Northern Kentucky. Grape Growing

[John Sprinkle]

Hello, My name is John and I live in Northern Kentucky. I have a small farm and I am planning to start some red grape vines. I have made some 5 gallon batches of fruit wine in the past, but now I want to make wine from grapes that I grow. So, first of all, I am looking for grape type selection ideas as well as any grape growing suggestions/ requirements. I'm really not sure where to begin, so I am starting my research here, and I realize my question is a broad one. I plan about 10 rows of vines, that will be about 75 feet long. Any comments or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[cmason1957]

Are there any grape growers nearby to you that you could ask what grows well there? I m thinking Norton, Chardonel, Chambourcin, Niagara, Concord, Catawba. Might all be possibilities.

 

[sour_grapes]

Welome to WMT!

 

[wxtrendsguy]

Chambourcin, Noiret, Norton, and maybe Corot Noir. All are pretty cold hardy. I strongly urge you to spend the rest of the winter after you have selected your varieties planning your IPM program for disease and insects and how you plan to apply those materials. Some of these hybrid varieties do not like certain fungicides so you have to build a good plan well ahead of time...

 

[Stressbaby]

Single most helpful link for me on sprays: http://plantpathology.ca.uky.edu/files/ppfs-fr-s-20.pdf
Other considerations for varieties: Petite Pearl, Arandell.
Not sure what zone you're in, but I'm in Missouri, 6A. My Norton (Chambourcin as well, to lesser extent) has been a mess of crown gall from winter damage and I'm moving to more northern, cold tolerant varieties.

 

[Xnke]

Southern KY here. Chambourcin, Villard Blanc, Villard Noir, Vidal Blanc. Reisling, Cabernet franc, and Blaufrankish for vinifera, if you can stay on top of the spray program.

In my part of the state, vinifera isn't a problem-as long as you spray religiously. Northern KY, you will want the hardiest of vinifera or any of the hybrids.

I'm in zone 6A, and if you have crown gall it's a tool cleanliness issue...it lives in he dirt, and must enter an open wound to infect. Once you got it, there's no getting rid be of it without pulling the vine, short of Gallex. Only problem is the quantity you have to buy it in...

 

[bshef]

Southwestern Virginia - zone 6A - Pinot Noir, Cab Franc, possibly Petit Verdot for the vinifera. Chambourcin, Marchel Foch, Baco Noir, Chelios, Marquette, all are supposed to be good red wine hybrids. Norton is a good choice but remember it is a native grape so will not taste like the vinifera - neither will the hybrids. I have white suggestions but you say red. Depending on your vine spacing you are looking at anywhere from 120 to 180 or so vines. Little less than 1/4 acre.

Look at Double A Vineyards website for lots of info on varieties and growing suggestions. Also look atGrapes of the Hudson Valley And Other Cool Climate Regions of the United States and Canada by Stephen Casscles.

Virginia Tech has some great on-line resources that cover Virginia and the Eastern US. If you can afford a copy ($112.00) or find a copy to read, Wine Grape Production Guide for Eastern North America is a great resource.

Finally look at publications from your state Extension Service. Good luck

 

[Stressbaby]

I'm in zone 6A, and if you have crown gall it's a tool cleanliness issue.

I don't think that is always true. As I understand it, systemically infected plants can form galls from any kind of injury, including cold injury.

 

[Xnke]

Only if they are infected before the injury, AND the injury is higher on the vine than the infection. The crown gall bacteria actually re-writes the DNA of the vine, so any vine growth that occurs after initial infection will carry the risk of gall formation.

 

[Masbustelo]

In the midst of what individuals are saying about the ability to grow vinifera in the East, don't lose sight of the weekly or bi weekly spray schedule from bud break to post harvest. The spray regimen is intense, complicated by the need to rotate sprays. Many of the effective sprays are quite expensive and may not be available to the home owner who isn't licensed by the state to use them. So even though something is technically possible to do, and even though commercial growers may be doing so, is it something the home grower wants to participate in?

 

[stickman]

I'm not a grape grower, but I did wonder how vinifera was being grown in places like here,
https://www.huberwinery.com/winery-vineyards/

This is in Indiana close to the Kentucky border, I've never had any of their wines, but they seem to grow everything and it looks like a fairly large operation, like a three ring circus.