How to Grow Grapes From Scratch

Preparing Seeds

• 1

  Crush ripe grapes by using a fork to pick out the seeds. Collect the seeds in a colander, and rinse them under running water to remove attached pulp.

• 2

  Immerse the seeds in a bowl filled with water. Discard the seeds that float to the surface, because they are not viable and will not germinate. Spread the seeds on a dry paper towel for 10 to 12 hours, or until they are dry.

• 3

  Prepare a fungicide specifically formulated for seeds. Dilute it to half its strength before you rinse the seeds in it. Put the seeds into a plastic bag, and refrigerate them at 40 degrees Fahrenheit for three months. This cold period is necessary for the seeds to germinate.

Planting

• 4

  Add quality potting soil to 4-inch pots and mist the soil lightly. Plant three or four seeds 1/4 inch deep in each pot. Place the pots in a warm spot with a consistent temperature between 60 and 70 F with exposure to indirect but bright light. Grape seeds germinate in two to four weeks.

• 5

  Place the potted seedlings in a warm but sheltered outdoor spot for two months to acclimate them. Keep the potting soil evenly moist at all times.

• 6

  Transplant the seedlings to their permanent planting site in May or June. Ensure the planting site receives full sunlight. Loosen the soil beforehand, and enrich it with organic matter such as compost. Plant the seedlings 6 to 8 feet apart in a row, and space rows 10 feet apart.

• 7

  Provide grapevines 1 inch of water every week during spring and summer, using a soaker hose. During winter, water the soil when the top 2 inches feel dry. Spread 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch around the base of each grapevine to retain soil moisture and prevent weeds. Feed each plant 1 lb. of 10-6-4 fertilizer after you plant them, and once every spring.

• 8

  Install a trellis for grapevines. Pound a 6-foot wooden stake behind each vine, and tie growing tendrils to it with elastic. When the grapevines outgrow the stakes, replace with taller stakes and extend two parallel lengths of high-tensile wire between them, spaced 3 and 5 feet above the ground. Train the growing tendrils to spread along the lower wire and then the upper wire.