Have you ever thought about growing grapes? Both beautiful and practical, grapes are one of the oldest cultivated plants. Grapes are usually grown by grafting or transplanting. However, if you are determined (it’s hard!) and patient (it takes a long time!), you can also grow grapes from seed. Read the article below to learn how.
Pick Grape Seeds
Choose the right variety. There are thousands of grape varieties in the world. The right varieties produce the most successful grapes. Research grape varieties, keeping the following in mind:
- Your reasons for growing grapes. Maybe you want to eat fruit, make jam, make wine, or just decorate your yard with beautiful grapes. Find out which varieties are best for your intended purpose.
- Climatic conditions. Different varieties of grapes are suitable for different geographical areas and climatic conditions. Learn about the grape varieties that grow best in your area.
- The natural distinguishing feature of grapes is the seeds. Even the same type of grape will have some genetic differences, so the grapes grown may not be what you imagined. So keep an open mind and be ready to give it a try.
Once you’ve decided on the grape variety you want to grow, it’s time to get the seeds. You can get seeds from purchased grapes, or from a nursery or other gardener.
Make sure the seeds are alive. Check the seeds to make sure they are healthy and in good condition. Use two fingers to gently squeeze the seeds. Healthy seeds should be firm to the touch.
- Look at the color of the seeds. In a healthy grape seed, you can see a light gray or white endosperm beneath the seed coat.
- Put them in water. Healthy, viable seeds will sink. Discard any floating seeds.
Breeding
Prepare seeds. Take the seeds you can use and wash them thoroughly to remove any pulp or other contents. Soak in a small amount of distilled water for 24 hours.
Allow the seeds to stratify. Many seeds need to experience cold, wet conditions to begin the germination process. In nature, seeds complete this process in the soil during the winter. You can simulate these conditions during layering. The best time to start stratification of grape seeds is in December (winter in the Northern Hemisphere).
- Prepare a planting bed for your seeds. Fill an airtight bag or other airtight device with a soft material such as wet paper towels, sand, vermiculite, or peat moss. Sphagnum moss is the best choice for grape seeds because its antifungal properties will help eliminate substances that can damage the seeds.
- Attach the seeds to the planting bed. Cover them with approximately 1.25cm of growing medium.
- Refrigerate seeds. The ideal stratification temperature is stable at 1-3 °C, so the refrigerator is a good place to complete this process. Let the seeds chill in the refrigerator for two to three months. Do not freeze.
Plant your seeds. In early spring, remove seeds from the refrigerator and plant them in pots filled with rich soil.
- Make sure the environment your seeds are in is warm enough. For seeds to germinate successfully, daytime temperatures need to be at least 20 ºC, while nighttime temperatures need to be about 15 °C. Use a greenhouse or heating pad to keep the environment where your seeds are at the right temperature.
- Keep the soil moist, but not too wet. When the soil starts to dry out, spray it with a spray to moisten it.
- Check for growth. Grape seeds usually take 2-8 weeks to germinate.
Transplant your seedlings. When your seedlings have reached about 8cm tall, transplant them into a larger pot. For healthy plants, the seeds should be allowed to grow to 30cm indoors, have well-staggered roots, and have at least 5-6 leaves before they can be moved outdoors.
Move Grapevines Outdoors
Choose a suitable location for your grape vines. For grapes to thrive, the vines need to receive the right amount of sunlight, proper drainage, and support.
- Choose a sunny location. Grapes need 7-8 hours of light every day.
- Make sure to leave enough space. Leave a distance of 2.5 meters between plants.
Prepare the soil. Grapes require well-drained soil. If your soil is clay or other poorly drained soil, add decomposed compost, sand, or other soil amendments to improve drainage. Alternatively, a raised planting bed filled with a mixture of good-quality sandy loam and compost can be used instead.
- Check the soil pH before planting grapes. Different varieties of grapes require different soil pH values (local ones require 5.5-6.0, hybrid ones require 6.0-6.5, and wine-making ones require 6.5-7.0), so it is best to plant them in a place with a suitable pH range. Otherwise, you need to adjust the pH value before planting.
- If you are growing grapes for wine, be aware that different soils (such as sand, fine soil, lime soil, or clay) will affect the taste of the wine.
Fertilize after planting. Two weeks after planting, add a small amount of fertilizer to the soil around the plants. Fertilizer should be applied every spring thereafter.
Support your grapes correctly. Grapevines need a trellis or arbor to give them proper support. The first year, when your plants are still small, stakes will be enough to support them and keep them off the ground. As they grow, you’ll need to move them onto a trellis or arbor. Tie the tip to the wire and let it grow along the wire.
Give your plants proper care and be prepared to wait. Grapes can take up to three years to start producing fruit. Proper care and cultivation of your plants during this time will allow your grapes to produce abundant fruit.
- Year 1: Focus on the growth of the grapes. Pick the three strongest buds on the plant and let them grow, pinching off all the others. The remaining three buds will become stronger and more vigorous.
- Year 2: Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer. Get rid of flower clusters as they appear; allowing grapes to fruit prematurely will deplete their energy. Any buds or roots growing beyond the three buds you selected must be removed. Prune correctly. Allow the longer buds to wrap loosely around the arbor.
- Year 3: Continue fertilizing and remove low-growing shoots and roots. During this year, some flower clusters can be allowed to remain and small grapes to be produced.
- Year 4 and beyond Continue fertilizing and pruning. After this year, you can allow all the flower clusters to bear fruit if you wish.
- When pruning, be aware that grapes will bear fruit on annual branches, that is, on branches that have grown from the previous season.
Tips
- Don’t expect your seeds to produce the type of grapes you envision. You might be surprised by the results!
- Grape seeds can remain in this stage of stratification for a long time (even years) and the seeds will remain dormant in these conditions.
- If you’re not sure how to train and prune your grapevines, ask a horticulturist or nursery manager.
- If your seeds don’t germinate on your first try, keep them in the stratified stage and try again next season.