Seedless Grapes

The start of the seedless grapes industry happened quite by accident.

Someone found a plant that had very small seeds and bred them eventually, they continued to find those with the smallest seeds and pollinate them with seeded crops. With each new crop, the growers found a plant where more mutations occurred, the seeds became smaller with a softer seed coat and eventually disappeared altogether. Today there are not only seedless grapes that grow well in warm areas; there are also those that can winter over in cooler climates.

How To Grow Seedless Grape

Since seedless grapes have no seeds, they don't reproduce new plants so the only way to start new vines is by using shoots, buds or cuttings from another grape vine and grafting onto another stalk or by purchasing rooted grape vines from nurseries that already took those steps.

Choose a sunny area that has good air circulation and slightly acidic, well-drained soil. Since the plant only starts growing once the sun adequately warms the soil, a southern slope or land that is on the South side of a building is perfect for planting. If you live in a Northern area, avoid places where cold wins can ruin your crop in the early spring or low-lying areas that hold pockets of cold air.

When to Plant

If you're in a warmer climate, you can plant your vines in the fall. Those in cooler areas need to wait until early spring but do it before buds begin to swell. If you purchase a container-grown plant from a catalogue, nursery or farmers market, you can plant at almost any time except during the winter.

When you plant, you need to space the vines six to ten feet apart. For those that have an arbor or gazebo to cover, closer planting is advisable to have better coverage. You'll need a hole that is twice as deep as the root system and twice as wide as well. Mix a shovel of compost and a cup of bone meal and put it in the hole. Fill with enough dirt so you can set the roots slightly blow the ground level and then fill the rest of the hole.

Soil and Fertilization

As mentioned earlier, seedless grape like slightly acidic soil. Aside from the compost and bone meal used when planting, the vines also require that you add compost to the soil annually for the best results.

Watering

Most grapes are tolerant of drought but they are tender in their first year. During that first year if you have dry weather, water the vines weekly until they are well established. If vines are productive, they also may need a weekly watering to develop the best possible grapes.

Types of Pests/Diseases and Prevention or Control

Even if your plant says it's disease resistant, it doesn't mean they have immunity to all plant diseases. Fungal diseases such as black rot or mildew occur when there are high levels of humidity, overwatering or poor circulation. Prevent this by making certain you plant your vines in a good location and far enough apart to let air circulate freely.

To prevent pests such as grape leafhoppers, Japanese beetles, grape berry moths, flea beetles or aphids, use natural pest control. Bluebirds, martins, swallows and wrens love to eat insects. Birdhouses that attract hungry insect eaters help prevent these pests from destroying your crop. Predatory insects such as parasitic wasps and lady beetles are also another way to prevent pests from attacking your grapes.

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