My granddaughters and I were in the grocery store today, and I had to pick up some grape jelly for our morning biscuits. As I picked out a jar, I turned to Kendall ( my youngest at age 6), and said, ” You know, we need to make grape jelly this summer from all of those grapes we get.” That’s when she asked the question about grapes and grape jelly. I thought my granddaughters were pretty savy on the whole gardening thing since they have been out with me since they could walk, but I see I still have a little work to do.
Since the weather was nice when we got home, we went out to the garden to look at the two vines I have. My husband pruned them in December and I wasn’t very happy. In the South, January or February is the best time for pruning grapes but we will wait and see how it worked out. Fertilization isn’t necessary after the first couple of years, because it stimulates leaf and wood growth instead of fruit production. Japanese beetles are a terrible problem with ours, since grapes are one of their favorite foods. I just hand pick them from the leaves and kill them. Grapes also need a trellis. My husband made ours from rubber coated wire stretched between posts. While the plants are still dormant I need to get out and weed, then place straw over the area to keep weeds down.
Better start looking for those grape jelly recipes for Kendall.
Karen