Grapevines in their own garden are a wish of many people. However, it is often difficult for the common man to get hold of a vine from which a cutting can be cut for propagation. For this reason, many garden owners are wondering whether it is possible to grow one of the coveted plants in their own garden using grape seeds. It is possible, but it takes a lot of time and the chance of success depends heavily on numerous factors.
Choosing the right grape variety
Grapevines (bot. (Vitis vinifera) are plants that are available in a large number of varieties and are suitable for different purposes. For this reason, you should first give some thought to which grape variety it should be. The following points are crucial :
climate
Grapevines are delicate plants whose vitality and yield depend heavily on the climatic conditions of your region. Many grape varieties are not suitable for cultivation in northern or eastern Germany because the winters are not mild enough, but there are special cultivars, such as Michurinski, that can withstand temperatures as low as -35 °C. Find out beforehand which grape varieties are suitable for your region, so that successfully grown young plants do not immediately die of cold or wet weather. You are particularly lucky in the Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg, as the temperatures here are milder than in the rest of Germany.
use
Grape varieties differ not only in terms of the preferred climate. Over the millennia of cultivation history, numerous varieties have been bred for a wide variety of purposes. These would be:
- wine grapes
- table grapes
- Ornamental grapes (not intended for consumption)
- Grape varieties for the production of raisins
As you can see, there is a wide range of grape varieties to choose from. This is what makes growing grapes so appealing from grape seeds. Vines themselves are very expensive or can only be obtained from friendly winegrowers. Seeds, on the other hand, can easily be ordered from a winegrower's shop, agricultural markets or even online seed shops. Gardeners, tree nurseries or winegrowers also offer these, you just have to explore a little here. You can even order the grape seeds abroad.
tip: It is possible to use grape seeds directly from table or grapes, but many will be damaged if you are not careful. In addition, this is a lot of work for a small “selection” of seeds that are hardly worth planting.
Preparation of the cores
After you have decided on a grape variety and have the seeds, you can prepare the seeds. Not all grape seeds can be used because some are damaged during storage or cannot be used beforehand. The next step will help sort out those grape seeds from the healthy ones so you only plant those that can eventually lead to vines. Proceed as follows:
- feel all the grape seeds between your fingers
- these should feel firm and not pliable
- the endosperm should also be visible
- this is either greyish or white in colour
- discard the grape seeds where the endosperm is not visible
- this process takes a lot of time because you have to be very precise here
- then put the seeds in a water bath
- any grape seeds that float to the surface are discarded or used for another purpose
- sift them off with a fine sieve
- only the cores that have sunk to the ground are used to grow the vines
- wash the usable grape seeds thoroughly to remove any dirt
stratification
Now you have the seeds available and have to prepare them for sowing. This process takes several months in comparison, because the grape seeds need one cold stimulus, in order to be able to expel at all. Now soak the seeds in disinfected water for a period of 24 hours. Alternatively, you can use a 0.2 percent potassium nitrate solution for this. This stops the natural germination of the grape seeds until the next cold stimulus comes. Let the seeds soak for the time period mentioned above. After soaking, the grape seeds are stratified:
- the best time for stratification is late November or mid-December
- put moist sand and the pre-treated seed in a freezer bag
- twist the bag into a cylinder or sausage and seal tightly
- place these in the crisper of the refrigerator for a period of eight to twelve weeks
- the storage time depends on the length of your winter
- the earlier winter is over for you, the shorter the storage time
After this period, the grape seeds are now ready for germination. A longer cold stimulus is not required. During storage, however, make sure that the sand does not dry out and add some water if necessary, because this is the only way to give the kernels the feeling that they will remain in the ground over the winter.
tip: You could even store the grape seeds this way for several years as they don't go bad in this state.
sowing
When sowing, you have to be very precise so that you plant the grape seeds correctly. In order for the seed to germinate, you need a lean substrate that is of high quality. Even the grape seeds require a good "terroir", as the winemaker would call it. The better the quality, the more effectively the seed can germinate and you can finally look forward to seedlings for planting in pots or outdoors. Sowing succeeds in the following way:
1. Cultivation vessels
Choose small pots or a seed tray for growing. Fill them with the substrate and put a few grape seeds in each container, which you plant at a depth of about one centimeter. Then moisten the substrate with a spray bottle.
2nd location
Allow the kernels a warm location with a constant 20 °C without it being too dry. Due to the sensitivity to cold, a mini greenhouse is highly recommended, since heating is often too dry.
3. Duration
Once the seeds have taken up their place in the mini greenhouse, they remain there for a period of two to eight weeks. The final germination time is highly dependent on the grape variety, the substrate and the temperature allowed to the pips over this period. Always keep the substrate for the grapevine seedlings moist and avoid direct sunlight. Nevertheless, the location should be bright enough.
Grape vine with green grapes
pricking
After planting, let the grape seeds soak. As soon as the seedlings have reached a height of eight centimetres, they are pricked out.
Pricking out is important in order to use only the strongest vine seedlings from which you can grow complete vines. For pricking you need:
- Pots with a diameter of 10 cm
- high-quality pricking soil
- pricking wood
The number of pots depends on the number of strong seedlings. Therefore, check them beforehand for smearing or weak growth. So you can roughly estimate how many planters you will need in the end. You should also use a high-quality substrate for the pricking soil in order to offer the grape seeds the best conditions for growth. Proceed as follows when pricking:
1. Fill the pots halfway with the substrate. Make sure the soil is already loose so the plants can breathe.
2. Make a small depression in the substrate before planting. The seedling is then placed in this, so that it can quickly find a hold.
3. Now carefully take one of the seedlings out of the growing pot and examine the roots. Only seedlings with healthy roots should be selected for further cultivation, as these have the best chance of growth.
4. Now place the seedling in the pricking soil. The plant should reach so far into the earth that the earth reaches the first leaves. This allows the seedling to develop in a relaxed manner.
5. After planting in the transplant pots, continue to grow the seedlings indoors at 20°C.
tip: If you don't have a mini greenhouse to grow the vines in, cover the seed pots with cling film and place them on a heat mat. This will give you the same effect.
plant out
From a height of 30 centimeters and a quantity of five to six healthy leaves, the time has finally come: You can now plant the young vines out of the house and into the garden. From this size it is no longer a problem for the former grape seeds to continue growing in the fresh air. At this age, you can even survive the elements.
Planting the young plants is quite easy. The location and soil should be as follows:
- Light requirement: sunny (6 - 8 hours of full sun per day)
- Planting distance: 2.5 cm
- pH value: varies depending on the variety, mostly between 5.5 and 7.0
- permeable with good drainage
- Use sand or compost to loosen solid soil types
Remember: the original soil type influences the taste of the vines. A calcareous soil has a different aroma than a soil with a lot of clay. Plant the young vines and then fertilize them with a suitable fertilizer. You can look forward to the first yields from the third or fourth year of planting.
Vine with grapes
tip: You may end up being surprised at what grew out of your cores. Grape seeds inherently carry genes from other grape varieties, which can lead to interesting experiments.