It is almost like there are two strains of Petite Pearl out there. I first planted Petite Pearl 6 or 7 years ago. When I received them they were in the little white paper bands. They were so small and it was so late (July) that I put them in a nursery I grow vine starts in. They just did not grow like all my other vines have. Two years ago we took some cuttings, started them and planted in my most vigorous vineyard to test them. As of this spring, they have grown to be a foot tall and miniscule cane size. This is the same vineyard that 7 other varieties have all grown like gangbusters. I used the excavator this spring and ripped the 50 vines I had put in the nursery so many years ago.
Meanwhile I get reports of very vigorous growth of Petite Pearl. One case in point There is a new startup vineyard and winery in the area that reports very vigorous growth of their PP. The same vineyard has had less than robust growth of the rest of their vines. They can't believe the size of my vines that are similar in age to theirs. So are all these Petite Pearl vines the same or is there two sports of them? Who knows for sure but I won't be planting any more of the slow growing ones I got first. I may see about getting some bare root ones being planted lately to see how they grow.