Growing  table  grapes  in  colder  climates  

What  is  a  table  grape?  •  Very  simply  a  table  grape  is  a  grape  that  we  like  to  eat  ,  just  like  that!  

•  Some  considera>ons  when  choosing  a  table  grape  •  Flavour  •  Color  •  Size  •  Texture    •  Seedless  •  Customers  don’t  object  to  seeds  when  the  grapes  are  larger.  Small  grapes  with  lots  of  seeds  are  not  acceptable  

Why  do  we  try  growing  table  grapes?  

•  Some  success  with  wine  grapes  in  our  general    area  

•  New  product  for  our  farm  •  Time  to  try  something  different  and  a  bit  exo>c  

•  Market  exists  for  this  product  •  Someone  told  me  it  couldn’t  be  done..  

Steps  I  took  to  establish  my  small  vineyard  

•  Get  informed-­‐  research  •  Training  •  Visits  area  vineyards  •  Ask  ques>ons  •  Go  for  it..  Jump  right  in!  

Site  considera>ons  

•  All  grapes  do  best  in  well  drained  soils.  If  the  water  table  is  above  60cm,  you  will  have  problems  

•  Best  on  a  southern  facing  slope  but  not  essen>al  

•  Wind  direc>on-­‐  know  where  your  predominant  winds  are  in  spring  and  summer  

Soil  prepara>on  

•  Soil  sample  to  determine  what  you  have    in  nutrients  

•  Prepare  for  soil  amendments  if  necessary  •  Aim  for  a  pH  of  at  least  5.6  best  over  6.0  •  Do  not  over  fer>lize.  Check  nitrogen  levels,  too  much  and  you  will  have  too  much  vine  and  no  fruits.  

•  5t/ha  compost  before  plan>ng  and  every  5  years  is  recommended.  

Recommended  varie>es  •  Sommerset-­‐  very  early    seedless  red..  highly  recommended  •  Reliance-­‐  mid  season  seedless  red-­‐  notes  of  grapefruit  flavor  is  excellent  •  Pe/t  Joyaux  -­‐very  early  small  seedless  red-­‐nice  uniform  color  •  Roland-­‐  very  early  seeded  green-­‐  excep>onal  flavor  •  Himrod-­‐  mid  season  seedless  green-­‐  doesn’t  keep  long  aZer  harvest  but  good  flavor-­‐  

sensi>ve  to  cold  •  Bal/ca-­‐  very  early  seeded  blue-­‐  labrusca  flavor  •  Canadice-­‐  mid  season  seedless  red-­‐  very  sweet  •  Montreal  Blue-­‐  late  seedless  blue-­‐  acidic  •  Bluebell    mid  season  seeded  blue-­‐  labrusca  flavors(  like  Valiant-­‐  Concord)  •  Brianna-­‐  mid  season  green-­‐  lots  of  seeds-­‐  pineapple  flavor  •  Tango-­‐  mid  season  green-­‐seeded,  tangerine  -­‐  honey  flavor  •  Kandioyi    late  season  large  blue  seeded-­‐  large  fruit  but  not  overly  flavorful  •  Sovereign  corona>on-­‐  mid  season  seedless  blue-­‐  good  flavor  but  does  not  produce  a  

large  crop  •  Swenson  red-­‐  mid  season  red  ,  seeded,  keeps  long  aZer  harvest  •  Troll-­‐  very  early  seeded  blue-­‐  small  bunches  •  New  York  Muscat-­‐  mid  to  late  season,  bleu-­‐  excep>onal  flavor  •  Eidelweiss-­‐  mid  season-­‐  green-­‐  labrusca  flavor  

Establishing  plan>ng    Get  plants  or  cu`ngs  from  disease  

free  stock.  We  purchased  from  Claude  Gelineau  St.  Gerome  (Quebec)  500+  dormant  cu`ngs  in  late  2012.    Store  cu`ngs  at  1C  wrapped  in  damp  newspapers  or  wood  shavings,  in  a  plas>c  bag.  

•  Early  spring  •  Soak  cu`ngs  in  a  couple  of  inches  of  water  overnight  to  ensure  that  they  are  well  hydrated.  

•  Sani>ze  by  dipping  for  30  seconds  in  a  solu>on  of  5%    hydrogen  peroxide.    

•  Pot    •  Place  in  greenhouse  and  keep  well  watered  •  Between  40%-­‐90%  of  cu`ngs  rooted  depending  on  the  variety.  

Field  plan>ng  

•  Harden  off  cu`ngs    •  Prepare  field    •  Plant  •  Add  soil  amendments  if  not  done  already  •  Install  drip  irriga>on  •  Stake  plants  •  Install  trellis  systems  •  Keep  weed  free  1m  around  each  plant  

Drip  irriga>on  system  

Year  2  

•  Con>nue  to  irrigate  if  necessary  •  Con>nue  to  maintain  a  weed  free  strip  around  the  vines  

•  Prune  to  select  one  main  shoot    •  Train  to  cordon  or  arm  •  Establish  permanent  grass  in  between  rows  if  you  haven’t  in  the  first  year.    

•  Remove  suckers  –  some  varie>es  seem  to  sucker  more  than  others.  

Year  3  and  beyond    •  Prune  cordon      

•  Guide  the  new  growth  between  the  two  wires  so  that  you  can  have  some  support  

•  Verify  weekly  for  bugs  or  disease  or  any  other  problem  that  may  manifest  itself-­‐remove  suckers    

•  Remove  excess  frui>ng  clusters  at  bloom  •  Remove  leaves  in  August  to  help  fruit  mature  •  Protect  from  birds  •  Eat  grapes      

Eidelweiss  

Bal>ca  

Tango  

Valiant  

Pe>t  Joyaux  

Reliance  

Somerset  

Roland  

Things  I  would/will  do  different  

•  Would  keep  irriga>on  during  frui>ng  year  •  Establish  permanent  sod  selec>ng  grasses  that  require  less  mowing  

•  Mulch  instead  of  weed  •  Control  of  wasps.