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Contact your County's Extension Service office because they most likely have planting specifics suited to your climate and region.

See this page to locate that office:

http://npic.orst.edu/pest/countyext.htm

I put in a pergola at my last house. I really used it for a shade structure and had our outdoor table and chairs under it. So mine was at 8' for ease of walking under it. As a result I needed to pick fruit on the ladder. I planted a vine under each of the 4 posts and pruned yearly to keep it shady underneath.

I planted seedless Concords 2 years ago and was disappointed that there was 1 or 2 seeds per grape. So I guess they will be for jelly and not fresh eating. I only got 1 1/2 cups from my 3 plants and I hope they do lots more next year.

Personally I think that the Steuben grape is an improvement over the Concord. It is the same general kind of flavor but brighter and spicier, and without the burr-like aftertaste I get from the Concord. But if Concord is exactly what suits you best, you might not like Steuben as much as I do.

As for Jbraun's seedy seedless grapes, I have been told that sometimes seedless grapes can produce a few seeds if they are planted close to seeded grapes. This has not happened in my own garden where I have Steuben (seeded) and Jupiter (seedless) next to each other, but perhaps it depends on the varieties in question.

Rosefolly

Try to grow the newer varieties like Hope, Joy, and Gratitude. Very good new table grapes. Starkbros nursery is carrying them or Ison.

Tony

Hi all so in NY. This spring I had gotten 4 vines from double A. The roots on their vines must have been 5 feet !!! Great place would order from them again.

I still love the flavor of a concord for juice and jelly, they are the standard hardy seeded grape. Plant them 8' apart. Another variety you might consider if you prefer white grape juice is Niagara.

'Glenora' A Cornell variety, and absolutely well adapted to NY with excellent flavor.

Glenora has very nice autumn colors most years. The rap is that it's a light-bearing variety, but grapes are so prolific that's not an issue for home use.

I used double A. Amazing root structure. I tried to make some of my own from cuttings. After I got my plants from double a I wish I ordered them all. Huge roots.

anyone have any experience with Himrod, Marquis, or Neptune? which would you recommend?

RJ Cambbell:

I grow Concord here in SE WI and they do well for me. I have them spaced 8' apart on my trellis and even with heavy pruning each year they fill up that space easily. I also grew Canadice for a few years as I wanted a seedless grape. Just an FYI that Canadice was great on flavor but was a very wimpy grower. I spaced them 8' apart too and should have planted them no more than 6' apart as they never filled the space and usually had some tip die back each winter. I lost all my Canadice 2 winters ago when we hit -18 in temperature. My Concords came thru just fine.

After battling the wasps on early ripening grapes (and commonly loosing 1/2 the crop), I will only grow later ripening grapes that ripen in Late September. I seem to have less wasp problems when the fruit ripens at that time.

I train to a 4 arm Kniffen system and use two wires on the trellis (5' and 3' from ground level). If I did it again, I would move the top wire to 6' as the vines on my 5' wire somewhat shade out my bottom wire. I get a decent yield on the bottom wire but always a higher yield from my top wire. 12 guage wire worked for me.

Years ago when I was taught how to prune grapes, I heard Labrusca grapes were best pruned to a kniffen system. Now I hear they actually produce more on a cordon system. I heard this from a relative who grows Concord grapes commercially in Oregon (along with lots of wine grapes). My system is already set up so I will not change but you might want to train to a cordon system assuming that statement is correct. I got 2 bushel of fruit last fall from 4 Concord grape vines so I am happy with the kniffen system.

I tried Himrod about 30 years ago. Great flavor but small fruit. Not hardy enough for my area at that time. I have never grown Niagara but it is on my bucket list as very heavy fruiting and I love the foxy flavor.

Just wanted to give an update, I have got the pergola built and have started planting vines, I went with Lakemont and Reliance for my seedless, and the rest will be Concord. Built it completely out of Black Locust, all the posts are 8' apart from each other including 8" wide. its 8' high to the top of the rafters. I'm planting grapes 4' apart, (may be too close but I will thin out later if I need to) and hoping to get them to the top the first year. Any advice and training them up will be greatly appreciated

That's awesome looks great.

That is really close for grapevines. But they will just grow into each other.

This is a little late but...

To train them up, just keep loosely tying the best shoot up your bamboo. Remove the lower shoots to push growth. By this time of year the curlers should be holding them up. This winter cut the ripened wood, it will turn brownish red, back till you see green tissue in the cut. Repeat next year. Depending on vine growth it may take a couple years to get to the top.

Can't wait to see it with grape vines on it!