Great Grapes—How to Grow the Popular Fruit Multi-Tasker

By Bill Dugan, Executive Editor

In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about growing grapes at home—they’re the most popular fruit in the world! There are four main types of grape vines, with many varieties within each type—we’ll help you narrow down your choices for growing grapes depending on what you want to do with them. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the possible choices, so we’ll help you choose the best grapes to grow in your garden.

You get all the tips, techniques, and advice about how to start and maintain healthy and productive grape vines, whether you’re thinking of growing Concord grapes, growing wine grapes, growing Muscadine grapes, or growing grapes to have a decorative grape arbor. We’ve got you covered when it comes to growing grapes!

Plus, you get specific advice about the best way to grow grapes—including growing grapes from cuttings, and growing grapes on a trellis.

We’ll give you tips on the ideal grape planting plans so your grape vines have enough room to grow—while still leaving plenty of space for the rest of your garden.

This gardening guide about grapes is your #1 guide for being the best grape gardener you can be! You should refer to this gardening guide whenever you have questions about your grape vines—from planning to planting and from maintaining and nurturing to harvesting and reaping the rewards in your kitchen.

First, you get a complete Introduction to Grapes—including some history and basics about grapes. Did you know that grapes are technically considered to be a berry? Find out how many climates are welcoming to grape vines. Trace the history of grapes from thousands of years ago to today, and learn when people first discovered the potential of grapes for making wine!

Then, you get Feature Articles about Grapes that include:

Types of Grape Plants—learn which grapes make good wine, which are better suited for juice or jelly, and which are ideal for snacking.
A Word About Varieties of Grape Plants—varieties of grapes explained! Get a quick summary about the varieties to grow for your eating, juicing, and canning pleasure. Plus, tips on specialty grapes for winemaking.
Choosing to Grow Your Grapes from Seeds, Cuttings, or Vines—find out how much effort it takes to grow your grape plants from seeds, or whether you’re better off starting with cuttings or vines.
Selecting a Site for Planting Your Grapes—everything you need to know about growing grapes where you live. Get the details on soil composition, sun exposure, and shelter from the cold.
Planting and Nurturing Your Grape Vines—learn when the best time is to put your grape vines into the ground and give them the best start possible.
Pruning, Fertilizing, Water, and Weeding Your Grapes—the success of your grape vines depends on you attending to all the little details that are essential for healthy harvest down the road. Learn what it takes to give your grape vines the ideal environment and the right level of TLC to grow strong and be productive. And get guidance on setting up a trellis for your vines to grow on as they develop.
Dealing with Grape Diseases—find out why consistent pruning can go a long way toward helping your vines ward off disease. Also, plan to do a daily inspection of your vines to spot any problems early.
Dealing With Grape Pests—be vigilant and quickly act if pests show up to make a meal of your grape vines.
Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Grapes—trellises, loppers, and pruning saws are just a few of the essential tools you’ll need to tend your grape vines—get the full list of essential gardening tools and equipment for growing and enjoying grapes … and for almost all of your gardening needs.

Next, this premium gardening guide highlights a dozen popular grape varieties to help you choose the varieties you want to grow—this is just a sampling of the many varieties available:

And all your grape-gardening efforts are more satisfying when you have quick and easy-to-make recipes, to ensure your harvest is enjoyed by everyone you serve at your home. Food Gardening Network is all about providing delicious recipes for making yummy dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your grape harvest:

Grape Jelly
Chicken, Fennel, and Grape Quinoa Salad
Grape and Pear Pie
5-Minute Grape Sorbet
Grape and Avocado Salsa
Grilled Tuna Steaks with Grape and Caper Salsa
Garlic Chicken and Grapes

Next, you’ll learn all about the health benefits of grapes with Nutrition Facts about Grapes and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Grapes. Learn about all the wonderful and beneficial attributes of grapes—including potential anti-inflammatory properties, compounds that may help protect against common eye diseases, and nutrients essential for bone health.

And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own grapes, we’ve included a Resources about Grapes section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about grapes.

Finally, our Grape Glossary section gives you the explanation of key grape-gardening terms and concepts—so, you’re up to date about important grape-gardening ideas.

Check out this premium gardening guide now—Great Grapes—How to Grow the Popular Fruit Multi-Tasker—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about grapes!

Mary Van Doren, Norann Oleson, Victoria Arnold, and Samantha Pulcherz contributed to the creation of this gardening guide.

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