Fertilizers for the Venus Seedless Grape

Season, Site and Space

• Plant Venus Seedless grapes in mid-spring, when temperatures warm, in sites with full sunshine and quick drainage. The grapevines won't produce any fruit in shade, and rot in standing water. Venus Seedless grapevines grow only in U.S. Department of Agriculture Growing Zones 5 to 9, and require 10 to 12 feet of spacing in the planting row.

Soil Amendments

• Start Venus Seedless grapevines in the right soil for best success. Amend planting sites to a depth of 10 to 12 inches with 6 inches of organic compost to produce rich, nutritious and quick-draining soil. Organic compost provides slow-releasing, long-term nutrition for better foliage and fruiting. Purdue University's Department of Horticulture notes that this loose, nutritious soil encourages deep, healthy root growth for long lifespans and production.

First-Year Fertilizer

• The Ohio State University Extension recommends feeding Venus Seedless grapevines seven days after planting to encourage quick establishment. Sprinkle 8 ounces of granular 10-10-10 fertilizer around the base of each plant, and mix it into the soil. Water the grapevines with 1/2 gallon of water immediately after the feeding to help dissolve the fertilizer granules. Be careful not to get any fertilizer on the trunk or foliage of the vines, as it burns. The Ohio State University Extension recommends keeping the fertilizer at least 6 inches from the trunk of the grapevine itself for safety.

Maintenance Fertilizer

• Feed Venus Seedless grapevines again each spring, before new growth starts. Give each grapevine 1 lb. of granular 10-10-10 fertilizer in the spring of the second year, and increase to 1 1/2 lbs. in the spring every year thereafter. Add new compost to the planting sites at this time as well, to maintain soil condition. Venus Seedless grapevines begin fruit production in their third season, and need adequate nutrition to bloom, set fruit and ripen the harvest.