Mg,

Two of my favorite grapes that thrived in my zone 5 were Swenson Red, and Reliance. Very tasty.

Tony

I've posted this link before, but the University of Wisconsin at Madison has a long-running trial of seedless table grapes. We are in zone 5. They have lots of varieties that are successful, and Trollhaugen is one of their best. I can't find a good source for Trollhaugen, or I'd be growing it! I have Swenson Red (seeded), Somerset Seedless, and Interlaken. Somerset seedless got off to a slow start this spring, but it was cold and wet. They all survived the fairly mild winter, it only dropped to -10 on our coldest night.

Here is a link that might be useful: UW Madison Table Grape Trial

I'd try to buy own-root grapes, though.

Thanks for your input. I will go ahead and get Swenson's Red and Trollhaugen. I don't mind picking one up for you, fruitmaven. I haven't seen St.Teresa (aka: Montreal Blue) or Trollhaugen on any website.

I have been reading about Elmer Swenson and what an amazing accomplishment he made in his lifetime. I love the name "Laura's Laughter". I would like to have it just for the namesake.

In zone 5, marquette at least should be plenty hardy. Im guessing what happened is you dug them up. Plants in pots warm faster and break dormancy earlier than plants left in the cold ground. The pots heat up quickly, especially if they get any sun at all. If you had a significant cold spell after they broke dormancy they will freeze and die, no mater how hardy the grapes are. Normally there would be secondary buds that would kick in and start growing, but that can take quite a while, sometimes a month or more on young plants. If you leave them potted and keep watering them, you might get vines that will come up from below the soil level after a while. Its worth a try.

I agree, Double A is a gem. Their plants are so much more healthy than other places that I don't order grapes from anyplace else anymore. They are seriously committed to what they do! I put in some of the new Arkansas grapes this spring and I can't believe how vigorous they are their first year. They usually have a good selection of hardy grapes as well.

Scott

I've been perusing Double A's grapes and have also been researching as much as possible the grapes developed by Elmer Swenson. Is there any in the list below that I should not get? I have to narrow down my list. Please help! I am also thinking of Einset.

Somerset
St. Croix
Swenson Red
Edelweiss
Kay Gray
La Crosse
Lorelei
Brianna
Swenson White
Prairie Star
Alpenglow
Sabrevois
Espirit

I already have Montreal Blue (aka 'St. Theresa' and 'Flambeau') and 4 vines of Zweigelt and plan to purchase Trollhaugen locally. I've read many good reviews of Swenson's Red so that's a definite along with Somerset.

Here is another vote for working with AA Vinyard.

the link below was somewhat useful when I was chasing out cold ahrdy grape varieties and trying to run some comparisons.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bert Dunns list

The only one I grew besides Swenson Red was Edelweiss. It was too much in the Concord vein for me. My notes say sour skin and tastes like a cross of Concord and Thompson seedless. If you like Concord you might like it a lot.

Scott

I'm not a fan of Niagara, it's bitter until it's fully ripe and then it is sugar without taste. I have no problem with Concord but I want something different than Concord. I don't want a slip skin either.

Sorting through all the data is difficult.

I have an update on my order from Double A. I got the package and proceeded to dig holes. I dug holes about 2 feet deep and a foot wide. Then I grabbed the first grape out of the package and I was blown away!!!! It was an Elmer Swenson's Joy, and oh what Joy! I had to put it back in the box and dig and dig and dig. Not all had this many roots, but I am impressed with everything I received.

I have a trellis for my beans on T-posts that are 6 feet from the ground. I hung the vine to show the massive roots. (Then it quickly went back in the box)

Wow I have never seen a grape show up with roots like that! Milehighgirl the grapes that are my favorite here are hands down red canadice. They are sweet and don't have tough skins (very high quality). Glenora are not bad either but the skin is tougher than I like. Let us know how those varieties you ordered do. The seedless concord are not seedless in Kansas and I suspect they would not be in your climate either (jelly grapes). Seedless concord are extremely hardy and the easiest to grow here. Mars have very tough skins but if you slip them from the skin they are edible.

How do they dig out a grape like that? Crazy

Bet that one will do well for you....

OH WOW......roots like this! You'll have your wine cellar full in no time!

So, how do you plant it with roots like that? I doubt one can dig hole deep enough...do you trim any? just let them be?

Rina

The instructions say to spread the roots out or at least dig a trench and spread them that way. I dug a trench that was about 2 feet deep.

This post was edited by milehighgirl on Tue, May 27, 14 at 13:45

Milehigh:

I grow Concord for juice/jelly and Canadice for fresh eating.
Canadice is a tasty grape (seedless) but very low vigor and does suffer from some winter die-back each year for me.

This year after -18 for a week in winter, I do not expect any
fruit. IT is leafing out very slowly with lots of dead canes.

I grew Edelweiss before. BIg hit when I lived in Minnesota but I personally do not care for it. Lots of big seeds and
very mellow flavor. Yes it is very winter hardy.

Marquette is a wine grape brought out from U of MN thru
Peter Hemsted's research. Very hardy wine grape and being used a lot in WI. Supposed to be less acidic than
Frontenac (their first hardy wine grape introduction).

I have grown Reliance before and while it does not color as
well as Canadice, it has a lot more vigor.

So how are your gapes doing? What varieties did you end up buying? I'm particularily interested in hearing about Einset vs Somerset.