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  • From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
  • To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Concord Grapes
  • Date: Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:14:49 -0700

Sounds like the vines are in a pocket of high soil fertility. Not harmful if they aren't getting excess nitrogen.
Proper pruning will keep the vines from overcropping. Sounds like you know what signs to watch for - late ripening, lower quality - if the vine is over cropped. As vigorous as the vine seems to be and still ripening it's crop well, you probably aren't overloading it. Average production for a healthy vine is about 30 to 35 pounds, but large vines in good circumstances can pass that easily. Same is true with many other grapes.
-Lon Rombough
NEW grape pruning video: http://www.bunchgrapes.com/dvd.html View a short, low resolution clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q58zFY0B1M
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.
For all other things grape, http://www.vitisearch.com
A video about The Grape Grower : http://cookingupastory.com/index.php/2008/04/18/the-grape-grower/
On Apr 16, 2009, at 6:05 PM, William C. Garthright wrote:

I've got a couple of Concord grapevines that are about four years old.
For the past two years, I've gotten tons of grapes from them, and
they're absolutely delicious (they've completely spoiled me for grocery
store grapes - although some of my friends and family won't touch them,
because they have seeds!).

Anyway, the only (minor) problem is that the vines grow like crazy over
the summer. They're about 12 feet apart, and they still grow canes that
go clear past the other vine. I'm just amazed at how long the new growth
gets - and so much of it! - in just one season. It becomes a huge
tangle. I tried leaving more canes last year, without much effect, but
this year, I plan to let them produce at least twice as many grapes,
just to see if it will keep the vine growth under control (and it will
be nice to have the grapes, too, of course).

My question is this: What's the downside if I let them produce TOO many
grapes (as is likely this year, I suspect)? Fewer grapes next year? Poor
quality grapes? Both? Anything really serious?

Second, would this mostly depend on the light available? I've got guy
wires on both sides of one vine, to help keep the fence upright, so I
can train some canes on those and get plenty of light to each cane. The
grapes have been very good the past couple of years, so I don't want to
ruin them, just tame the growth a bit. Any problem with giving this a try?

Thanks,

Bill
Lincoln, NE (zone 5)

--
I believe that complete separation of church and state is one of those
miraculous things which can be best for religion and best for the state,
and the best for those who are religious and those who are not
religious. - Leo Pfeffer

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