All about the Grapes......

The links below are excellent Purdue extension articles on Grape production in Indiana....Very Helpful!! Also the last one is a awesome site on how to build your own grape arbor...

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ho-45.pdf
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/ho-221.pdf
http://www.homedit.com/how-to-build-a-grape-arbor-step-by-step/

A Bit on Grapes.....I'm all for seedles...

Grapes should be planted in early spring, as soon as the soil can be prepared. Cut off long broken roots so that they can be spread evenly in the planting hole. Set the plant slightly deeper than it grew in the nursery, arranging the roots so that they are not bunched together. After planting, prune back to two lateral buds. Cultivate the young vines until they become established. Best results are achieved by training to a trellis. Beginning fertilization similar to raspberries is good for a start. DO NOT fertilize if vines show excessive growth. Grapes are very sensitive to many chemicals, particularly herbicides containing 2-4D. Keep this chemical as far as possible from your grapes. Captan will control harvest season rots if used according to the label.
Varieties of grapes are adapted to most climatic conditions. You are limited only in arid sections where irrigation is impractical. Also, you should have at least 170 frost free days for proper maturity of some varieties. If you live in an area with extremely severe winter temperatures with no real protection, it will be difficult to grow some varieties. Areas with high temperatures and high humidity present problems because grapes are susceptible to diseases which thrive under these conditions.
Grapes will grow in many different soils--even soils of sand, gravel, shale, slate or clay. Vine growth is generally improved by adding organic matter to the soil. The soil exerts considerable influence on the crop. Very rich soils and soils containing high organic content produce a heavy, but late-maturing crop with a low sugar content. Light soils tend to produce light yields of early-maturing fruit with a high sugar content and comparatively weak vine growth.
Patience is the virtue in starting your new vineyard. Often, it can take many years to reap that first big harvest. Be patient. Once the grapes are established and properly maintained, they will give you many years of bountiful harvests.

TABLE GRAPES

Click here for Grape Varieties Chart
Concord (Best Blue Variety)
The Concord variety has that true grape flavor and has been planted for a century. It is hard to beat for home gardeners or commercial sales. It is a late ripener. Used for wine as well as juice and jelly.

Concord Seedless
Grapes are smaller than regular Concord and will have an occasional seed. The flavor is the same as a regular Concord grape but slightly sweeter. The concord seedless generally ripens 1 week earlier than the seeded Concord and is excellent for pies, jams, jellies, and wine. Once the vine becomes established it shows improved vigor and productivity. Hardy in zones 5-9.

Fredonia (Best Black Variety)
Fredonia has a wonderful flavor and superb quality. This is the BEST of the black grapes. It is early to ripen, large and is promising. Ripens 2 weeks earlier than Concord.

Himrod (White Seedless)
The hardiest of the white seedless. It is of the finest quality for eating. Ripens in mid-August in Zone 6. The vines do well in warmer areas of Zone 4, 5 & 6. Hardy to -15.

Mars (Seedless)
A vigorous blue seedless grape. Clusters are medium-sized and well filled. Vines are reasonably hardy and resistant to several major diseases. Mars is one of the last to bud out in the spring, which helps it avoid the late frost. Vines may bear fruit quite heavily therefore production should be controlled on young vines to prevent delays in establishment. Slipskin.

Niagara (Best White Variety)
This white grape ripens mid-season and produces an abundance of clusters of large flavorful fruit. It is an excellent white grape. Great for juice, wine and eating.

Reliance (Red Seedless-Patented)
This grape is VERY winter hardy. It has large clusters and is an excellent table grape or can be for commercial uses. It is good all over the Midwest. Hardy to -34. Medium size fruit.

Somerset (Seedless)
Winter hardy, medium-sized red grape with strawberry-like flavor. Moderately vigorous plants with small to medium sized compact clusters. Quite disease resistant but requires typical spray program for downy mildew control. Grapes are edible at the pink stage but much more flavorful and sweeter if left to ripen to full red. Great for juice and jelly. (Zone 4 - 8)

Suffolk Red (Seedless)
An outstanding new red seedless! High quality round, spicy-sweet fruit. Attractive, bright red berries hang in long loose clusters. A fine table grape that ripens in early September. It's hardy to about 10°F.

ThomCord (Seedless)
Cross between Tompson Seedless and Concord - sweet, juicy and plump. Thomcord has a blue-black skin with a mildly sweet flavor from the Thompson seedless parent, blended with a Concord-like taste. Perfect for eating fresh off the vine! Fruit is firmer than Concord and heat tolerant. (Zone 5-9)

Venus (Seedless)
A vigorous and productive blue-black seedless table grape. The medium clusters ripen early, producing large berries with mild, labrusca flavor. Shows good resistance to Black Rot and Powdery Mildew. (Zone 5-9)

WINE GRAPES

Click here for Grape Varieties Chart
Cayuga
Named at Geneva in 1972, it's excellent cultural characteristics and high wine quality make it a promising variety for the future. Cayuga is one of the most productive and disease-resistant grapes grown in the eastern U.S. It's highly rated wine has medium body and good balance. This versatile grape can be made into a semisweet wine, or, using oak aging, can be made into a dry, less fruity wine.
Foch (Kuhlmann 188-2)
A black grape that ripens very early with small berries and clusters, has hardy vines with medium vigor and production. A very popular red wine grape that produces wine in styles ranging from fruity, light red table wines to hearty, full bodied reds.
Geneva Red (formerly known as GR-7) (Patent Pending)
A new commercial red wine grape from Cornell University in New York. Geneva Red is very disease resistant, vigorous and a heavy producer with good cold hardiness of -25 to -35 degrees. Makes a fine dark red wine with a classical dybrid aroma. A great selection for commercial growers and home gardeners where winter hardiness is a concern.
St. Croix
Sweet, bluish-red grape that makes an excellent table grape but primarily used for making red wine. Very winter hardy vines with little or no winter injury. Roots are a bit less hardy without snow cover. Expect vigorous growth and good resistance to powdery mildew and black rot. Watch for fruit to turn a darker color for full ripeness. Makes a medium to full-bodied, dry, deep red wine with soft tannins and good fruit aromas with currant and other dried fruit flavor qualities. (Zone 3-8)
Traminette (White Wine Grape)
Indiana's Signature Grape! A Gewurztraminer hybrid from the Geneva Breeding Program. Named in 1996, this hybrid produces wines of excellent quality, spicy and aromatic. The vine is much more winter hardy than its Gewurztraminer parent. Productive and moderately resistant to Powdery Mildew.
Vidal Blanc (Vidal 256)
Hybrid of Trebbiano, the Italian white Chiati grape, which it resembles in both wine and vine. Medium to very large, compact clusters. Small, white grapes. Its wine has a good aroma. Vidal is a vigorous, moderately hardy, heavy producer. Mildew resistant. Foliage sometimes shows spots of mite damage which, however, are self healing. Ripens late. Hardy to -5 degrees F. Originated in the French Cognac district. Source History: 4 in 1988 and 1992.

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  1. Hi i like your post realy i have read first time Thanks for sharing keep up the good work.


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