Grapes

This post is basically a weekly photo log of my concord grapes this year so far (looking to be the Best Year Ever as long as I get them before the wildlife does).

Last year, I finally convinced DH to help me put up some horizontal wires in the grape arbor. Prior to that, the vines had always sprawled on the ground, getting buried in weeds and more often than not, if they did produce grapes, the critters ate them before I even knew they were there.  During the Summer of 2022, I tried to just get the vines to wrap themselves around the wires and stay off the ground.  It was somewhat successful, although I missed getting any of the crop.  

This year, I started the Spring with trying to untangle the mess of vines, a lot of which were still on the ground. I didn't worry about pruning them, my goal was just to get them up and running along the parallel sets of wires in the arbor.  I wanted to be able to access the grapes from all sides.  And monitor how they grow and when they are ripe. 

For the first year ever, I noticed the blossoms.  And boy, did they smell good.  Sweet.  Kinda like grapes (who woulda thunk it, right?!?)

blossoms

I decided that I would try really hard to remember to check the grapes weekly, and take pictures of their growth throughout the season.

week 2

(the week after blooming)

week 3

itty bitty beginnings of grapes

week 4

now you can see they might be grapes

week 5

definitely grapes

week 6

week 7

week 8

looking like green table grapes, but they're not

week 9

So far, so good.  Based on past years with these grape vines, they should be ready in early September, weather permitting.  Which means they have about six more weeks to grow bigger and juicier, then ripen to their deep dark purple color.  If the crop continues to do as well as it has the last two months, I should have plenty for making grape jelly, and even can some grape juice too. Although DH is eyeing them and speaking words about making wine using the recipe his Dad used to use. . .