Table Grapes Are In Season

If you thought table grapes were the same all year round, it’s time to have a taste test. The year’s best crop is fresh from Mexico. From May through July, the finest harvest of green, red and black grapes will begin to hit supermarket shelves.

These grapes’ bright color and crisp texture signify the end of winter, when fresh, new harvests begin arriving from the Mexican state of Sonora. Grapes for wine and brandy have been grown in Sonora since the days of the Spanish missionaries almost four centuries ago. Out of this tradition, growers in Sonora began growing fresh grapes that are enjoyed across the world. Sonora grapes are coveted for their notably sweet, juicy flavor.

With more than 30,000 acres of vineyards, Sonora supplies 300 million pounds of grapes for U.S. consumption.

Grapes offer several benefits. Not only are they a handy snack, but they’re a unique addition to many summer dishes, including green salads and fruit salads. They enhance the beauty of these dishes as well as their nutritional value. One and a half cups of grapes provide 25 percent of the Daily Value of vitamin C, as well as fiber, vitamin A, calcium and iron.

How to Grow Blue Concord Grapes

After cultivating and experimenting for years, Ephraim Bull developed the Concord grape around 1850 in Concord, Massachusetts. The parent plant of all Concord grapes still grows at his home site today. The blue Concord grape (Vitis labrusca "Concord"), flavorful and juicy, is one of the most popular American grapes. It is a major source of commercial grape juice. Blue Concord grapes are easy to grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. The vines are cold-tolerant and easier to grow than many European grape varieties. The homeowner who wants to grow Concord grapes does not need much land. Grapes can be planted next to fences, trellises and arbors. The grape vines are decorative, and can serve as a privacy screen in summer. Concord grapes are great eaten fresh, or made into juice, jams, jellies or wine.

Growing Concord Grapes from Seed

Concord grapes are a native American variety and grow true to seed. However, they require cold stratification to germinate successfully. In cold areas with at least three to four months of soil temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, this is accomplished by planting seeds in the fall. In warmer climates, prepare the seeds in the fall for spring planting. Concord grapes are also easily propagated by grafting or by cuttings.

Things You'll Need
Vine-ripe concord grapes
Refrigerator with freezer
Paper towels
Diluted fungicide solution
Plastic bag
Small containers
Starter mix
Greenhouse or cold frame

Essentials for Growing Concord Grapes

Growing concord grapes is not as hard as you may think, and finding the seeds can be found just about anywhere. It's named after a city in Massachusetts called Concord, and this type of grape does require some care and pruning. They can also be seen growing in the wild. These grapes have a tart taste to them, and make an excellent grape juice that is known to be great for the heart. When growing a concord grape, it can be rather easy. Here are a few things to keep in mind when growing them, and a few simple things to do to grow them.

An Idiot's Guide To Growing Concord Grapes

More and more people are into the hobby of growing concord grapes. This might be because people are now finding that it is possible to grow grapes, even within a limited space. Well, for the case of Concord grapes, these are considered as the most popular varieties of grapes. Blame it on their flavorful taste and the fact that they can go well with home gardens.

Remember though, that growing concord grapes is not to be seen as the same with growing just any kinds of plants. Like with any grape varieties, the process is trickier, particularly among first timers. Now, if it is also your first time to delve into the process of growing these wonderful fruits, you can check out the techniques below to guarantee a successful harvest:

Growing and Tending Concord Grapes

A farmer, Ephraim Bull, first developed the Concord grape variety, over 150 years ago. Today more than 400,000 tons of Concord grapes are produced commercially each year. That's not to say the home gardener cannot grow this variety if they want to - and can get a cutting. However, it is not necessarily the best kind to grow if you want eating grapes. But the Concord variety is an excellent choice for those who want to make their own wine.

So long as your climatic conditions and soil are both suitable for the Concord grape vine, there should be no difficulty in growing it. When growing, care must be given to establishing the plant over at least three years before grapes are picked for harvest. That's not to say you won't get any grapes at all for three years.

What you should do is pinch off the flowers for the first two years so that strength will be established in the roots. The third year you can leave about half of the flowers to bear, though pinching them all off again is actually better for the plant. Exercising your patience in this way will see a strong plant established that should last for at least 40 more years.

Preparing the Vineyard for the Planting Season

Vineyard preparation prior to actual grape planting involves three major phases:

1. Plowing - Plowing is done to open up the soil and ‘turn it over’, bringing the drier upper layer closer to the moist subsoil and vice versa. Plowing also improves the aeration of the soil and prepares it for planting.
2. Sub-soiling - Sub-soiling is performed to break apart the pan layer of the plowed land.
3. Levelling - Levelling is the final step of preparing the vineyard. The soil is levelled with tractors and is now ready for planting (given that the soil’s pH level and nutrient content has already been adjusted).

Newly prepared vineyards should also be free from the various perennial weeds that are considered pests to grapes. Some known weed pests include: