Anyone ever grown grapes?

[CosmicCowboy]

Some of my grapes are starting to turn purple but they are still small...like a little smaller than a marble...do they "blow up" right at the end or is that just what I've got this year?...The vines are only in their second year and I didn't thin the blooms so I may have just overloaded their ability to produce...here is a picture...oh yeah...they are a hybrid of Lenoir (Black Spanish) called "Favorite"

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4632/grapes62311009.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/99/grapes62311009.jpg/)

[MannyIsGod]

I thought most grapes were that small.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Damn. Those look good. :tu

[Viva Las Espuelas]

And what's with you posting pics at the wrong angle? :lol

[koriwhat]

:tu indeed

[CosmicCowboy]

I thought most grapes were that small.

I was expecting them to be closer to the size of a nickel...they aren't fully ripe until they are almost black, so maybe they will "blow up" right at the end...

heres a picture of the same variety from another website, but there is really nothing there for "scale"

http://www.willisorchards.com/siteImages/products/0000/1436/spanish1.jpg?1235024122
http://www.willisorchards.com/siteImages/products/0000/0476/spanish2.jpg?1235024121

The grapes are already sweet and juicy, just not very much to them...they are supposed to make a wine similar to a Merlot or Cab...should be interesting stumbling my way through the process this year...

[mrsmaalox]

The grapes are already sweet and juicy, just not very much to them...they are supposed to make a wine similar to a Merlot or Cab...should be interesting stumbling my way through the process this year...

More like "stomping" your way :lol

Nice grapes btw.

[The Gemini Method]

Our grapes growing up were similar size...I don't think they ever reached full size, but they were sooo delicious that it really didn't matter.

[Wild Cobra]

Never grown grapes before, but they sure look nice in my opinion.

Have fun.

I planted three huckleberry bushes that haven't fruited yet. I have had success with nectarines, tomatoes, raspberries, strawberries, etc. Just not these damn huckleberries.

[Wild Cobra]

Our grapes growing up were similar size...I don't think they ever reached full size, but they were sooo delicious that it really didn't matter.
For some reason, they always taste better when you grow them yourself over store bought. I don't care what type of fruit it is. Volume farming just stinks compared to small farm.

[The Gemini Method]

With the increase of popularity of Farmer's Markets, this is becoming readily available for the masses. Which, in my opinion, is a good thing. You are completely correct in your comment, Wild Cobra. You can also say that about fish you catch and so on.

[CosmicCowboy]

For some reason, they always taste better when you grow them yourself over store bought. I don't care what type of fruit it is. Volume farming just stinks compared to small farm.

You should have seen my blackberries...we picked over 50 flats (12 pints each) and I just trimmed them back a couple of days ago to start working on 2012 berries...

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/9439/grapes518004.jpg

[JoeChalupa]

yeah, nothing like some nice home grown. :tu

Nothing like snacking on some home grown oranges or fresh eggs or anything grown in your own garden. I'm enjoying some tomatoes from my hanging plant.

[JoeChalupa]

With the increase of popularity of Farmer's Markets, this is becoming readily available for the masses. Which, in my opinion, is a good thing. You are completely correct in your comment, Wild Cobra. You can also say that about fish you catch and so on.

:tu We've been hitting up the Pearl Brewery Market on Saturday's and always have a great time.

[Dr. Gonzo]

Wow you must be rich!

[Horn Tooter]

Wow you must be rich!

:tu

[MannyIsGod]

You should have seen my blackberries...we picked over 50 flats (12 pints each) and I just trimmed them back a couple of days ago to start working on 2012 berries...

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/9439/grapes518004.jpg

I fucking love blackberries. Those look great.

[SnakeBoy]

I just planted grapes a couple of months ago. Don't know much about their care though. But....


Prune the vine so you will maintain a balance between vegetative growth and fruit productions. Where a vine is underpruned, (too many buds left) the vine will produce many small clusters of small grapes that may fail to ripen properly. If the vine is overpruned, (too few buds left) the yield will be low and the vegetative growth excessive. To "balance prune" a vine, the number or buds left is adjusted according to the amount of one-year-old wood removed in pruning.
http://www.farminfo.org/orchard/grapes.htm


They have pruning suggestion for the different vareties on that site too.

[Kai]

You'll have to consult ST's resident grape-growing expert.

[RandomGuy]

MtN1YnoL46Q

Random mildly-related video. If you have kids under the age of 8, watch this with them. You can buy "Got any grapes?" t-shirts online.

[CosmicCowboy]

where are your vines planted (what region of texas?)

we got some land near comfort, that's right inside the cusp of the grape-growing area in texas, been thinking about convincing the fam to plant some 'black spanish'-type grapes and see if we can make us some vino

concerned it might be too time intensive considerng the climate is workable, but not that great

I'm about 12 miles south of Somerset...you can google "Rossville Texas" and that's pretty close...I've got a sand/clay soil mix with a 7.5ph...certainly not "classic" terrain but my vines have been healthy and relatively disease free...I've only had to spray a couple of times...They definitely take time to do it right...make sure you have worked your soil, built your trellises, installed your drip irrigation, and fenced the deer out before you even think about planting...

[Viva Las Espuelas]

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/9439/grapes518004.jpg


Damn. Those look top notch! What did you do with all of those?

[CosmicCowboy]

do you (or someone documentally-challenged) check them every day or so

my main concern is we'd probably only be able to get someone up to the land on the weekends to check, unless we paid someone to go look

I'm usually there at least 3-4 times a week and check them. That might be a little more than necessary but if they get hit with bugs or mildew you want to be able to react quickly. The first year training them you would probably need to be there at least twice a week...they grow fast and you want to guide your main trunk/branches where you want them to go.

[CosmicCowboy]

Damn. Those look top notch! What did you do with all of those?

Gave a lot away, put up a bunch of blackberry cognac jam, made a lot of fresh cobblers, and froze/shrink wrapped the rest.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

Gave a lot away, put up a bunch of blackberry cognac jam, made a lot of fresh cobblers, and froze/shrink wrapped the rest.

Awesome.
Cobblers :drool:

That jam sounds pretty tasty.

[CosmicCowboy]

Awesome.
Cobblers :drool:

That jam sounds pretty tasty.

The jams pretty amazing. Use about a tablespoon of Cognac per cup of berries...it's the perfect complement.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

:tu

That reminds me of a joke


What's the difference between jam and marmalade?
Well, it's kinda hard to marmalade my cock in your mouth

[Viva Las Espuelas]

And not you, CC, per se. :toast

[PuttPutt]

It's a matter of pruning & day/night temperatures.

You need to have a good balance of veg on your vine, but not too much. From looking at your photo, you could do some minor pruning, but not a lot.

Temps is another thing that will determine size. Cool night time temps is a big thing. Up here in WA state where I'm at there are tons of wineries. And believe it or not, it gets hot here in central WA. But it cools down quite a bit at night. we can have a 90 to 100 degree day, but cool off at night into the 50s. That seems to be a big component of growing not just grapes, but fruit in general.

[CosmicCowboy]

It's a matter of pruning & day/night temperatures.

You need to have a good balance of veg on your vine, but not too much. From looking at your photo, you could do some minor pruning, but not a lot.

Temps is another thing that will determine size. Cool night time temps is a big thing. Up here in WA state where I'm at there are tons of wineries. And believe it or not, it gets hot here in central WA. But it cools down quite a bit at night. we can have a 90 to 100 degree day, but cool off at night into the 50s. That seems to be a big component of growing not just grapes, but fruit in general.

I've been told by some experts that have looked at my pictures that my pruning is fine...Apparently with the variety I'm growing the individual grapes don't get that big...#/juice yield is still good because there are a lot of big bunches.

Also found out that ripening this time of year down here is not unusual so I need to go shopping for my wine making suppllies and get ready.

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/5835/grapes51004.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/714/grapes51004.jpg/)

[cantthinkofanything]

Here's a wine recipe I've been using:

Ingredients: 1 Handful of grapes
1 pint of 100 proof vodka
Directions: Drink several shots of vodka
Put grapes back in refrigerator
Drink more shots of vodka

[Bukefal]

Nice grapes CC. They're fine, maybe it's still just a bit early and they'll get bigger.

I have my own vineyard. My family used to make wine a lot.