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For the past several years we didn't get to enjoy our Scuppernong grapes, except the ones we found as they were beginning to get ripe. Starting in August, before the grapes were fully ripe, the raccoons came at night and had a family reunion in our grapevine. They didn't even clean up after themselves. The next day, the ground was covered with split open grape hulls. Each day I searched for some grapes to eat and also picked up the grape hulls and any grapes that had fallen and kept the ground clean. Before the grapes got ripe they were all gone.
This year, I outsmarted the raccoons by using my old rubber snake and several pieces of black rubber hose that look like snakes. Each day, I picked up any fallen grapes and moved the snake and hoses to different locations. Only one or two grape hulls on the ground that looked like they had been eaten by animals. Keeping the ground clean kept the gnats and ants away as well.
On September 14th, Hurricane Florence made landfall at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina. I knew, starting that afternoon, we would be getting a lot of wind and rain. Most all the grapes were ripe enough to pick so we quickly gathered all we could reach which was most of them. I had enough grapes to bag 5 quarts to put in the refrigerator and enough left over to share with the neighbors. Right after we finished picking them, it started raining.
We sure are enjoying these grapes, even the ones that haven't turned brown yet.
If you have listened to the news, you have heard about the devastation in North Carolina from hurricane Florence. Many in the low country are without power and are flooded. Please pray for them.
In our area, we are thankful to have not lost power and have had very little wind damage. The storm has moved on and the sun came out today. This morning, I checked the grapevine. I found only 4 grapes left hanging on one branch and there were no grapes or hulls on the ground under the vine. I'm glad we had time to pick them before the storm got here.
When the wind dies down, I'll get out my baby pool and start cleaning up the yard.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
What do you call these things hanging from my grapevine? Can I cut them off now or do I have to wait until the vine is dormant?
This is the first year they have been this thick and this long.
I believe they are called AIR ROOTS. They really aren't needed for the plant to grow and produce grapes. They are more for anchoring to whatever they are trying to climb and grow on.
It appears these are called 'Aerial Roots' and although weird looking can be removed without damaging your grape vines.
"Aerial rooting in grapes has been described as an indication of cold injury."
"Grape aerial roots, in themselves, are harmless. There is no evidence suggesting that they will impact the health or fruit production of the vine. However, grape aerial roots may actually be a sign from the vine that it is stressed or that it has experienced an injury in the recent past."
Here is a link that explains what may be causing your problem.
blog-fruit-vegetable-ipm.extension.../
Yes, these are aerial roots.
I found an interesting post by Eric Stafne (Mississippi State University) about aerial root formation in grapevines. grapes.extension.org/
"Aerial root formation in Vitis has been documented on different grape species; however, the driving forces behind the formation of adventitious roots are not well understood.
In temperate regions, freeze injury is the most likely initiator of aerial roots, as de Klerk et al. (1999) stated that some wounding is generally necessary to induce rooting.
I have grown a grapevine now for 4 years in my greenhouse. The root is outside the greenhouse, the vine is inside the greenhouse. All I get is bunches of small pea size grapes, very sweet but a lot of pips. Have taken advice over the years; pruning, thinning, feeding, watering, training, etc.
But it is the same. I'm about giving up on it now. Gave it my all. What can be the problem with this vine, is it just a runt? Help!
It's frustrating to try garden tips to no avail! You didn't mention soil, so I'll add here that too much nitrogen could be a culprit. However, assuming your grapes are Thompson, I'll venture that expectations are possibly not realistic. Industrial farmers use gibberellic acid (a synthetic plant growth regulator, i.e. hormone) to increase size and therefore marketability of table grapes -- this not available to home growers.
Make sure you are pruning the vine after the growing season is over. Letting the vine grow wild can be the cause of small grapes.
You do not grow the same type of grapevine and you do not grow a grapevine the same way if you want to have, big beautiful grapes to eat, grapes to make good wine, or if you want the grapevine to grow over an arbor. But in any case you should not grow a gravevine inside a greenhouse. The grapevines that produce wine are not good to eat. On a wine grapevine for the winter season we cut off all the branches and in the spring, out of the new branches starting from the floral buttons we leave only one branch or two branches at the most to grow along a wire and that's all. The grapevine that produces good quality wine is not left to climb it is maintained horizontal, it must receive all the nutrients and the whole field must receive as much sun as possible, that's why the plants are facing south in a slope to have no shadow. By law the grapes are picked up at a given time not earlier not later and for the grapes to receive as much sunlignt and warmth as possible we take off the leaves. In France it is forbiden to water the wine grapevines. It means that to make good wine you grow only a few grapes on the same plant, you do not water it to concentrate sugar as much as possible and you give it as much sun as possible. If your grapevine is a wine grapevine and you make it grow as many grapes as possible you will only have smallgrapes with nearly no taste and that will not be ready before falls (october). I your vine is made to produce table grapes it is the same if you want the kind of beautiful grapes you find in shops then you will have to make your vine produce only very few grapes. In the great grape yards like Bordeaux, côtes du Rhône, or côtes de Beaune each grapevine is kept as old as 50 years, because the less you wornout the plant the best the grapes will be. That means that to find out the right way to treat your grapevine you have to know which type it is because you will never get grapes delicious to eat if your vine is a wine grapevine. Here are the names of the tables grapes grapevines: the dark blue grapes : Alphonse Lavallée, Cardinal, Prima, Lival, Muscat de Hambourg and the white grapes ones : Ora, Danlas, Chasselas, Centennial. Hope this helps !
I have a large garden and would love to grow a grapevine. How do I start?
By Charlie
First, check with your local nursery to make sure you are in an area where grapes will grow. They will also advise you which varieties are best. When I was a child in Illinois we had a concord grape vine in our back yard which did produce grapes.
Now I have one in my yard in Santa Clara county in California which is also doing very well.
Next, plant it somewhere that you can have a very good trellis. Mine is made from 2x2s and leans against the side of the house. It supports the almost 100 lbs of grapes every year without falling down. That is just from one plant!
You could also train the vines horizontally along a fence. Every Fall we prune the vines way back to just the thickest ones. It might be a good idea to go to the library and take out some books about growing grapes or buy one at that local nursery.
We have small flies on our grape leaves. We have about 1/3 of an acre and so far about 5 plants are infected. Can you recommend a soap mixture that would get rid of the flies and not hurt the grapes?
Hardiness Zone: 9a
I sug to mix 1 teaspoon of liquid soap to 1 quart of water, in a spray bottle.I get them at Dollar store for a dollar, if that's not strong enough add more soap, good luck.
"Liquid soap" meaning something like Ivory soap, not harsh dish detergents. I use Dr. Bronner's liquid soap which can be found in some health food stores, supermarkets, or drug stores.
Your "flies" I imagine are Whiteflies. You could also just purchase and organic product like Safer's insecticidal soap and not chance using regular soaps that that can burn leaves once exposed to sun.
Soaps MUST come in direct contact with the pests to be any use because there is no residual effect. You will need to apply more than once because the adult flies will fly off when disturbed. Be sure to hit both tops and undersides of the leaves.
Whiteflies are not easy to control. Good luck!
www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/
Check with www.Jerrybaker.net. He gives you recipes for tonics for pests in the garden, as well as other issues. Most of the ingredients you already have in your home, so the cost is reasonable. I purchased a 20 page phamplet from him more than 25 years ago and had such great success, that I have purchasd several other books. His website has some tonic recipes and you can e-mail him for answers to your specific questions also. I hate to send you to just another site, but I can attest to fact that his advice is sound. Good Luck!
Are grape vines perennials or annuals? My zone is Indianapolis, Indiana.
By Teresa
They're perennials, but some varieties are hardier than others. I've grown Concord grapes in Salt Lake City, but that's too cold, I think, for most varieties. Wasshrunk is right, talk to your local nursery, if possible, or check your zone in a nursery catalog and then look for a variety that will thrive there.
I was wondering if anybody knew about grape vines. I have a Concord vine in my back yard. Last year it produced quite a bit of fruit. I am not quite sure if it was just proper conditions or if it is getting more mature. My question is does anyone know how to train it without ruining it?
By Andrea from Canada
Pruning grapes is another very important part of growing grapes and is beneficial for grape quality. Without proper pruning the amount of grapes produced and the size of the grapes will decrease. After vines are set using a trellis system they should be pruned to one stem and cut back to only a few buds. Pruning can be done in winter, but not during severe winter weather. Over and under pruning will cause grapes to be not as healthy. One particular expert says on his blog about how to grow grapes, that a grape vine reacts to the way you prune. Which means you will have fruit if you prune for fruit and you will have shoots if you prune for shoots.
Another important part of growing grape vines is air circulation; this prevents disease which can occur if the air is able to stagnant. Air circulation will also keep the vines moisture free and dry so there's less chance for fungus to grow. Don't plant grape vines anywhere that interferes with air circulation or movement. As you may see on t v where grape growers prune them way back to about head high ,for more go to "how to grow grapes"lot of info there, Good luck.
How do I transplant 4 year old Merlot plants?
By R Hale
We had a very hot, dry summer. I covered my grapes with netting to keep birds out, but as my grapes were ripening, something proceeded to eat them, leaving the stems on the vine and the grape skins on the ground. What is eating them and what can be done to prevent this, as the netting doesn't seem to be doing the trick?
By Paula
Will ants eat the leaves on my grapevines? If not, what else could it be?
By Fannie
Check out these photos.
Photo Description
This grapevine has taken over my gazebo.
Photo Location
Plum Grove, TX
Even if you don't have a garden space, you can successfully grow grapes in a container on your patio or deck. This is a page about growing grapes in containers.
This is a page about propagating grape vines from cuttings. Grape vines are a good candidate for propagating from either dormant or green cuttings.
