I inherited a grapevine

cmg214 · #1 October 14th, 2008, 07:02 AM

Hi,
My new home came with an established grapevine, growing on a car port like trellis. there are grapes everywhere on the ground. I know nothing about grapevines, but would like to start cultivating this one, so as to make use of it's fruits. There is only one "trunk" which is about six feet tall. There are many vines twisted and gnawled around each other. Also I live in New England, in Rhode Island (doesn't seem like a native grape growing climate??)
Can anyone guide me as to where to start?
Thanks,
Christina

jonesboybrian · #2 October 14th, 2008, 07:55 AM

what kind are they if you don't know what color are the grapes

cmg214 · #3 October 14th, 2008, 11:54 AM

not sure what type of grapes they are, but they are purple in color.

jonesboybrian · #4 October 15th, 2008, 05:20 PM

they my be a niagara

cmg214 · #5 October 16th, 2008, 06:47 AM

hmm, I haven't even heard of that variety. I assumed they were Concord as that seems to be the most prevalent in this area. Actually when I looked at the vine last night, there were some green ones as well, but I suspect that they were just ripened enough.

jonesboybrian · #6 October 16th, 2008, 08:27 PM

It very well be a concord grapes are tricky to identify but concord is a good grape Niagara vines aren't very common but i believe they but if you said they are still greenish niagara are called the white concord they are greenish sometimes they look a little purple

cmg214 · #7 October 17th, 2008, 08:41 AM

does the varietal matter in regards to pruning? That is my main goal, to be able to prune the vine effectively for next spring.....

**Margaret** · #8 October 17th, 2008, 11:41 AM

You may find help in the grapevine forum. I search the thread started under "Extremely overgrown grapevines" from March 5th 2005 and I think that this will help. I also inherited very mature vines which are used both for fruit but also to shade both levels of our home. The photo was taken from the second story. In my very limited experience it seems to be quite difficult to kill a grapevine!
Very good luck.
margaret

iammotown · #9 November 25th, 2008, 01:29 PM

check out this site www.bunchesgrapes.com his name is lon rombough. i bought his book "the grape grower" and jeez it was a college course - except in english. this guy turned my curiousity into a fascination. if anyone can help you learn about grapes, pruning, training, and saving vines it would be him. there is a post section on this sight. also if you go into his catalog, he has some pictures of different varieties, that might help. Are they any good? my thoughts would be to learn how to prune your vine based on the state its in. when a vine is overgrown, not enough nutrients get to the right places on the vine and the tannins and sugars and ph just aren't right in the fruits. so it would be hard to tell if the the vine was worth the trouble if the fruits dont taste like they should. some vines do alright though when they grow wild like that. i would taste the grapes as soon as you see more ripened ones and if you like them the way they are, maybe all you need is some trim work.

**Pasquale** · #10 November 25th, 2008, 10:25 PM

Hi.CMG214
In my old country “ Italy” there is a saying about the grapevine: “ Leave me poor and I will make you rich”. This is what I would suggest: Cut all the new growth down to the second nod from the main runner, complete the pruning by cutting all the thin cane leaving only 10 or 20 of the best-one. And this, depend on the size of the vine.

KMG · #11 November 29th, 2008, 02:19 AM

I live in Massachusetts (just over the line from RI)

What is the common rule of thumb for the winter, put mulch around the base or leave bare? Red grapes, planted in May 2008 and climbed about six feet, one stalk this season (birds ate before I got a chance). Want to give it a second chance.

**Pasquale** · #12 November 29th, 2008, 05:46 PM

Hi KMG
You will have a second chance only: If the birds will leave you some! For the last ten years we have the Racoons that take it all. Your vine should survive the winter without any protection, but since it is a young plant it will do no harm to cover it around the base with 4-5” of leaves or straw.