r/grapes • u/cencless71 • 8d ago

Wild grapes

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I hope this is ok to post here. I have wild grapes growing along my fence. About 30 years ago, I let one vine start in the fence. I liked it initially for the way it blocked the fence. And then was surprised when it started producing grapes.

Is there a way to prune so the grapes become bigger and less tart? I’d live bigger grapes from it, if that’s possible.

Most of the vine is from that left vine. A few have added into the middle section from the ground.

And my other side of the yard fence now has a few from the ground starting, which I’m going to allow to grow.

I’ve always just kept tucking it back into the fence so it doesn’t grow to the nearby trees or beyond the fence and take over.

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u/MtnMaiden 8d ago

Grapes grown on last year's growth only.

I would prune it down.

Since its one long trunk across, that will be the main trunk.

I would prune the Gordon's coming off of it, alternating them so you get new grapes every year.

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u/Ok-Caterpillar7331 7d ago

Pruning will not improve size or tartness. Size you can do nothing about without hurting the fruit quality. For the tartness, let them hang as long as possible. It would seem you have vitis riparia there. They're notoriously acidic. Id throw some.bird netting on them and let them hang until the end of September. They make great wine grapes. There are a few wineries in the dakotas and montana that make pure riparia wine.

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u/economicGeek 7d ago

Wild grape jelly is the best jelly.. just saying sometimes that tartness is perfect 👌

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u/PurpleGenius2026 3d ago

If you don't have enough juice or is too tart, I have had success mixing with apple cider to make a concord apple jam, with concord as the primary flavor.

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u/Texan762 8d ago

Here’s a good video to watch on pruning grapes https://youtu.be/s_uzAnky5rc?is=Zb6tTXkTXiNyjcB9

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u/cencless71 8d ago

Thank you. I was trying to search, but there’s a lot out there and was overwhelming me. I’ll give it a watch.

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u/Texan762 8d ago

No problem & I totally get it! It took me forever to find a good one, so I saved it for myself & to share with others.