How to Plant and Grow Concord Grapes

Test the soil for early spring planting. Use a soil testing kit purchased from a garden center. Concord grapes prefer soil with a pH between 7.0 and 8.0. If your soil does not meet these requirements, you will need to amend it.

Break up the soil after testing, using a pitchfork. Add lime to the soil if the pH is below 7.0 or peat moss if the soil pH is above 8.0. Check the packaging label on the required amendment for allocation amounts.

Dig holes for the Concord grape plants that measure the size of their nursery containers. Space holes approximately seven feet apart. Remove plants from their nursery containers and set one plant in each hole.

Backfill the holes, leaving a half-inch gap between the backfilled soil and the original soil line. Pat the soil firmly around the Concord grape stems, forming a slight divot in the ground around each plant.

Water the plants generously after planting. Provide the grapes with at least 1-inch of water per week, using a soaker hose. Keep the soil moist at a 1-inch depth, but not wet, at all times.

Hammer in a trellis directly behind your plants. You can use one long trellis if you have planted a row of grapes or a single trellis behind each plant. The trellis should measure a minimum of 12 to 18 inches in height.

Spread a layer of mulch around the plants. A 4-inch layer of straw or bark chips should suffice. The mulch will improve water retention, reduce weed growth and protect roots of the plants during cold winters and hot summers.