Grape Growing 102 Answers To Questions Site Selection and Soil - PDF document

Grape Growing 102 Answers To Questions • Site Selection and Soil Science Thank you to the following for contributing to this presentation: • Wine or Table Grapes • Rebecca Harbut - University of Wisconsin Madison, Extension Fruit Specialist • Kevin Schoessow – Agriculture Agent NW Wisc – Spooner – Which Varieties to Plant • Tim Rehbein - Agricultural Agent Vernon County • Planting, Trellis, etc….. • Dean Volenberg - Agricultural Agent Door County • Vine Anatomy and How To Prune and Train • Wisconsin Grape Growers Association • Pest Problems • Harvest Site Selection Site Selection Location - Cold Location – • SE-S-SW facing slope Heat Accumulation Couderay • Air drainage down slope to open area -55 ° F • Avoid cold air traps at 4 February 1996 bottom of slope • Avoid sheltered areas with little air movement – Frost free season of 140- 150 days • 2000 Heat Units 50 ° F • Lowest temps. -10 to (-15) • Heat Accumulation is the ° F is ideal, -20 ° F other half of the story tolerable For More Information on Wisconsin Climate. For More Information on Wisconsin Climate. State Climatology Office State Climatology Office http://www.aos.wisc.edu/~sco/seasons/winter.html#Temperature http://www.aos.wisc.edu/~sco/seasons/winter.html#Temperature Site Selection Site Selection Location Soil and Soil Test • Soil • Soil Sampling – Well-drained – Sampling Soils for loam Testing A2100 – pH 6.0 to 7.2 http://learningstore.uwex.edu/A – 125-150 ppm K 2 O ssets/pdfs/A2100.pdf – 30-50 ppm P205 – Sampling garden soils – 1 to 2 oz and turf areas for nitrogen/plant testing A2166 Split application http://learningstore.uwex.edu/A during first year ssets/pdfs/A2166.pdf 1

Vine Balance Wine or Dine • Wine Grapes ( 15 pounds per plant) – Numerous hardy varieties to choose from – White or red wine – Quality dependent on • Growing conditions • Crop load management • Training system • Table Grapes (Can get to 20 pounds per plant) – Seedless varieties both blue, red, and green/white – Somewhat reduced hardiness • DO NOT OVER-FERTILIZE – Easy to grow – Unique flavors and qualities • 1 cup of a 9-23-30 is sufficient – Juice options for some seeded varieties – Some folks will eat seeded grapes Wine or Dine or Sublime Table Grape Varieties • Red Seedless Varieties Some uses of the grape vine in the backyard or horticultural setting are for mainly visual purposes – Reliance (Arkansas) – Einset (New York) For example on an arbor – Vanessa (Ontario) NOT for fruit production – Canadice (New York) Don’t over fertilize – Petite Jewel (Wisconsin,Swenson) Don’t have to worry about critters – Somerset seedless (Minnesota) Don’t have to worry about colored bird poop! The University of Minnesota is breeding a vine just for this purpose Reliance Einset • Vines are hardy with moderate • Vines hardy for zone 5 (T.R.) vigor zone 5 (T.R.) • Early ripening • Early ripening after Reliance • High production potential • Medium sized berries, slightly • Medium sized cling skin berries thick cling-slip skin • Mild flavor and good quality • Mild flavor, strawberry after taste • Variable fruit color if shaded • Production level variable • Consistent performance • Good storage potential • Hardy -15 to -25 ° F Red Table Grape Red Table Grape 2

Vanessa Canadice • Moderately hardy, vigorous vines • Vines are hardy, moderate vigor • Zone 5 (T.R.) • Zone 5 (T.R.) • Prefers well-drained fertile soils • Sets heavy crops limiting vigor • Early ripening with Einset • Ripens with Einset • Medium sized berries,thin skinned • Medium sized berries slip skin cling skin with very firm crisp flesh tendency, somewhat soft flesh • Production and vigor site dependent • Good quality, similar flavor to • Very high quality and storage life Delaware. Labrusca (foxy) flavor • Hardy -15 to -25 ° F • Cluster thin to maintain vigor • Hardy -10 to -20 ° F Red Table Grape Red Table Grape Petite Jewel Somerset Seedless • Very vigorous vine • Very hardy, moderate vigor vine • Zone 4 • Zone 4 • First to ripen at WMARS trial – end • Ripens with or before Reliance of August • Berries small-medium size • Berries small-medium size • Firm flesh, fruity-spicy flavor • Clusters ~ ¼ lb • Small loose clusters • Loose clusters • Very consistent performer for • Very consistent performer for harsh winter conditions harsh winter conditions Red Table Grape Red Table Grape Table Grape Varieties Marquis • Vines are hardy of moderate vigor zone 5 (T.R.) • White/Green Seedless • Ripens with,- slightly after Vanessa – Marquis (New York) • Large round berries borne in long loose clusters – Himrod (New York) • Skin thickness reduces with maturity • Good production; slow to establish • Best green for Midwest • Long maturity, best for southern WI White/Green Table Grape 3

Table Grape Varieties Himrod • Moderately hardy and vigorous • Blue seedless • Zone 5 (T.R.) – Trollhaugen • Medium sized cling skin berries – Mars • Ripens with Einset • High quality fruit and flavor • Excellent storage potential • Hardiness is still questionable for reliable production in northern areas of WI White/Green Table Grape Mars Trollhaugen • Hardy vigorous vines • Very hardy vines of moderate vigor • Zone 4 and possibly zone 3? • Zone 4 if protected (T.R.) • Early maturity before Mars • Midseason maturity • Small, thin skinned slip skin berries • Medium-large, slip skin • Excellent mild Concord flavor for berries, fresh market sales somewhat thick skinned • Very productive and reliable with • Concord type flavor, good good storage potential quality and storage potential • Excellent for harsh winter conditions • Very productive and reliable Blue Table Grape Blue Table Grape Seeded Varieties Wine Varieties • Buffalo • White Wine • Red Wine – Concord type, hardy, vigorous, early maturity – Large fruit of excellent quality – La Crescent – Foch • Swenson Red – Red variety, very hardy, late maturity – La Crosse – St. Croix – Large fruit, firm, excellent quality, needs heat – Frontenac – St. Pepin • Bluebell – Concord type, early maturity – Frontenac gris – Leon Millot – Very hardy – Brianna – Marquette – Reported as best juice variety • Concord – Baltica – Edelweiss – Old favorite – Petite Pearl – Very hardy, very vigorous – Needs heat and long season Seeded Table Grape Wine Grape 4

Marechal Foch St. Croix • Very hardy vines zone 4b • Very hardy vines 4 a & b • Moderate vigor • Low to moderate vigor • Matures early • Early maturity • Harvested at low sugar • High sugar and high acid • Very productive • Making some nice wines • Popular wine variety in MN Red Wine Grape Red Wine Grape Leon Millot Frontenac • Hardy, vigorous vines zone 4a • Very hardy MN introduction • Ripens before Foch, early season • Vigorous and very productive • Produces good quality Burgundy • Good disease resistance • Except for black rot • Very productive • Susceptible to Grape Phylloxera • Relatively disease free • High sugar 24-28% • Good choice in short season area • Very high acid • Relative of Foch • Matures early October • Deep red color for ports Wine Grape Red Wine Grape Baltica Marquette • Introduction from Estonia • Very hardy MN introduction • Parentage: V. amurensis, V. labrusca, • Moderate vigor V. riparia, and V. vinifera • Production levels of 10#/plant • Long loose clusters • Matures mid-late September • Small sized berries (2 g) • High sugar relatively low acid • Disease resistant except P. mildew • Good disease resistance • Makes a light red to full complex red wine, climate dependant • Excellent variety for short growing season Red Wine Grape Red Wine Grape 5

Petite Pearl La Crescent • Introduction from MN Breeder • Very hardy Tom Plocher • Vigorous and productive • Matures mid-September to early • Resembles Vignoles in flavor October in MN • High acid/High sugar • Compact cluster with small berries • Low disease susceptibility • Breaks bud late (frost protection) except for downy mildew • Disease resistant to P. mildew, D. • Matures late September mildew, and black rot • High tannin levels and low TA Red Wine Grape White Wine Grape St. Pepin La Crosse • Very hardy, vigorous vines • Hardy vines, moderate vigor • Early midseason maturity • Midseason maturity • Pistillate type needs pollinator • Produces fruity non-labrusca wine which is usually La Crosse • Very productive • Produces fruity Riesling type • Unique flavor even as a table grape wine • Consistent producer • Moderate production • Can get bunch rots • Blends well like La Crosse is a good table grape • Out of all the whites, most in demand by winemakers White Wine Grape White Wine Grape Frontenac Gris Brianna • Bud sport of Frontenac • Bred by Elmer Swenson and named by Ed Swanson • Same viticultural characteristics • Medium to large berries as Frontenac • Medium to small tight clusters • Late midseason 24 to 25 ° Brix (MN) • Vigorous growth • Peach, apricot, and tropical • Very cold hardy aromas • Grapefruit, tropical, floral • Very winter hardy characteristics • Often harvested at low brix 16 to 18, as ripening progresses foxy notes become apparent White Wine Grape White Wine Grape 6