Grapes from seeds

[Evilfrog]

I know it's generally recommended to grow from cuttings, but I had some seeds left over from some roadside grapes I bought a few years ago. In the future I do plan on buying some wine and eating grapes.

Anywho, the seeds were about two years old when I satisfied them over the winter. I sowed 30, and eight came up. One died, shortly after it came up and one got eaten by something before it could be more than a sprout.

So I know have six vines, between 6-8" inches tall hanging out on my kitchen counter in pots and am wandering what to do with them. I was originally planning on planting at my parents, but we may be buying a new place with room to plant them in the next few months. I do have a few questions for anyone who has experience planting from seeds.

Should I plant them these year, or leave them in the containers?

If they need to be planted this year, should I wait to the fall? They really didn't like it when I sent them outside for a few hours in the hot St. Louis heat for a few hours while they were still seedlings.

If I keep them in, should I get a grow light and continue watering in the winter, or let them go to sleep?

Thanks!

 

[grapeman]

You would have better luck chucking them out and buying some started vines next year from varieties you like that will grow there. What you have is a hybrid cross and it takes tens of thousands of seedlings to hopefully come up with a single acceptable variety. All the vines you buy are started from known varieties. Educated grape breeders spend a lifetime developing just a few good ones.

 

[TonyR]

Grapeman, is it also possible if you grow from seed you may end up with male plants with no chance of fruit??

 

[salcoco]

plus it will take seven years to see if you have viable grapes.
If you insist let them over winter. they should survive a basic cycle on their own. place in a cool place that follows the outside weather temperature short of outright freezing.Plant in you new location using grow tubes to protect them from sever winds etc. keep feeding them . after about three years should be providing good groth to determine any type of gape development.

 

[codeman]

Grapeman, is it also possible if you grow from seed you may end up with male plants with no chance of fruit??

Vitis vinifera are self fertile I believe.

 

[dorfie]

i agree with what has been said above, you have no idea of the completeness of the flowers (male, female, perfect) so you might have all male plants and would never get fruit.
however if you do want to plant them somewhere just to see what you get you need to harden them off before they go outside permanently. you can place them somewhere protected and partially shaded outside to let them get used to being outside, or take them out for a few hours in the morning or evening, increasing the time a little each day for two or three weeks.
We plant the crosses we do on their first year or so, we start them in the winter and plant during the spring/summer depending on time.
if you do plant them out i wouldn't hold your breath on getting fruit, the ratio of male to female plants in the wild is very high. Without knowing the variety or parentage of the grapes you can't have an idea about what chance of getting a male you have.
but who knows! if you have the space, you could get something that might be acceptable! if space is limited i would go with cuttings or plants of a known quality.