How to Grow Grapes From Seeds

8/13/2019 How to Grow Grapes From Seeds

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How to Grow Grapes from SeedsEdited by Danie Wium, Fluffysnowdough, Harri, Teresa and 4 others

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Have you ever wanted to grow your own grapes? Grapevines are both beautifuland useful, and are one of the oldest plants to be cultivated. Grapes are typicallyreproduced from cuttings or grafts; however, if you are determined (it's hard!) andpatient (it takes a long time!), you can grow grapes from seeds. Read on to learnhow to do it.

EditSteps

1. 1Choose the right variety. There are thousands of grape varieties in the world.For the greatest success in growing grapes, you should choose the variety thatwill work best for you. Do some research on grape varieties with the following inmind:
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o Your reasons for growing grapes - You may want to eat the fruit,makejam,make wine,or just add the beauty of grape vines to your yard. Find outwhich varieties are good for your purpose.

o Your climate conditions - Different varieties of grapes are better suited to certaingeographic areas andclimate conditions.Learn about grapes that are known toperform well in your area.

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Obtain the grape seeds. Once you identify the variety of grapes you want togrow, you need to get your seeds. You can get them from grapes you'vepurchased, from a nursery, or from another gardener.
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3. 3

Ensure your seeds are viable. Examine your seeds to make sure they arehealthy and in good condition.
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o Squeeze the seed gently between two fingers. A healthy seed is firm to thetouch.

o Look at the seed's color. In a healthy grape seed, you will be able to see a a pale

gray or white endosperm under the seed coat.o Put them in water. Healthy, viable seeds will sink when placed in water. Discard

any seeds that float.

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Prepare the seeds. Take the viable seeds and wash them thoroughly to removeany pulp or other matter. Then, soak them in a small amount of distilled water forup to 24 hours.


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5. 5

Stratify your seeds. Many seeds require a period of cold, moist conditions tobegin the germination process. In nature, this is achieved when seeds sit in theground over the winter. You can mimic these conditions through the process ofstratification. For grape seeds, the best time to begin stratification is inDecember.


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o Prepare a bed for your seeds. Fill an air tight bag or other capsule with a softmedium like wet paper towels or sand, vermiculite or peat moss that has beendampened. Peat moss is the best choice for grape seeds because its anti-fungal

properties will help eliminate seed-damaging mold.o Tuck the seeds into the bed. Cover them with about 1/2" (1.25 cm) of growing

medium.o Refrigerate the seeds. The ideal temperature for stratification is a steady 35-40

F (1-3 C), so the refrigerator is a good place for this process. Keep the seedsrefrigerated for two to three months. Do not allow them to freeze.

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Plant your seeds. In early spring, remove the seeds from the refrigerator and

plant them in pots filled with good soil.


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o Plant seeds individually in small pots, or in larger pots with at least 1 1/2" (3.8cm) between them.

o Make sure your seeds stay warm enough. To properly germinate, the seeds

need daytime temperatures of at least 70F (20C) and nighttime temperaturesaround 60F (15C). Use a greenhouse or warming mats to keep your seeds atthe correct temperature.

o Keep the soil moist but not too wet. Mist the surface with a fine spray of waterwhen it starts to look dry.

o Check for growth. Grape seeds typically take between 2-8 weeks to sprout.

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Transplant your seedlings. When your seedlings have grown to about 3" (8cm), transplant them to larger pots. For the healthiest plants, keep your seedlingsindoors until they have reached a height of 12" (30 cm), have a good network ofroots and have at least 5-6 leaves.


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8. 8

Plant your grape vines in the ground. To thrive, grape vines need the rightamount of sun, proper drainage and a form of support.


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o Choose the right location. Grapes need 7-8 hours of full sun daily for best results.o Prepare your soil. Grapes requirewell drained soil.If you have clay or other

poorly drained soil, augment it with decomposed compost, sand or other soil

amendments to increase drainage. Alternatively, use araised bed filled with agood sandy loam mixed with compost.

o Space your plants about 8' (2.5 m) apart to allow for growth.

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Properly support your grapes. Grape vines need atrellis or arbor for propersupport. The first year, when your plants are still small, stakes will be sufficient tosupport them and keep them off the ground. As they grow, you will need to trainthem to the trellis or arbor. Tie the tip of the shoots to the wire, and allow it to

grow along the wire.
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10. 10Take proper care of your plants, and prepare to wait. Grape vines take up to

three years to start producing fruit. During that time, proper care and training ofyour plants is essential for the best fruit yield.


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o Year One - Watch for growth. Choose the strongest three shoots on the plantand allow those to grow. Pinch off all others. The three remaining shoots willgrow stronger and more vigorous.

o Year Two - Fertilize using a balance fertilizer. Remove flower clusters as they

emerge; allowing the vine to fruit this early will deplete its energy. Remove anybuds or shoots that grow below the three main ones you selected the prioryear.Prune properly.Loosely tie long shoots to the arbor or trellis.

o Year Three - Continue fertilizing and removing low buds and shoots. During thisyear, you can allow a few flower clusters to remain and produce a small crop ofgrapes.

o Year Four and Later - Continue fertilizing and pruning. This year and thereafter,you can let all the flower clusters fruit if you wish.

EditVideo

EditTips Don't expect your seeds to yield the exact type of grapes they came from. You

might be surprised at the result! Grape seeds can be held in stratification for a long time (even years), as the

seeds will remain dormant in these conditions.
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If you are unsure how to train and prune your grape vines, talk to a horticulturistor nursery to get help.

If your seeds do not sprout on your first try, return them to stratification and tryagain the next season.

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How to Grow Grapes From Seeds