Grape Planting Zones

Determining Zones

• When planting grapes, you should know both the zone of the planting location and the zone rating given to a particular type of grape. Determination of an area's zone may be made through the use of an interactive zone map, such as the one hosted by the National Gardening Association on its website. Users with concerns such as altitude or users who might live right on the edge of a lower zone should consider that their zone is one zone colder than what this map indicates.

Considerations

• Zones make good general guidelines, but since the only factor considered is the average coldest winter temperature, they do have some significant limits. USDA zones tend to work fairly well in the eastern United States, but western gardeners must be aware that planting conditions can have extreme variations between cities in the same zone, such as zone 8, which includes both the hot, dry weather of Tucson, Arizona, and the cool, wet conditions of Seattle, Washington. The best way to identify additional plant requirements and local planting conditions is to use resources such as a county extension office or a local nursery that sells grapes suitable for the area. There also may be help on a state level, such as the more detailed zone map provided by the University of Arizona. These resources help to evaluate a variety of factors including soil conditions, rainfall and summer temperatures.

Zones

• The correct planting zone for grapes will depend on the specific type of grape. Some, such as summer grape (Vitis aestivalis, Norton), will only thrive in zones 5 through 7. Such a narrow range is cause for concern for gardeners in many areas. Other grapes have a broader tolerance and can survive in a much wider range of temperatures, such as the beta grape (Vitis, Beta), which is hardy in planting zones 3 through 9. Although the USDA hardiness zones are not perfect, they do help to narrow down which plants have the best chance of survival in a given area. Use them to reduce the number of choices, but don't rely on them as the final word.

Planting

• Although gardeners cannot have much effect on the climate, there are other things that can be done to help ensure the survival of grapes. Choosing the hardiest plants possible is one area where the gardener has complete control. Cultivars such as the Concord, Delaware and Norton are hardy, proven producers in many parts of the country. Soil preparation to provide adequate drainage is another factor that can be controlled. Proper drainage helps plants develop strong root systems, resulting in hardier plants that can survive a wider range of growing conditions.