How to Grow Concord Grape Fruits

Concord grapes have a distinctive color.

Concord grapes are purple or dark blue in color. Their name comes from the town of Concord, Massachusetts, where they were first developed. The sweetness of the grapes makes them ideal for use in products such as grape soda, grape juice and grape jelly. Grapes can grow in almost any climate if given the proper care, so planting them in your yard can provide your family with fresh grapes to eat as a snack or to use to make your own jams and jellies.

Things You'll Need

• Shovel
• 3-foot tall wooden stakes
• Hammer
• String
• 10-6-4 fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Choose the location where you will plant the grape vines. The grapes require high temperatures and abundant sunlight, as well as a location where the soil drains well. Planting the vines on a hill facing the south allows for plenty of sunlight as well as good drainage.

2. Dig a hole in the soil for the first vine, making the hole big enough to accommodate the vine's root system. Spread out the roots of the vine and place it in the hole, then cover the roots with soil. Tamp the soil around the base of the vine in order to create a small depression around the vine.

3. Plant the other vines, using the same method. Keep the vines 6 to 8 feet apart.

4. Water the soil around the vines, using just enough water to get the soil damp. Don't overwater because too much water can damage the vines.

5. Drive 3-foot tall wooden stakes into the ground behind the vines. The stakes help "train" the vines to grow on them.

6. Tie the vines to the stakes, once near the top of the vine, and once near the bottom.

7. Add a 10-6-4 fertilizer to the soil two weeks after you plant the vines. Use 10 lbs. of fertilizer for every 100 feet of soil. The 10-6-4 refers to the proportion of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium in the fertilizer.

8. Prune the vines. Remove all shoots from the vines between the two ties, and leave no more than two shoots below the bottom tie.

Tips & Warnings

• The type of soil you have on your property will determine how often you need to add water. Sandy soils drain fairly quickly and will need to be watered more often than clay soils, which retain moisture.

• You can plant the vines in early spring after the final frost of the year, when the soil is tillable.

References

• University of Minnesota: Growing Grapes for Home Use
• Ohio State University; Growing Grapes in the Home Fruit Planting; Gary Gao
• Growing Grapes; Growing Grapes--The Better Way; November 19, 2009
• Don T. Veter.com: How to Grow Grapes