This year we are offering several varieties of grape vines. Some are seedless fruit and some are seeded. The seedless ones are generally preferred for fresh eating, but may not have sufficient winter hardiness for the coldest areas of Michigan. Seeded varieties can be used for all purposes, and are hardy anywhere in the lower peninsula. All these grape vines are grown on their own roots (not grafted) so even if they do die back from a severe winter they will regrow the same variety from the root system. Plants should be spaced 6′ – 8′ apart on a simple wire trellis, and do best in full sun and well drained soil.
If you live in an area of the state that is too cold for the seedless grape varieties, you can take them off their trellis in the late fall, and bury them under several inches of soil, this will keep the vines from winter killing. Remove the dirt in spring, and put the the vines back on the trellis. The vines will take off in the spring.
Concord – this heirloom variety is the standard for eastern grapes and Michigan grows 1000’s of acres of them for juice, wine, and jelly. Blueseeded fruit is highly flavored, and vines are very productive. More cold hardy than seedless grapes. You can’t go wrong with Concord ! (zone 4)
Himrod – is an excellent flavored seedless green variety that is used as a table grape and will also make a great flavored white wine. This is the most cold hardy seedless green variety (zone 5).
Reliance – this red seedless grape has excellent flavor for fresh eating and also makes a beautiful rose wine. Most cold hardy of the red seedless varieties (zone 5).
Extra large bare-root vines are priced at $12.00 each