I have a friend who needs to have a couple grapevines moved- not a great time, but construction takes a toll. What is the best way to deal with these? She is willing to let me dig and try keeping them alive. Just a Niagara and Thompson Seedless, a purple concord-type as well but it isn’t actually Concord.
I am going to dig a home for them at my place this weekend, how much root and top growth should I try for? Watering plan? Any transplanting solution? Would cutting any vines/canes and trying to root them work?
Honestly, there is no point of moving a grapevine unless this is a rare variety of there is any sentimental reason.
Grape spend the first two years to grow roots and train the shape. When you dig a mature grapevine, most of the roots will be gone. So the grape can’t even support the top. You’ll have to heavily prune the top.
You could dig it in dormant season and treat it just like a new plant. Or you can just buy a new plant. Not sure if the old plant has much advantage over the new plant.
Just IMO.
I expect that I will not be able to save much. The plant has probably been in the ground too long. I can’t wait til dormancy, but I have read a bit the last few hours about rooting from green cuttings. So I’ll try it, can’t hurt, could get quite a few plants.
You’re better off planting a new young vine.
And there’s a lot of better home variety than Thompson seedless.
I had great luck transplanting a large, 10 yr seedless grape vine bare root- but it was dormant. It isn’t worth moving the dirt but maybe you can strip the leaves and gather a lot of root and transplant them. If it works they will establish a lot more quickly than the tiny things they sell. Grapes are tough, I bet they live. If you try it, let us know.
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I won’t try moving the vines, I don’t really need to. I was out there today, and took so many cuttings it’s ridiculous. The vines didn’t get pruned very well if at all last year, so lots of wild growth. I have more than enough to root what I want to plant and trade for other plants next spring. Even if I have terrible yield, no issues.
I think I have convinced the owners to layer the vines into a suitable place, or just lay down and bury the trunk to rise up further away. These things must have huge root systems.