Anyone growing grapes in Zone 5?

[Snagglefoot]

I just ordered 25 grape plants for my place. We’re just north of the Idaho border which is considered borderline zone 5. There is good grape growing valley 1 hour west of us in Creston, B.C. . The species I ordered is Soverign Coronation. I’m just experimenting with the ambiance of having grapes in my back yard. My next door neighbour is having good luck with Concords. The summers are hot and dry, but I already installed irrigation for the row. Anyone with experience in growing grapes in Zone 5? Would like to hear about and see pics if you have them.

 

[tbm5690]

Not sure the variety, but I know someone nearby who has had success with grapes, and I'm in zone 3. You should be good assuming you picked a good variety

 

[ecotourist]

We grew a Concord variety of grapes quite well in both Winnipeg and Edmonton. The vines and bunches of grapes were beautiful. Probably Zone 3 (+/- micro climates).

Should be duck soup in zone 5.

 

[ChrisMU]

The farmhouse I grew up in had what I believe to be Concord grapes growing in the backyard. My great grandfather owned the place from 1943-85, and mostly grew apples, but also asparagus, grapes, and blackberries. He also kept beehives for the apple pollination. To my knowledge, he didn’t need irrigation, and my parents never had to provide water for the grapevines. This was in Racine County, WI, just south of Milwaukee (zone 5).

 

[JohnnyG]

Grapes grew just fine in Southwest PA when I was growing up. I realize this is Zone 6, but Erie PA has a LOT of fine vineyards that produce some good wine. Solid Zone 5.
Think Niagra.

 

[aquariuscsm]

I love grapes! Red grapes being my fave. I freeze them and eat them frozen.

 

[joekingcorvette]

I am in zone 5 however I have never seen any grapes in my travels. I do like them!

 

[wag123]

The farmhouse I grew up in had what I believe to be Concord grapes growing in the backyard. My great grandfather owned the place from 1943-85, and mostly grew apples, but also asparagus, grapes, and blackberries. He also kept beehives for the apple pollination. To my knowledge, he didn’t need irrigation, and my parents never had to provide water for the grapevines. This was in Racine County, WI, just south of Milwaukee (zone 5).

I was born and raised in Racine.
My grandparents, great grandparents, great aunts & uncles, and all of the other old Italians living in the old Italian neighborhood ALL had Concord Grape vines growing along their fences, and they ALL used them to make "Dago Red" wine. None of them used any kind of irrigation.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Reporting back. I picked up my grapes from the plant nursery on June 21 and planted them. I ended up with 22 plants, having given away three and planted them in a row. They were maybe 6 to 8 inches tall when planted. I have a wire strung at about 20 inches in height and and about half the plants are about to reach the wire. I had to stake a few to get them growing upward. Here is a shot of the best one which has reached the wire and has grabbed on with is tendrils. I give the plants two hours of slow drip irrigation each day. I plan to reduce this once the daytime high temps go back below 90 F. The chicken wire was to discourage the deer until the plants got too high and now it’s laying beside the line of grape plants to discourage the deer from trodding on them and give a better visual clue so they don’t knock down the line.The plant on the left had some leaves torn off by the strong hot winds, but new leaves are now reappearing. Enjoy.

 

[Pablo]

So in the winter, you will pile the mulch on? How cold can the roots handle?

We are in zone 8A which straight berry country. Blueberries and raspberries mainly. BUT there is a grape vineyard down the road from us on Siper. It looks very nice from the road. I need to get some vines in. Way to go!!

My struggle in 8A is figs. This is the second growth year and not a bloody fig on three bushes. Mainly because they froze to the ground - it was so cold (around 2°F) a couple times. That's why I asked about your winter survival ideas. This year ima mulch and tent mine.

 

[Snagglefoot]

So in the winter, you will pile the mulch on? How cold can the roots handle?

We are in zone 8A which straight berry country. Blueberries and raspberries mainly. BUT there is a grape vineyard down the road from us on Siper. It looks very nice from the road. I need to get some vines in. Way to go!!

My struggle in 8A is figs. This is the second growth year and not a bloody fig on three bushes. Mainly because they froze to the ground - it was so cold (around 2°F) a couple times. That's why I asked about your winter survival ideas. This year ima mulch and tent mine.

I’ll probably be using straw, held down by a single wire pegged to the ground. The first winter will be the most tense. My neighbor’s concords can handle the winter without mulch. We will certainly get a five or ten day stretch of -22 F and 30 days or so of -5 F. The best bet is have deep snow prior to the cold snap.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I helped harvest some of my next door neighbour’s Concords. They do have seeds but are very tasty.

.

 

[Snagglefoot]

By the way, I found the best way to eat seeded grapes is to take a mouthful, chew them up and after enjoying the pulp, spit out the wad of grape skin and seeds. Seedless grapes can be enjoyed one by one.

 

[dlundblad]

Very jealous. I wanted to, but I know my darn dog would’ve eaten them right off the vine.

When he was younger, he’d eat my rhubarb plant leaves, but he did it one evening with his remote collar on and got a good zap. Never did that again. Lol

 

[Snagglefoot]

Well, we are getting a frost today, which is forty days later than average. As a bonus we’re getting some snow as well. The grape leaves have turned orange even without the frost.

 

[Pablo]

Yeah finally cooling. Time to cover and protect. I purchased some covers for the figs.

 

[Snagglefoot]

I’m hoping the snow cover will help with this recent cold snap.

 

[stormgol]

we grow grapes in Metabetchouan northern Quebec. as a matter of fact, we have a full vineyard. we grow 90 percent red and 10 percent white grapes. it was started 24 years ago by 2 brothers of my mother. they went to France for 6 months to try to learn techniques. growing grapes in the Boreal zone is no easy feat. i believe we have the most Nordic vineyard in Quebec.

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[Brons2]

So in the winter, you will pile the mulch on? How cold can the roots handle?

We are in zone 8A which straight berry country. Blueberries and raspberries mainly. BUT there is a grape vineyard down the road from us on Siper. It looks very nice from the road. I need to get some vines in. Way to go!!

My struggle in 8A is figs. This is the second growth year and not a bloody fig on three bushes. Mainly because they froze to the ground - it was so cold (around 2°F) a couple times. That's why I asked about your winter survival ideas. This year ima mulch and tent mine.

[off topic sorry]

I picked berries as a kid across the border from you, just south of Abbotsford. There were several fields, one was literally right on the border and if you jumped across a ditch, you were back in the US. This was in 1982ish when you just had to show your license at the border. My mom, her friend and the 2 kids of each went up there for them moms to show us some hard work. I was 11 at the time, IIRC. It was a church thing, several families up there from local churches where I grew up in Corvallis, OR.

Nowadays this would be of questionable legality and we'd all have to have passports. But yeah I was an 11 year old migrant farm worker in Canada for a month of my summer that year. lol....

Sort of on topic: West coast microclimates are interesting, most of Western Oregon and Washington are in Climate zone 8, which Austin and a long running strip of the South are also in.

 

[Pablo]

[off topic sorry]

I picked berries as a kid across the border from you, just south of Abbotsford. There were several fields, one was literally right on the border and if you jumped across a ditch, you were back in the US. This was in 1982ish when you just had to show your license at the border. My mom, her friend and the 2 kids of each went up there for them moms to show us some hard work. I was 11 at the time, IIRC. It was a church thing, several families up there from local churches where I grew up in Corvallis, OR.

Nowadays this would be of questionable legality and we'd all have to have passports. But yeah I was an 11 year old migrant farm worker in Canada for a month of my summer that year. lol....

Sort of on topic: West coast microclimates are interesting, most of Western Oregon and Washington are in Climate zone 8, which Austin and a long running strip of the South are also in.

Some Canadian farmers own land on this side, but very few if any USA farmers own land on Canada side.

We don't grow cane berries because the U-pick is so close, cheap and easy. I mean like 1/4 mile. We grow just specialty berries for fun and because retired.