Not all soils are conducive to growing quality grapes, so prospective vineyard sites should be tested before a decision is made to plant grapes. Tests can identify soils that are either too high in pH, salts, or salinity, or that are “too rich” (too high in organic matter and nitrogen) for grapes. In addition, testing before planting allows for the incorporation of nutrients—such as phosphorus—that do not move easily through the soil to plant roots.
Monthly check list for vineyard work
Updated list of grape varieties recommended for South Dakota.
Quality wine grapes can be grown in South Dakota with careful attention to growing site, cultivar selection and production techniques. View selected information available from SDSU Extension and other sources that will help you in deciding whether grape growing is for you, and to grow quality fruit.
Consult these resources for answers to common plant and weed issues, including: plant characteristics, plant problems (diseases, insects, and abiotic), plant selection and management, and weed identification and control.
Saving seeds is a fun and economical way to produce plants for the next year. There are concerns however when saving seeds about seed-borne diseases.
Grapes in the Dakotas? Given an appropriate growing site and care, grape vines can last for decades or more in our climate thanks to the efforts of grape breeders over the past thirty years.
Achemon sphinxe caterpillars (Eumorpha achemon) feed on wild grape, Virginia creeper, and related vines.
If you don’t have much garden space it is important to get the most from what space you have available.
Some grape growers may notice that some of their shoots have bumpy growths on the bottom of new leaves. These bumps are galls caused by the grape phylloxera, an aphid-like insect.