Concords (and all popular bunch grapes) don't last there because Pierce's Disease kills them in three to five years. The same with the entire deep south. Sorry to tell you, and enjoy it while it lasts, but "them's the facts." Nurseries cheat untold thousands of unsuspecting people a year with these ungrowable grapes that last past any warranty period.

Look at the bunch grape portion of this from similar Alabama and east Texas:

http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0774/

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/fruit/piercegrapes/pdr.html

Nurseries that sell in bulk to big box stores and think there is a "one size fits all" solution to their product lines, love to sell things in places they don't belong. While the adverturesome gardener who KNOWS it's not the right plant, but wants to give it a try and push the envelope, might find it an interesting experience, it only probably leads to disappointment for the average person, which is a shame.

Quite often, Thompson Seedless and Red Flame grapes pop up here, especially in those poor little, doomed, cardboard boxed displays that the mass merchandisers put out in February, when no one in Michigan could possibly plant it. Both of those varieties are two zones away from where they should be. I actually fiddled with a Thompson Seedless for a number of years, it survived over a decade, but was always rather stunted and never did much -- I would pull down the vine each fall, bury it in leaves and straw. But it clearly still didn't like the climate, too cold in winter, and no doubt not enough heat units over the summer.

Thanks for the input. I don't feel cheated since I got the vine knowing it's not right for this climate, but I know what you mean. :)

Gonebananas, I couldn't open the links you posted, sorry. Did they show that Pierce's Disease? I can google it.

What kind of fertilizer do I need to put on the Concord grapevine? Can someone give me the name of a good one? I may as well feed the little critter while it's still alive. ;)

Thanks, Vivian

You have to cut and paste them into your browser's address line, they are not "clickable" links.

(I don't use the "Optional Link URL" because while there would not be much risk on a site like this, in general no one should click on a link posted anonymously that one cannot see the address beforehand. Here you can see they are ".edu" and thus presumably safe sites.)

Google "growing bunch grapes in ___" with several southern states and you will get a lot of information. A fellow in Mississippi and I are trying to obtain the dozen to score of selections said to be resistant to PD to try. The University of Florida a half century ago and Mississippi State a bit more recently bred resistant selections (that are not too easy to find) and Texas has information on others that are resistant by chance (and also are easier to find).

The literature will mention fertilization. My in-the-ground "Blue Lake" just gets fertilized incidentally by leaching from all the fruit plants in big pots around it. I have it on a wire about 7 feet up to make this easier.