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Fruit & Orchards

Will all grapes work as canes?

13 years ago

Bunchgrapes seems to recommend spur for everything unless it needs to be cane so they're not much help.

I have Himrod and Reliance. Himrod needs to be cane. Reliance seems to enjoy cane. They are two tier Kniffen, and I probably won't be changing that.

I will be adding Canadice, Lakemont and Flame. Trellis will be a 7' T. Vines either trained to a T cordon with four canes going in either direction or head with four canes going in either direction.

The reasons I want canes is so I don't have to think about which one I'm pruning. I can mark the wires for the distance that works and end the cane there and otherwise all can be treated the same.

Plus I'm under the impression that cane will fill in and provide shade faster. If I'm wrong let me know.

Of course with it being 7' this may be moot if I get tired of the overhead/ladder work and one year decide to leave the canes and prune them to spurs.

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Comments (5)

fruitnut Z7 4500ft SW TX
13 years ago
I've grown 30-40 seedless table grape including the five you mention. They have all worked fine as cane pruned. I've read all can be cane pruned but only some spur pruned.

Do you think Flame will work in zone 5? I won't think so. Have you thought about Jupiter?
myk1
Original Author
13 years ago
Oops, I didn't think of the zone for Flame, 2 zones does seem to be pushing it.
It's against a south facing wall that gets very hot and I plan on mulching heavily. Oh well, if it doesn't work it was only $7.
I just saw the name and know I've seen it recommended a lot, LOL.
Zone 7 is down to 0Â° so that may work with mulch. I've kept garden plants from freezing solid with mulch and without mulch I've had potatoes underground freeze. I can pile bags of leaves over it. The above ground part may pose a problem.
Good thing you pointed that out.
I might call and see if I can change it.
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Yea but I mean I am getting it ready to spur prune in the future, meaning I want to choose which arms are going to stay on it for a long time. I'm not sure but I read flame seedless is typically spur pruned? I'm going to do cane for my Thompson seedless but they are a year behind because they didnt grow so well the first year. Any reason why you'd choose the upper canes? Also, my post was referring to the left side, I forgot to say. Also um I know I'm not to the point where spurs should have developed, but some did this year while the cane was growing. Some shoots grew out the side that look like spurs? But there's also a bud in the crack I think, should I just chop the shoots off? Not sure if you can see them. Wasn't sure if new shoots would grow out in the crack between the cane and the shoot or not so I left them for now...
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Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
13 years ago
This is timely. This morning I took a long drive through the desert and found myself in the middle of the Coachella Valley Red Flame Commercial Grape acres. I noticed a ton of workers with umbrellas, so i stopped. Harvest time! Workers in the 108 degree heat, harvesting the Red Flame Grapes. They do cane prune. These vines are very fat and old. They keep them short too. Nothing over 5' tall.

There are miles of grapes here. This is the optimum zone 9b for Thompson Seedless and Red Flame. The commercial growers sell to Costco, so I imagine Costcos everywhere will be receiving shipments soon!

I am the only wine grape grower here in this land of perpetual sun, I think. Everyone probably knows something I don't, but I had to research hard and find vitis vinifera that craves heat and wind.

I found the vines. Had to go to Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Australia for them, and I have the strangest assortment of wine grapes ever!! I'm looking forward to see how they blend at wine making time. None of my varieties can take a freeze, so it would be senseless for me to list them for you.

It's just important to find varieties that will thrive in your particular climate.

Good luck to you!
Suzi
franktank232
13 years ago
I noticed grapes are on sale right now here for .99/lb...figured they must have been in season.

I'm just growing "Reliance" up here... Has worked great and has a good set of fruit sizing up.

I've noticed a lot of interest in grapes/wine here in Wisconsin the last few years. See a lot of small vineyards popping up. My mother in law is almost an alcoholic;drinks gallons of wine a month it seems!!! should probably put in a few vines just for her :)
Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
13 years ago
y Frank! Put some vines in for mama!! Not sure which varieties grow there, but many do! A little research, and some muscle, you got wine grapes! Woot!!

Let's drink to mama!!

Suzi

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