days • 2000 Heat Units 50 °F • Lowest temps. -10 to (-15) • Heat Accumulation is the °F is ideal, -20 °F other half of the story tolerable For More Information on Wisconsin Climate. For More Information on Wisconsin Climate. State Climatology Office State Climatology Office http://www.aos.wisc.edu/~sco/seasons/winter.html#Temperature http://www.aos.wisc.edu/~sco/seasons/winter.html#Temperature Site Selection Site Selection Location Soil and Soil Test • Soil • Soil Sampling – Well-drained – Sampling Soils for loam Testing A2100 – pH 6.0 to 7.2 http://learningstore.uwex.edu/A ssets/pdfs/A2100.pdf – 125-150 ppm K2O – 30-50 ppm P205 – 1 to 2 oz – Sampling garden soils and turf areas for nitrogen/plant testing A2166 Split application http://learningstore.uwex.edu/A during first year ssets/pdfs/A2166.pdf 1 Vine Balance Wine or Dine • Wine Grapes ( 15 pounds per plant) – Numerous hardy varieties to choose from – White or red wine – Quality dependent on • Growing conditions • Crop load management • Training system • Table Grapes (Can get to 20 pounds per plant) – Seedless varieties both blue, red, and green/white – Somewhat reduced hardiness • DO NOT OVER-FERTILIZE – Easy to grow – Unique flavors and qualities • 1 cup of a 9-23-30 is sufficient – Juice options for some seeded varieties – Some folks will eat seeded grapes Wine or Dine or Sublime Table Grape Varieties Some uses of the grape vine in the backyard or horticultural • Red Seedless Varieties setting are for mainly visual purposes – Reliance (Arkansas) For example on an arbor – Einset (New York) – Vanessa (Ontario) NOT for fruit production – Canadice (New York) Don’t over fertilize Don’t have to worry about critters – Petite Jewel (Wisconsin,Swenson) Don’t have to worry about colored bird poop! – Somerset seedless (Minnesota) The University of Minnesota is breeding a vine just for this purpose Reliance Einset • Vines hardy for zone 5 (T.R.) • Vines are hardy with moderate • Early ripening vigor zone 5 (T.R.) • High production potential • Early ripening after Reliance • Medium sized berries, slightly • Medium sized cling skin berries thick cling-slip skin • Mild flavor and good quality • Mild flavor, strawberry after taste • Variable fruit color if shaded • Production level variable • Consistent performance • Good storage potential • Hardy -15 to -25 °F Red Table Grape Red Table Grape 2 Vanessa Canadice • Moderately hardy, vigorous vines • Vines are hardy, moderate vigor • Zone 5 (T.R.) • Zone 5 (T.R.) • Prefers well-drained fertile soils • Sets heavy crops limiting vigor • Early ripening with Einset • Ripens with Einset • Medium sized berries,thin skinned cling skin with very firm crisp flesh • Medium sized berries slip skin • Production and vigor site dependent tendency, somewhat soft flesh • Very high quality and storage life • Good quality, similar flavor to • Hardy -15 to -25 °F Delaware. Labrusca (foxy) flavor • Cluster thin to maintain vigor • Hardy -10 to -20 °F Red Table Grape Red Table Grape Petite Jewel Somerset Seedless • Very hardy, moderate vigor vine • Very vigorous vine • Zone 4 • Zone 4 • Ripens with or before Reliance • First to ripen at WMARS trial – end of August • Berries small-medium size • Berries small-medium size • Firm flesh, fruity-spicy flavor • Clusters ~ ¼ lb • Small loose clusters • Loose clusters • Very consistent performer for • Very consistent performer for harsh winter conditions harsh winter conditions Red Table Grape Red Table Grape Table Grape Varieties Marquis • White/Green Seedless • Vines are hardy of moderate vigor zone 5 (T.R.) • Ripens with,- slightly after Vanessa – Marquis (New York) • Large round berries borne in long loose clusters – Himrod (New York) • Skin thickness reduces with maturity • Good production; slow to establish • Best green for Midwest • Long maturity, best for southern WI White/Green Table Grape 3 Himrod Table Grape Varieties • Moderately hardy and vigorous • Blue seedless • Zone 5 (T.R.) – Trollhaugen • Medium sized cling skin berries • Ripens with Einset –Mars • High quality fruit and flavor • Excellent storage potential • Hardiness is still questionable for reliable production in northern areas of WI White/Green Table Grape Mars Trollhaugen • Hardy vigorous vines • Very hardy vines of moderate vigor • Zone 4 if protected (T.R.) • Zone 4 and possibly zone 3? • Midseason maturity • Early maturity before Mars • Small, thin skinned slip skin berries • Medium-large, slip skin • Excellent mild Concord flavor for berries, fresh market sales somewhat thick skinned • Very productive and reliable with • Concord type flavor, good good storage potential quality and storage potential • Excellent for harsh winter conditions • Very productive and reliable Blue Table Grape Blue Table Grape Seeded Varieties Wine Varieties • Buffalo – Concord type, hardy, vigorous, early maturity • Red Wine • White Wine – Large fruit of excellent quality • Swenson Red – Foch – La Crescent – Red variety, very hardy, late maturity –St. Croix – La Crosse – Large fruit, firm, excellent quality, needs heat • Bluebell – Frontenac –St. Pepin – Concord type, early maturity – Leon Millot – Frontenac gris –Very hardy – Reported as best juice variety – Marquette – Brianna • Concord – Baltica –Edelweiss –Old favorite – Very hardy, very vigorous – Petite Pearl – Needs heat and long season Seeded Table Grape Wine Grape 4 Marechal Foch St. Croix • Very hardy vines zone 4b • Very hardy vines 4 a & b • Low to moderate vigor • Moderate vigor • Early maturity • Matures early • High sugar and high acid • Harvested at low sugar • Making some nice wines • Very productive • Popular wine variety in MN Red Wine Grape Red Wine Grape Frontenac Leon Millot • Very hardy MN introduction • Hardy, vigorous vines zone 4a • Vigorous and very productive • Ripens before Foch, early season • Good disease resistance • Produces good quality Burgundy • Except for black rot • Very productive • Susceptible to Grape Phylloxera • Relatively disease free • High sugar 24-28% • Good choice in short season area • Very high acid • Relative of Foch • Matures early October • Deep red color for ports Wine Grape Red Wine Grape Marquette Baltica • Very hardy MN introduction • Introduction from Estonia • Moderate vigor • Parentage: V. amurensis, V. labrusca, • Production levels of 10#/plant V. riparia, and V. vinifera • Matures mid-late September • Long loose clusters • High sugar relatively low acid • Small sized berries (2 g) • Good disease resistance • Disease resistant except P. mildew • Makes a light red to full complex red wine, climate dependant • Excellent variety for short growing season Red Wine Grape Red Wine Grape 5 Petite Pearl La Crescent • Introduction from MN Breeder • Very hardy Tom Plocher • Vigorous and productive • Matures mid-September to early • Resembles Vignoles in flavor October in MN • High acid/High sugar • Compact cluster with small berries • Breaks bud late (frost protection) • Low disease susceptibility except for downy mildew • Disease resistant to P. mildew, D. mildew, and black rot • Matures late September • High tannin levels and low TA Red Wine Grape White Wine Grape La Crosse St. Pepin • Hardy vines, moderate vigor • Very hardy, vigorous vines • Early midseason maturity • Midseason maturity • Produces fruity non-labrusca wine • Pistillate type needs pollinator • Very productive which is usually La Crosse • Unique flavor even as a table grape • Produces fruity Riesling type wine • Consistent producer • Moderate production • Can get bunch rots • Blends well like La Crosse is a good table grape • Out of all the whites, most in demand by winemakers White Wine Grape White Wine Grape Frontenac Gris Brianna • Bud sport of Frontenac • Bred by Elmer Swenson and • Same viticultural characteristics named by Ed Swanson as Frontenac • Medium to large berries • Late midseason 24 to 25° Brix • Medium to small tight clusters (MN) • Vigorous growth • Peach, apricot, and tropical • Very cold hardy aromas • Grapefruit, tropical, floral • Very winter hardy characteristics • Often harvested at low brix 16 to 18, as ripening progresses foxy notes become apparent White Wine Grape White Wine Grape 6 Edelweiss Planting • Select North-South row orientation • Bred by Elmer Swenson in the 1970’s • Most of the plants are bare root stock • Medium to large berries • Spring plant into well tilled weed-free soil • Fairly loose clusters • Vigorous growth • Row spacing greater than trellis height • Very cold hardy • Plant spacing 6-8’ apart • German style sweet/semi sweet wine • Root prune vs. plant all roots • Often harvested at low brix 16 to – Excessively long roots cut back 18, as ripening progresses foxy – Prevent twisting and entangling of roots notes