The Niagara grape (Vitis labrusca “Niagara”) is a deciduous, cold-hardy variety famous for its appearance in several commercial white grape juices in the United States. With its sweet, aromatic taste and large yellow fruit, this grape is also a popular choice for wine and jam, also rises in several backyard gardens around the country. A cross between Cassady and Concord grapes, Niagara vines can produce fruit for up to 20 years and grow aggressively, demanding routine annual pruning to keep the plants healthy.
Till well-drained soil near a fence or trellis that receives full sunlight and has a pH of 5.0 to 6.0. Incorporate compost to the soil in the first spring.
Dig a broad, 10-inch-deep hole in the ground. Decide on a 1-year-old Niagara grape plant in the hole, making sure the crown is below the surface. Spread from the plant’s root system, and cover it with soil. If planting more than 1 vine, dig another hole 8 feet away.
Irrigate the plant with water for a minimum of 10 minutes, flooding the main system. Water less harshly after every week, unless rain falls.
Marijuana often around the base of the plant, removing sticks and leaves, to assist the plant fight rot and pests. Fertilize the soil around the plant with 1/2 cup 10-10-10 fertilizer just after expansion starts and again four weeks later.
Prune the majority of the buds from the strongest cane to permit a central back to develop. Leave only two side branches, or canes, in the very first year. Tie these canes into the trellis as they develop.
Permit no more than two extra canes to develop from the central back in the second year. Employ two rounds of mist following spring growth starts, exactly like in the first year. Continue pruning the vine to four main canes throughout its life, and apply fertilizer once annually.
Harvest Niagara grapes in the late summer and early autumn, once the color brightens and the taste turns sweet.