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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 7/30/2019 6:51:10 PM

khmark7

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July here was mostly hot & dry....and lately our weather has been pleasant warm temps with dry conditions. Vines currently going through veraison, many vines only a week behind schedule which is amazing given we started the season a few weeks behind schedule courtesy of a late snow/frost/blizzard. When Nicholas Harbour stopped and saw my yard outside of Chicago it was a frost damaged wasteland.

If our winter is "normal" i should have a full crop next year.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 2/10/2020 11:30:44 AM

recotte

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Lots of warm sunny days here, and most of my vines are starting to push out leaves. I guess spring has sprung in SoCal.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 2/10/2020 11:38:16 AM

khmark7

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Good to know it's spring somewhere. Thus far our mild winter has been ideal for the recovering vines & trees after last year's polar plunge. I will begin pruning in earnest in a week or three with high hopes for an early spring in Chicago.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 2/10/2020 1:30:09 PM

ChrisinCowiche

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quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

Good to know it's spring somewhere. Thus far our mild winter has been ideal for the recovering vines & trees after last year's polar plunge. I will begin pruning in earnest in a week or three with high hopes for an early spring in Chicago.

We're on similar trajectory, with bud break always around first week of April maybe a bit sooner since weather is mild. So, I have 6 weeks or so to get the pruning done. This weekend was warm enough but we were busy doing other stuff. May end up hiring it out again this year.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 2/10/2020 5:02:23 PM

khmark7

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Bud break for me, in town, is usually around April 20th (give or take). Bud break just outside of town is always a week later.

They are predicting some very warm weather at the end of the month, so you have to think this will start the process.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 2/22/2020 4:26:43 PM

khmark7

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As predicted we are having some slightly above average warm weather. So i started the process of pruning my vines & trees. Still have snow on the ground, but was able to work outside in just a hoodie today and the sun felt good. No winter damage noted on anything, my roses are still green and the bulb flowers are starting to grow. Spring?

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 2/22/2020 5:59:07 PM

CranBurgundy

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Poor Bud. He always breaks in Spring, but somehow he gets fixed and does it all over every year.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 3/2/2020 6:18:27 PM

ChrisinCowiche

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Warmed up enough to motivate me to prune for an hour yesterday. 2 rows down, 41 to go. With travel bans I should be homebound for the next month, and find the weekend hours to do it myself. I actually forgot how soothing it is when you get a rhythm on a warm day. Tying up and training stragglers is still a PITA, but I might trick somebody into doing that part. Only 4-5 rows have any significant training needed at this point.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 3/2/2020 8:27:26 PM

lafeeverted

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Cut my cordons off yesterday transitioning to guyot. Believe too much disease overwintering in the wood. Fighting a losing battle every year. Hoping to get some new shoots to reset the canes to better positioning. Currently the remaining spurs are too high from the first wire.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 3/3/2020 3:34:00 AM

khmark7

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Our forecast is warmer than typical for this time of year. I took Thursday off from work and hope to at least get the majority of my year completed. There is nothing quick or easy about pruning these large hybrid vines, but it really is a thing of beauty to watch these huge vines get reduced to two simple canes and have everything start growing here again soon.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 3/19/2020 7:42:18 PM

lafeeverted

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Sap is flowing. Buds are swelling. Reset the wires. going to be 75' tomorrow. Looks like an early start to the growing season.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 3/19/2020 8:16:41 PM

CranBurgundy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: lafeeverted

Sap is flowing. Buds are swelling. Reset the wires. going to be 75' tomorrow. Looks like an early start to the growing season.

The Groundhog certainly is an expert.

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Purple Drankin' Cretin.

Vote NO on Proposition S1ct1516 "BAN the CRAN!" this Election Day.

“Let it be recorded: henceforth, December 15 shall be known as 'The Day of Dennis'.” - Prof. Ken "KPB" Birman, 12/17/23

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 3/20/2020 6:05:38 AM

khmark7

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After our cold weekend the weather improves back to normal temps and i will expect some changes by early April. Feel that we are going to be 2 weeks early this year.

The good thing is that this year i can wear a full respirator while spraying and nobody would even look twice at me.....

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 3/29/2020 2:19:26 PM

khmark7

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Vines starting to bleed from their pruning cuts now.

March around here has been very typical, your usual temperature swings and windy conditions.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/8/2020 9:51:14 AM

lafeeverted

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First bud break was Sunday on one of my 1 yr old vines.

Call me crazy but I am going to attempt to implement Organic/Biodynamic principles this year. I may lose this fight in the humid NJ summers and will resort to chemicals to save the crop.

I am only working a miniscule backyard plot with 8 Cabernet Franc vines. Really only 7 as one did not survive last year. Good opportunity to try layering!

The vines are vigorous so I knew I had to add some competing plants to try to get some balance. I hope to plant perennial herbs and creeping fescue under the rows. Clover, yellow pea legumes in between along with a selection of wildflowers and medicinal herbs nearby.

I did not want to go all in and start burying manure in cow horns but I did find a company online where all of these preparations can be purchased.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/8/2020 10:36:55 AM

BobMilton

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We had bud break and nice leaves a few days ago. Of course, I say we have a vineyard - as in I have one vine in my yard. A nice Tablas Creek Syrah.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/8/2020 5:07:05 PM

khmark7

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quote:

ORIGINAL: lafeeverted

First bud break was Sunday on one of my 1 yr old vines.

Call me crazy but I am going to attempt to implement Organic/Biodynamic principles this year. I may lose this fight in the humid NJ summers and will resort to chemicals to save the crop.

I am only working a miniscule backyard plot with 8 Cabernet Franc vines. Really only 7 as one did not survive last year. Good opportunity to try layering!

The vines are vigorous so I knew I had to add some competing plants to try to get some balance. I hope to plant perennial herbs and creeping fescue under the rows. Clover, yellow pea legumes in between along with a selection of wildflowers and medicinal herbs nearby.

I did not want to go all in and start burying manure in cow horns but I did find a company online where all of these preparations can be purchased.

Thoughts & prayers.....

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/9/2020 1:56:46 PM

peeks13

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From: Wilmette, IL
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quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

Vines starting to bleed from their pruning cuts now.

March around here has been very typical, your usual temperature swings and windy conditions.

Karl, I'm throwing in the towel on my pinot noir and riesling vines. Winters are just too tough to keep them producing over here by Lake Michigan.

How are the grape plants they sell at the big box stores? I've seen a few and I realize they are not vitis vinifera but I'm OK with that. Will they work out OK?

Thanks

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/9/2020 2:46:58 PM

ChrisinCowiche

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I got all my pruning done a week or so ago when I stayed at home, only working for a couple of conference calls per day, but officially on PTO. This weekend, starting tomorrow, I hope to do all my tying and training.

My Cub Cadet went to the shop this week for its first overhaul since new, and with new/sharp blades, and tires that hold air, I expect to be in full hydrostatic mowing mode in a couple of weeks. I need to test my spray gun trailer, which I use for a sulfur mildew spray. Besides that I don't spray any pesticides nor use round up. Not certified Organic, but technically so according to rules on what you can spray I think.

A few people around me have done the Biodynamic thing. Last time I asked the local disciple about his Organic/Biodynamic vineyards he told me he gave up because he needed to use some chemicals to keep the vineyards healthy. I didn't ask which ones, and I don't know if he still believes in cowhorns, but I always thought it was a bit of hocus pocus when sound farming is sound farming.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/9/2020 3:38:13 PM

khmark7

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quote:

ORIGINAL: peeks13

quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

Vines starting to bleed from their pruning cuts now.

March around here has been very typical, your usual temperature swings and windy conditions.

Karl, I'm throwing in the towel on my pinot noir and riesling vines. Winters are just too tough to keep them producing over here by Lake Michigan.

How are the grape plants they sell at the big box stores? I've seen a few and I realize they are not vitis vinifera but I'm OK with that. Will they work out OK?

Thanks

Riesling & Pinot Noir need to be covered to survive the winters....i've developed a system using multiple rose cone coverings that had worked well. My Gewurztraminer & Zweigelt survived -28 degrees.

The box stores will sell some interesting vines....Mars, Reliance, Canadice, Somerset perhaps a few others are good seedless grapes that will need more room than a Riesling. They are better suited for top wire trellis systems, but are really nice overall....and very disease resistant and winter hardy. Concord is good, but there are better for this area. I purchase all my vines from Double A vineyards in NY state. They do a nice job working with people like us who place small orders.

Ultimately it depends on your trellis system and your goal of winemaking vs seedless vs grape jelly.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/9/2020 3:49:40 PM

khmark7

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From: Chicago suburbs
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quote:

ORIGINAL: ChrisinCowiche

I got all my pruning done a week or so ago when I stayed at home, only working for a couple of conference calls per day, but officially on PTO. This weekend, starting tomorrow, I hope to do all my tying and training.

My Cub Cadet went to the shop this week for its first overhaul since new, and with new/sharp blades, and tires that hold air, I expect to be in full hydrostatic mowing mode in a couple of weeks. I need to test my spray gun trailer, which I use for a sulfur mildew spray. Besides that I don't spray any pesticides nor use round up. Not certified Organic, but technically so according to rules on what you can spray I think.

A few people around me have done the Biodynamic thing. Last time I asked the local disciple about his Organic/Biodynamic vineyards he told me he gave up because he needed to use some chemicals to keep the vineyards healthy. I didn't ask which ones, and I don't know if he still believes in cowhorns, but I always thought it was a bit of hocus pocus when sound farming is sound farming.

Chris - given your dry climate i would have guessed that you need very few late season sprays. Early season before the fruit form is always a good idea....but you live in a really ideal grape growing location. I have noticed that if i am on target early in the season that my vitis vinifera do just fine later without much spraying at all and i live in a very humid and sometimes wet environment.

We have cold temps moving in this weekend. Predicting bud break the week of April 20-26 - which is basically on target for the average despite our mild winter.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/16/2020 6:45:41 PM

lafeeverted

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Freeze warning up for tonight. Propane grill and fire pit set up near my vulnerable vines. Waking up at 2 to light them!

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/17/2020 3:45:40 AM

khmark7

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Big warm up next week, so i may still be on target.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/24/2020 7:39:10 PM

peeks13

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quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

Big warm up next week, so i may still be on target.

Karl, not sure what I can get from Home Depot or Menards or local garden places but Lowes has plants of:

Canadice seedless
Edelweiss
Himrod seedless
Reliance seedless
Bluebell
Concord seedless

Your thoughts on hardiness, flavor, vine vigor?

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/25/2020 5:42:26 AM

khmark7

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quote:

ORIGINAL: peeks13

quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

Big warm up next week, so i may still be on target.

Karl, not sure what I can get from Home Depot or Menards or local garden places but Lowes has plants of:

Canadice seedless
Edelweiss
Himrod seedless
Reliance seedless
Bluebell
Concord seedless

Your thoughts on hardiness, flavor, vine vigor?

Not sure of your trellis system or soil.

Edelweiss & Bluebell would need a high wire (about 5 feet high) to grow upon, both can be vigorous and both are disease resistant for the most part. Bluebell is a good Concord substitute if you want grape jelly. Edelweis makes white wine. Both are cold tolerant to something like -30F. Great ideas for a long fence (if it's high enough)

Concord seedless - forget about this, much better varietals
Himrod - no experience

Reliance - great seedless, has a more upright growth pattern, not too overly vigorous, grapes are tasty when ripe but the raccoons love these so you need to grow this so you can protect it if you want the fruit. Also very cold tolerant, i grow mine along my driveway and rarely has it experienced winter damage. Beautiful foliage good disease resistance.

Canadice - Another very tasty seedless. Cold tolerant enough for this area, but not as much as Reliance. Not overly vigorous. Recommended.

Somerset is another one like Canadice that i would recommend. It's usually at the big box stores.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/25/2020 5:59:50 AM

lafeeverted

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Ordered 5 more Cab Franc vines, planting mid-May. The last week has seen multiple frost/freeze warnings but we seemed to have been spared. Bud break across all the vines.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/25/2020 6:07:48 PM

peeks13

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From: Wilmette, IL
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quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

quote:

ORIGINAL: peeks13

quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

Big warm up next week, so i may still be on target.

Karl, not sure what I can get from Home Depot or Menards or local garden places but Lowes has plants of:

Canadice seedless
Edelweiss
Himrod seedless
Reliance seedless
Bluebell
Concord seedless

Your thoughts on hardiness, flavor, vine vigor?

Not sure of your trellis system or soil.

Edelweiss & Bluebell would need a high wire (about 5 feet high) to grow upon, both can be vigorous and both are disease resistant for the most part. Bluebell is a good Concord substitute if you want grape jelly. Edelweis makes white wine. Both are cold tolerant to something like -30F. Great ideas for a long fence (if it's high enough)

Concord seedless - forget about this, much better varietals
Himrod - no experience

Reliance - great seedless, has a more upright growth pattern, not too overly vigorous, grapes are tasty when ripe but the raccoons love these so you need to grow this so you can protect it if you want the fruit. Also very cold tolerant, i grow mine along my driveway and rarely has it experienced winter damage. Beautiful foliage good disease resistance.

Canadice - Another very tasty seedless. Cold tolerant enough for this area, but not as much as Reliance. Not overly vigorous. Recommended.

Somerset is another one like Canadice that i would recommend. It's usually at the big box stores.

Trellis is 6 ft high so good there.

Menards has Neptune and Fredonia. How are they?

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 4/26/2020 3:50:47 AM

khmark7

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No experience with Neptune. Fredonia is similar to Concord or Bluebell. Maybe a little less disease resistance & vigor, but should be ok.

If you have a 6 foot trellis i would recommend the Somerset, Canadice & Reliance, all which are good tasting seedless grapes and not crazy vigorous in their growth.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 5/3/2020 2:50:34 PM

khmark7

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Grapes now growing around here, only we have some cooler weather on the horizon and will need to play catch up in later May to stay on target for flowering. A cool start to the spring isn't the worst of situations with grapes.

Looks the opposite out along the west coast.

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RE: Growing Your Own Grapes - 5/4/2020 9:26:10 AM

ChrisinCowiche

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quote:

ORIGINAL: khmark7

Grapes now growing around here, only we have some cooler weather on the horizon and will need to play catch up in later May to stay on target for flowering. A cool start to the spring isn't the worst of situations with grapes.

Looks the opposite out along the west coast.

We've had a relatively cool spring, and this morning hit 34, so barely avoiding a frost, which might be deadly to tender shoots and leaves. I've got 2-3 inch leaves and growth everywhere, so winter was no killing this year, but a close call today. Forecast it a warm up later this week into the 80's so maybe the cold is over. My mower is still in the shop, so the rows are becoming jungle like. WE haven't had much rain though so not as green and lush as normal, and I started my drip irrigation last week. A few repairs to PVC pipes and valves as always, and I got a good round across the whole vineyard over the weekend.

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