How to Plant Concord Grapes in Containers

Acquire a young plant. Use cuttings from dormant vines collected in December or January or purchase a young grapevine from a nursery.

Prepare the soil. Fill a container with 50% potting soil and 50% perlite. Use your hand to make a small indention in the center of the soil. Be sure the container has a hole in the bottom for drainage.

Plant your grapevine. For a cutting, bury the bottom three nodes in the soil mixture and allow the upper 1-2 buds to show above the surface. For a young plant, be sure the roots are not buried too deep---no more than two inches below the soil.

Water immediately. After planting, pour water on the soil until it runs out the bottom. Continue to water your plants every 1-3 days without allowing standing water to accumulate.

Tie the vine to a stake. As your vine grows, tie it to a firmly planted stake to ensure a single, straight trunk. You may have to adjust your tie as the plant gets larger.

Choose the right location. Concord grapes need 8 hours of sunlight a day to grow. Find an area with full sun on the southern side of a slope or building.

Prune occasionally. Remove any dead or dying leaves throughout the year. During colder months, prune any lower shoots or leaves that may emerge and allow growth only on the uppermost part of the vine. This will shape your vine into a tree and provide maximum fruit production.