Spring in Indiana - Grape Vines
Spring has finally made it to central Indiana, it's about time. Although it's just in time for summer almost. We did have frost within the last week, but that's expected here until the middle of May. But it has given me time to start working on things I neglected last year. One of the first was trimming the grape vines.
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Grape vines only produce grapes on new growth and if you've never been around grape vines you wouldn't believe how much they grow. We have two that are used more for a screen from the neighbors than for the production of grapes. One of the problems with all the growth is the lack of air circulation the extra leaves can cause. Grapes are susceptible to fungus growth that can completely destroy a crop. During the peak of growing season our plants will put on a new leaf every day. As the vine grows those leaves are eventually 4 inches apart. That means each runner on the vine is growing 4 inches a day. By itself that doesn't sound like much but in just over a week each runner can grow 3 feet in length. With 10 or more runners on each vine, that's a lot of plant.
One of the advantages of all the growth is for use in the smoker during the summer. Mixing freshly cut grape vines with mesquite or hickory for smoking tends to soften the smoke taste. Mesquite or hickory alone can generate a smoke flavor so strong that you can't really taste the meat anymore.
Grapes also tend to over produce. Too many grapes and the vine can't provide enough water and nutrients for the grapes to grow properly. You then end up with smaller grapes that don't have as much flavor. I was visiting a winery in the Willamette Valley of Oregon once and they told me they had to go through the vineyard every spring and remove between one third and one half of the grapes produced to get the quality of grapes they needed for their wine. It must work, the wine was delicious.
Here's the grapevine after trimming. I know, it looks sad right now.
Soon however, it will be lush and green again. In a month or so, I'll be trimming off the vines for the smoker.
Amazing! So much info packed in such a short article, with perfect pictures. I've never grown grapes because where I live in northern Maine they'd never make it. I didn't know they were grown in Indiana either despite spending a few years there in college in the Warsaw area back in the day. Great post. Upvoting and following!
Only certain varieties to grow them here I think. But I am not sure which ones will make the winter here. There is a winery at the Michigan-Indiana state line off I69 (Fremont, IN) that grows some of their own grapes. So the grapes can take more winter than you might think.
LOL...Yes. I was shocked to discover a nice winery on the north shores of the Nova Scotia mainland a few years back, but then they have the wrap-around effect from The Gulf Stream carrying through the Northumberland Strait to thank for their success, I suspect. Northern Maine is a whole different story though...
I would think northern Maine would be a lot different. Winter is too long here for me, couldn't stand it that far north.
We have a bit less constant wind than we had in Warsaw though....but yeah, it's actually hit 50-below raw temp here once a few years ago. Averages about -10F for a week or two in Jan-Feb...Usually five months of snow on the ground (December-April, or Nov-March.)
I'll stay with the wind.
LOL...I hear ya, Mike.
You really do get used to anything though. Splitting 8 cords of wood every spring. Lounging by a hot fire all winter. It's not so bad... Summers make up for it. Gorgeous up here May-Oct.
Here I was thinkimg wine or jelly and you want to burn the leaves?!
Again, I certainly know more than I did! Amazing how each living thing does have a uniqueness about how it survives, also amazing what we have learned....how many generations of grape growers with patience it has taken to learn and perfect the art of grapes and wine.
Are you sure you didn't get carried away though?
John of Salisbury, circa 1159
Really it's Amazing!