How to Transplant Scuppernong Vines in Northwest Florida

Select a planting site with full sun exposure, preferably on a hill for better drainage and air circulation, as well as less susceptibility to damage from frost. Avoid low-lying planting sites. The sandy loam soil commonly found in northwest Florida is ideal, but the plant will also grow in sandy soil or clay, as long as it drains quickly.

Pull the weeds or use a shovel to remove the sod in a 5- to 6-foot wide area around where the vine will be planted. Test the soil pH. It should be between 5.5 and 6.5. Mix lime into the soil thoroughly at a rate of 2 1/2 pounds per 50 square feet to raise the pH by 1 or 1/2 pound of elemental sulfur per 50 square feet to lower the pH by 1.

Water the vine one to two days before transplanting it. Dig a 2-foot-wide by 2-foot-deep planting hole. Space holes 15 to 20 feet apart for multiple scuppernong vines. Space multiple rows 10 feet apart.

Dig up the scuppernong vine after digging its new planting hole. Push a sharp garden spade straight down into the soil in a circle, 6 inches away from the stems all the way around the vine to sever the roots. Push a dirt shovel all the way into the soil 6 inches from the stems and lift the vine.

Wash or gently shake the soil off the roots. Trim off broken roots with sharp pruners. Clean and disinfect the pruners with household disinfectant prior to trimming the roots. Trim very long roots back to a length of 1 foot.

Hold the vine at the base of the stem, and set it in the hole at the same depth it was growing previously. Push the soil back into the hole, gently working it beneath and between the roots. Pour 3 gallons of water over the soil to settle it around the roots. Spread a 3-inch depth of organic mulch over the soil to retain moisture, but keep the mulch a few inches away from the stems.

Water the newly-planted scuppernong vine with 2 gallons of water every day during the first year when it does not rain. Give it 1/4 pound of 10-10-10 or 8-8-8 fertilizer in April or when it begins to grow and put on new leaves. Divide the fertilizer into two equal portions and spread each portion in a 1-foot-wide band on two sides of the vine. Apply the same amount of fertilizer in the same way again in June and August.