How to Grow the Best Flame Seedless Grapes

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Things You'll Need

  • Quick-draining soil

  • Organic compost

  • Trellis/arbor

  • Fertilizer

  • Pruning shears

  • Mulch

Grapes are charming and vining old-world plants that bring a sense of rustic decor to any home property. They also provide a rich fruit harvest with the right care, and are some of the most popular home fruit crops around the world. Flame seedless grapes are dark, hardy grapes that hail from Fresno, California. These grapes grow in areas that get 150 days of frost-free growing and can produce vines up to 20 feet long. Although flame seedless grapes are hardy, growing the best possible fruit requires good, consistent care.

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Step 1

Plant flame seedless grapes in spots where they get at least eight hours of full sun every day, protection from wind and excellent drainage. South-facing slopes are perfect sites for grape orchards. Make sure that the site offers enough room for each grapevine to have 10 feet of growing space.

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Step 2

Give flame seedless grapes good nutrition from the start with a mixture of quick-draining soil and organic compost in their planting site. Grapes require complete drainage at all times, and will grow bigger and quicker with rich, acidic nutrition from compost.

Step 3

Grow flame seedless grapes on a trellis, to keep the vines up off the ground and give them access to sun and air for fruit production and ripening. Grapes should never grow along the ground.

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Step 4

Mulch the ground around the grapes with 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch. This will keep down the weeds and maintain soil moisture and warmth. As the mulch breaks down, it will add nutrition to the soil for continued growing.

Step 5

Water flame seedless grapes with 2 inches of water every week to maintain soil moisture, particularly during blooming and fruiting, which requires additional resources. Cultivate the grape orchard once a week to restrict weed growth, as grapes don't do well with competition from weeds and grass.

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Step 6

Feed flame seedless grapes seven days after you plant them, with 8 oz. of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Give them 10-10-10 fertilizer every spring thereafter, to encourage growth, blooming and fruiting. Increase the application to 1 lb. of fertilizer in the second year, then 1 1/2 lbs. in the third year.

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Step 7

Prune flame seedless grapes every spring before growth starts to encourage new, healthy growth and fruit production. Prune the canes according to standard grape pruning guidelines.

Tip

Grapevines start to produce fruit in their third season.

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