The hardiest of the three types, the lowbush are the blueberries everyone loves to pick from the wild. Wild lowbush blueberries are grown commercially in some northern states, such as Maine. Backyard lowbush blueberries will yield about a pint of berries for each foot of row.
The rabbit-eye blueberry cannot stand low winter temperatures, so the plants are suitable only for the southern United States. They need a chilling period, however, so they cannot be grown in tropical climates. Rabbit-eyes grow on drier soils than the highbush kinds will tolerate, but in hot climates, most need some type of irrigation. They are very productive, often yielding 20 pounds of fruit per bush.
Planting and Care of Blueberries
1. Plant your bushes 1 to 2 inches deeper than they were in the nursery and 4 to 6 feet apart in rows spaced 8 to 10 feet apart. In large plantings, do not separate cultivars by more than two rows from others with similar ripening seasons.
2. After you put a plant in its hole, fill the hole three-fourths full of soil or a 50-50 loam and sand mixture, and then flood it with water. After the water seeps out, fill the remainder of the hole and pack it gently with your feet. Water the plant with a starter solution, then add a layer of an acidic mulch such as pine needles.
3. If irrigation is necessary, water during the early morning but don’t wet the bushes when berries are beginning to ripen. You can use ground flooding or a soaker hose. Apply an inch of water each time.
Fertilizing
Fertilize blueberries with blood meal, cottonseed meal, or well-rotted manure about a month after planting and again in midsummer. Thereafter, fertilize twice a year, at the beginning of bloom and again five to six weeks later. Use combinations of the materials to provide balanced fertilization. Don’t use bonemeal or wood ashes; they tend to sweeten the soil.
Pruning Blueberries
Planting time. Remove all weak, diseased, and broken wood and all flower buds.
Before pruning
Pruned plant
After one year. Again prune any diseased or broken wood. Vigorous plants may be allowed to bear up to a pint of fruit (20 to 30 flower buds). Remove any additional buds.
Two- to five-year-old plant, before pruning
Pruned plant
After two to five years. Continue similar pruning. If the plants appear vigorous, do not remove more flower buds than necessary during pruning. The emphasis should be on producing healthy bushes and not on fruit production.
Mature plant
Pruned plant
Older bushes. Blueberry bushes that have been neglected may be rejuvenated through severe pruning. Cut these back to the ground, leaving only short, 2- to 3-inch stubs. The whole bush may be done at once, or half the bush can be done one year and the other half in the following year. By using the first method, the entire crop is lost for one season. The second method allows the plant to bear a portion of the crop each year.
Grapes
Grapes have the reputation of being fragile and difficult to grow. Many northern gardeners do not even consider trying to grow them, yet some vines will flourish in regions of every state and in several Canadian provinces. A good rule of thumb is that if wild grapes grow in your area, you can grow plump and tasty domestic grapes of some kind.
Grapes need an abundance of heat and sun to grow and to produce. They are one of the last fruit plants to start growth in the spring, and they bloom much later than any of the tree fruits. If you live in one of the cool northern states, plant them whenever possible in heat pockets — spots where buildings, walls, or hills form corners that trap the southern and eastern sun. You can also mulch them with black plastic or crushed rock.
Soil Needs
Grapevines grow in many soil types. Well-drained, deep, fertile loams are excellent, yet grapes thrive on soils containing clay, slate, gravel, shale, and sand. Gravelly soils generally drain well, and they absorb and reflect the sun’s warmth, providing heat for the vines.
Very dry, very wet, and very rich soils are bad for grapes. Leaner soils yield comparatively modest crops that mature earlier and have considerable sugar in the berry.
A vineyard should be plowed deeply and well disked, so the soil is thoroughly pulverized and weed-free. These conditions do make erosion a significant risk. If your slope is steep, the local soil conservation service can help you plant the most advantageous contour rows for your vines.
The Best Fertilizer for Grapes
The best fertilizer for grapes is well-rotted manure, or compost made with large amounts of strawy manure applied as a mulch during the growing season. In fall, apply either manure compost or straight, well-rotted manure at the rate of 15 to 20 pounds per 100 square feet. In most cases, no other fertilization is required. Vineyards given this treatment consistently yield up to 30 percent more fruit than those fertilized with commercial preparations.
Planting and Supporting Grapevines
In northern areas, grapes should be planted as early in the spring as the soil can be worked. Farther south, the vines can be planted in the autumn. The plants must get established before the long hot days of summer begin.
Order your grape stock from a nursery as nearby as possible; if you can, pick out and pick up the plants yourself. The best stock is strong, sturdy, one-year-old plants with large, fibrous root systems; two-year-old plants are more expensive and will not bear any sooner. Dig a good hole in worked-up soil, large enough to spread out the vine’s roots comfortably. Pack the soil firmly around the roots, leaving no air spaces that could increase the chances of disease. Plant the vines at the same depth they grew in the nursery, then prune them back to a single stem two or three buds tall. If it is early spring and the soil is moist, you need not water. Later in the spring you may want to water the stock well after planting. You will need a trellis.
Space most hybrid cultivars 8 to 10 feet apart in the row, with the rows 10 to 11 feet from each other. Less vigorous vines can be closer together — 7 to 8 feet apart in the row. If your grape selection is not self-pollinating, it will need a partner nearby to produce well.
After planting, prune back the vines to a single stem two or three buds tall.
Vineyard Soil and Grape Quality
All grapes have an affection for gravel, flint, slate, or stony soils. One reason why hillsides are so good for grapes is that erosion has scoured the land to its poorest, stoniest constituents. The best acres are so infertile and stony that a corn farmer wouldn’t take them as a gift. But soil that produces great grapes (and fine wines) must offer a number of qualities that help grapes flourish. Here are some characteristics of productive vineyard soil:
• Good soil drainage. This is crucial. Grapes do not like wet feet.
• Soil pH appropriate to the variety.
• Soil depth of at least 30 inches, due to the deep-rooting habits of grapes.
• Proper soil preparation. Loosen, break up, and mix soil layers well below ordinary cultivation depth.
A Gallery of Great Grapes
American Grapes
Beta
Hardiness: Zones 3 to 6
Flavor: Tangy, definite wild quality
Fruit: Blue
Quality: Good, medium-sized berries
Ripens: Early autumn
Best uses: Juice, jelly, wine
Canadice
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 7 (8)
Flavor: Sweet, fruity, with a touch of spice
Fruit: Red
Quality: Excellent, medium-sized seedless berries in large clusters
Ripens: Late summer to early autumn
Best uses: Eating, juice, jelly, wine
Catawba
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 7 (8)
Flavor: Sweet, rich
Fruit: Copper-red
Quality: Excellent, large to medium-sized berries
Ripens: Mid- to late autumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, jelly, juice
Concord
Hardiness: Zones (4) 5 to 8
Flavor: Excellent; sweet and clean
grape taste
Fruit: Blue-black
Quality: Excellent, medium-sized berries
Ripens: Midautumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, jelly, juice
Concord Seedless
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 9
Flavor: Excellent; sweet and clean
Fruit: Blue-black
Quality: Excellent, medium-sized berries
Ripens: Early to midautumn
Best uses: Eating, pies, jelly, juice, wine
Fredonia
Hardiness: Zones (3) 4 to 9
Flavor: Excellent; sweet and spicy
Fruit: Blue-black
Quality: Excellent, large to medium-sized berries
Ripens: Early to midautumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, jelly, juice
Himrod
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 8
Flavor: Excellent; sweet, clean, and delicate
Fruit: Yellow-green
Quality: Excellent, large berries
Ripens: Late summer to early autumn
Best uses: Eating, juice, excellent raisins
Niagara
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 7 (8)
Flavor: Delicately sweet, slightly tart, with a subtle wild flavor
Fruit: Green
Quality: Excellent, large berries
Ripens: Late summer to early autumn
Best uses: Eating, wine
Reliance
Hardiness: Zones 4 to 8
Flavor: Excellent; very sweet, rich, and fruity
Fruit: Pink
Quality: Excellent, medium-sized seedless berries in large clusters
Ripens: Mid- to late summer
Best uses: Eating, jelly, juice
Swenson Red
Hardiness: Zones (3) 4 to 7
Flavor: Very sweet
Fruit: Red with blue tinge
Quality: Excellent for fresh use
Ripens: Late summer to early autumn
Best uses: Eating, jelly, juice
Muscadine Grapes
Dixie Red
Hardiness: Zones 7 to 9
Flavor: Well balanced, sweet
Fruit: Pale red
Quality: Excellent, large berries in large clusters
Ripens: Midautumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, juice, jelly
Hunt
Hardiness: Zones 7 to 9
Flavor: Very sweet
Fruit: Black
Quality: Very good, large to medium-sized, juicy berries
Ripens: Early autumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, juice, jelly
Scuppernong
Hardiness: Zones 7 to 9
Flavor: Variable from very sweet to lightly tart
Fruit: Light bronze-red
Quality: Very good, large, thick-skinned berries
Ripens: Early autumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, juice, jelly
Triumph
Hardiness: Zones 7 to 9
Flavor: Sweet
Fruit: Bronze-green
Quality: Good, medium-sized berries
Ripens: Early to midautumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, juice, jelly
Welder
Hardiness: Zones 8 to 9
Flavor: Very sweet
Fruit: Bronze
Quality: Excellent, medium-sized berries
Ripens: Early to midautumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, juice, jelly
European Grapes
Baco Noir
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 7
Flavor: Fruity, light, high acid
Fruit: Blue-black
Quality: Good, small berries in long clusters
Ripens: Late summer to early autumn
Best use: Wine
Chardonelle
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 8
Flavor: Dry, clean
Fruit: Green
Quality: Excellent, small to medium-sized berries
Ripens: Midautumn
Best use: Wine
Foch
Hardiness: Zones 5 to 9
Flavor: Low acid, clean
Fruit: Blue-black
Quality: Good, medium-sized berries in long clusters
Ripens: Late summer
Best uses: Juice, wine
Thompson Seedless
Hardiness: Zones 7 to 9
Flavor: Very sweet, clean
Fruit: Green to greenish yellow
Quality: Excellent, medium-sized berries in long clusters
Ripens: Late summer to early autumn
Best uses: Eating, wine, jelly, juice, raisins
Pruning Grapes: The Kniffen System
Pruning is a very important part of grape culture and one that must not be neglected. Because of the grape’s tendency to grow vigorously, a lot of wood must be cut away each year. Grapevines that are overgrown become so dense that the sun cannot reach into the areas where fruit should form. The easiest way for beginners to manage a backyard vineyard is with a two-wire fence using a method called the Kniffen system. With this type of training, each mature vine should produce 12 to 15 pounds (30 to 60 bunches) of grapes per year. If more bunches are produced, remove the surplus before the grapes develop to avoid overbearing and thus weakening the plant. In this way, your vines should go on producing for 50 years or longer.
First Year
Staple smooth 9- or 10-gauge wire to sturdy posts, and brace the posts with wire to keep horizontal wires from sagging. Center the plants between posts, about 8 feet apart, in rows 8 feet apart.
Cut back bare-root vines after planting so each is only 5 to 6 inches long and contains just two or three fat buds. This encourages root growth. If you planted potted vines, omit this cutting back. Water the vines frequently and allow them to grow freely the first year.
The Secrets of Great Homemade Wine
The byword among traveled wine drinkers is that any wine tastes best in the region (and with the regional food) it comes from. If that’s true, then homemade wines must taste best when drunk at home. Not many peak experiences are available to us for the dollar or so that our homemade wine costs.
The secret of the wine is the grapes it’s made from. The wine-maker’s role is to protect and preserve the quality of good grapes right into the bottle. Jim Mitchell, of Sakonnet Vineyards in Rhode Island, quotes these maxims:
1. All great wines have four important elements: first, the grape; second, the climate; third, the soil; and fourth, the skill of the winemaker — in that order.
2. The best wines are made as far north as that grape variety will grow.
3. To produce great wines, the vines must suffer, rather like athletes.
The elements for great wine, then, are the same for the home winemaker as for commercial wineries: The right grape variety in the right climate and soil achieves the right balance of sugar, acid, pH, and flavor components. When all these things come together, the results can be spectacular indeed.
Whatever your property, there is a variety of grape that will produce the most excellent wine possible. Your task, long before the first bottles come to life in your cellar, is to identify that vine.
Second Year
Very early in the spring, before the buds start to swell, cut back the vine to a single stem with no branches. This will encourage faster growth.
During the year, allow four side branches to grow (two in each direction) and train them along the wires. They will grasp the wires with their tendrils. Pinch off all buds that start to grow in other directions.
By the end of the second year, if growth has been good, the space along both wires should be filled. These vines should then bloom and produce a few grapes the third year.
Third Year
During the year, allow only four more canes to grow from buds along the main stem. Train these to grow along the ground parallel to the four on the wires. These four will eventually replace the first four.
In late winter following the third growing season, cut off the canes that prod
uced that year and tie the new canes to the wires. Trim off all excess growth except the four new canes.
Suggested Wine Grapes by Region
This list comprises white vinifera, red vinifera, white hybrid, red hybrid, and American grapes.
New York State (Finger Lakes and the Hudson River Region). Chardonnay, Riesling; Ravat 51, Cayuga Seyval Blanc; Chancellor, Foch; Delaware
Southern New Jersey, Eastern Long Island, and Coastal Rhode Island. Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer; Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot; Seyval Blanc, Vidal 256, Cayuga; Chancellor
Northwestern Pennsylvania. Riesling; Vidal 256, Ravat 51, Seyval Blanc; Chancellor, Chelois, de Chaunac, Foch
Southeastern Pennsylvania. Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer; Pinot Noir; Seyval Blanc, Vidal 256, Cayuga; Chancellor, Foch, de Chaunac
Ohio. Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay; Vidal 256, Seyval Blanc; Chambourcin, Foch; Delaware, de Chaunac
Virginia. Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot; Seyval Blanc, Vidal 256, Cayuga, Aurora; Chancellor, Foch, Villard Noir, Chambourcin
Southeast and Gulf States. Due to special conditions, varieties of Muscadinia rotundifolia are recommended for this region. They are classified as bronze, black, or white. Bunch grape varieties that will grow in the Southeast include Moored, Alwood, Delaware, Rougeon, and Rosette.
Arkansas. Ravat 51, Verde-let Blanc, Villard Blanc, Seyval Blanc, Vidal 256, Aurora; Villard Noir, Baco Noir, Chancellor; Delaware, Niagara
Oklahoma. Aurora, Rougeo, Delaware, Seyval Blanc, Villard Blanc; muscadines also do well in southern Oklahoma
Texas Hill Country. Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Barbera, Carnelian, Ravat 15
Central Midwest. Vidal 256, Chancellor, Delaware, Aurora, Chelois, Seyval Blanc, Foch, Ravat 51, Baco Noir, de Chaunac
Northern Cold Tier. Seyval Blanc, Aurora, Foch, Millot; wine grapes that don’t require winter protection include St. Croix and Swenson Red (reds) and Kay Gray and Edelweiss (whites)
Arizona–New Mexico. Chardonnay, Sylvaner, Riesling, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Ruby Cabernet
The Backyard Homestead Page 10
