GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Source needed for Arizona grape vines (Vitis arizonica)

Bill Rose · 10-12-2006, 06:58 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

In article .com,
wrote:

Bill Rose wrote:
Guys,
grapes don't come true from seeds. You need cuttings. ...

Really? Amazing that somehow grape vines survived and evolved for many
millennia without any human intervention. Grape vines can be started
from seed... in fact, some grape varieties are difficult to start from
cuttings and must be started from seeds. But I guess I must be wrong,
because as the self-appointed grape vine expert, you are taking the
time to correct me in my error.

I wish you would have shared your insight with the nursery I bought the
vine from, as it certainly is not grafted and appears to have been
started from seed. Had they known this was impossible, I'm sure they
wouldn't have tried it.

Thanks and regards,

Greg G.

Oh my, what to do? This could be a lot of fun but I'm still tired from
the harvest, and besides I have some bose-einstein condensate on the
stove.

The postulated proposition (and supported by a multi-billion dollar
American wine industry [for those of you interested in fact based
reality]) is "grapes don't come true from seeds".

Now let me direct your attention to the word "true" in the last
sentence. True, as in conforming to a type, standard, or pattern. If you
are indifferent to the character of your vine, then by all means,
propagate your vine from seeds. European varietals were arrived at in
this fashion. There was a great hodge poge of them until the end of the
nineteenth century when American tourists, mildew and phylloxera,
decimated European vineyards. When the vines were re-established, only
the best vines were kept, in order to raise the over all quality of the
resulting wines. If you plant Cabernet Sauvignon seeds (for example),
you will get grape vines alright but probably not ones that look or
taste like its' parent (monecious little buggers). So if any ol'
n'import quoi of a vine will do, then go for it. Plant seeds.

My memory, ever imperfect and constantly humiliating me, recalled that
the endeavor in question was the planting of a native American vineyard,
along the lines of planting Concord or Catawba. If these are to be
solely ornamental, go for it. Be sure to water them for the first five
years, after that, if there is any ground water, the roots will find it.

However, if the vines are a culinary effort, get cuttings and the vines
will come true.

Greg G., you come across a little edgy. Are you getting enough fiber?