I have 30 very nice, established concord grape vines. I want to start some new vines from these. Do I need a specific root stock here in the PNW?
grafter, welcome to the forum
Concord is a vitis labrusca grape. I think it is the wine grapes, vitis vinifera, that are grafted to rootstock.
I think Concord should be amenable to rooting from cuttings.
Jafar, the V. labrusca is prone to phylloxera. Oregon has its problems with the insect. WSU has also done some research into phylloxera, and recommends grafting onto rootstock that is not prone to this pest.
My question should have been what rootstock is not prone to this pest, and where can I obtain same, so that my concords will not be affected.
Many thanks.
This: https://esa.confex.com/esa/200.....r_7678.htm
Vitis labrusca cultivars are thought to tolerate root feeding without substantial damage
and what I thought I've read from Lon Rombough seem to imply it is mainly a problem with vinifera grapes.
https://books.google.com/books.....38;f=false
But going with a resistant rootstock is a surer bet. My own-rooted grapes have all seemed quite healthy.
Jafar, thank you for the references. Are your own-rooted grapes V. lambrusca? Did you start your vines from cuttings?
grafter said
Jafar, thank you for the references. Are your own-rooted grapes V. lambrusca? Did you start your vines from cuttings?
I believe, but am not certain, that the seedless table grapes I bought from Raintree are on their own roots (you can verify with them how they are grown if you like). I know they sell grafted grapes but I believe those are the seeded vinifera wine grapes.
From them I have Sweet Seduction, Einset, Glenora, Venus and Canadice planted spring 2005. (I may have lost one last winter, Canadice?, these are now at a former house and don't get much care).
I also tried Gewurtziminer and Muscat Ottenel, vinifera, that didn't fare as well. I pulled the Gewurtz after a season or two because of powdery mildew and I think the Ottenel fruited for several years. Its possible it is the one that died last year rather than Canadice, I only remember one actually dying.
I've never sprayed them with anything. They grow between two single story houses that are about 10' apart from each other and run East/West trained to a chain link fence grown in fast draining, but hard "soil".
I also have seen Jupiter on its own roots in several locations perform excellently.
Welcome to the forum grafter,
I have also read that the American labrusca types are tougher. Europeans had to import "wilder" American rootstocks to take care of the diseases that nearly wiped out their entire industry. I think you have it backwards. I have grown many types of American grapes on their own rootstocks and I've never had a problem.
When I started growing grapes, the idea was that actual Concord would only ripen half the time, so they recommended Island Belle/Campbell's Early, Van Buren, Buffalo, or other earlier fox grapes that had the flavor but were earlier. Now I don't worry about heating units. I want Concord because by the time they ripen (and I feel they will), the other grapes are gone. A good problem to have, I guess, in this case.
John S
PDX OR
In Vancouver I have own-root grape vines by my house. Those are Interlaken, Price, Canadice, Venus. They are vigorous and have grown for 13 or 14 years. I have not watered in summer for several years, and they are not phased by the dry summer. So I think the roots must be quite deep.
Grapes are easy to grow from dormant hardwood cuttings. I plan to start some for my new Battleground place, next winter. I have a few young vines there not bearing yet. A couple of those were bonuses from Raintree and at least one was grafted. Buffalo was from Fred Meyer and is own-root.
I dont think American hybrid table grapes need grafting based on the same books that John and Jafar have probably read. I cant link right now via ipad, but there are some references online that support labrusca vines as resisting phylloxera.