Growing Grapes in Montana: Quick Tips & Types
What Grapes are Suitable to Grow in Montana?
Grapes. Besides the apple, there isn't a much more historically charged fruit.
Grapes have been cultivated for over 8,000 years. The rise and fall of the Egypt- the rise and fall of Rome- through all of these governments, one thing remained constant: people were growing, refining and experimenting with grapes.
And man's fascination with grapes has never abated nor slowed.
In the Northwest, man has steadily been hybridizing and breeding new strains of grapes that are cold tolerant, and which have the ability to survive our cold winters here in Montana. First, let's cover what grapes will/will not grow in USDA Zone 4 (Great Falls, Montana), and you can order your gardening tools here.
Montana's Cold Hardy Grape Varieties
If you're like a lot of gardeners or people looking to get into gardening here in the Northwest, you'll have some questions about what type of plants are best for our area. Use the form at the bottom of this article and ask us there--we'll work to get back to you within 24-hours.
There's a couple grapes that man hasn't been able to "machine" for the Northern climes yet, Thompson Seedless grapes- most Cabernets & Merlots aren't going to make it here for a variety of reasons, one is they will winter kill the first time the temperature dips like it does- these grapes aren't built or bred for the cold we have here.
So what kinds of grape will grow in Montana? Mark mentions the Valiant, but there are two other grapes we carry that are suitable for USDA Zone 4 in Great Falls.
Grape Terminology: What's Hardy Mean?
But what does it mean to say the Valiant grape is "hardy?" Hardy refers to the plants ability to survive the cold winters we experience here in Montana. If a plant is not hardy, it will suffer complete winterkill, and just end up as twigs the next season... and while that won't work for weeds... it COULD kill your grapes. Another symptom that happens to plants that aren't fit for their grow zones, if not complete winterkill, is bud/old wood damage this results in stunted growth, extremely slow growth and poor fruit production.
The grapes we enjoy in the North US today were crossbred with the Riverbank Grape, a native species of grape that produces a small, bitter fruit- but it wintered well and was perfect for crossing with the southern varieties.
Types of Grapes for Great Falls, Montana
We carry three types of grape that are great for growing here in Great Falls. The Valiant grape that Mark mentions is a second generation hybrid based on the Beta grape, a cross between the Concord and the Riverbank grape and will flourish in our area.
The Catawba grape we carry is zoned from USDA 4-8 and cold hardy in Great Falls. Grown for its medium-size clusters of purple-red grapes, Catawba grapes are well suited for jellies and juices, and for sweet white, red and rosé wines. However, this grape ripens late in the season, so be aware if it's an early winter, you might want to harvest your grapes!
Another solid producer we stock at North 40 is the Niagara grape. This is vine is very vigorous and produces a green-gold grape that ripens mid-season. Like the Valiant, this grape is an "all-arounder," suitable for eating off the vine, jellies and wine.
If you want to get into the newer, cutting edge grapes do some research into the University of Minnesota, they have developed the Frontenac grape- one of the first real "wine" grapes of the Northwest.
Growing the Grape: Tips and Tricks
The grape is a vigorous vine. Some people have reported growth of up to 25' in one season. To be successful, plant your potted plants as soon as you get them home (usually after threat of last frost, as that's when greenhouses start to carry them).
If you are planting a bare root plant, you will need to keep the plant refrigerated until you are ready to plant. Prior to planting, soak the root system in water 3-4 hours, and then plant with the lowest bud just above the soil line. Make sure the root system is spread out decently.
A tip for grapes: they like the soil warm if you mulch the soil after you plant, this acts as insulation it will keep it cooler on hot days, and could actually slow your grape's growth. So keep the ground clear with hoeing or another technique in order to allow the soil to heat up around your grapes- and sit back and watch them climb.
SO, Can you Grow Grapes in Great Falls?
Long story short- yes. The grapes we stock at North 40 in Great Falls will grow and thrive in our region. There are some things you can do to help that growth, including adding compost to your soil grapes grow fast, and sometimes they need a nutrient boost because of that. Best thing to do is check your grapes do they look good? Are they making progress on your trellis? If the answer is yes, then you are home free. After the first year, grapes will require less frequent, deep watering.
A final tip make sure you trellis your grapes correctly. The heavy foliage of the grape vine is has developed to protect the grapes from direct sunlight. If you don't allow this to happen, or encourage it in some trellis designs, your grapes could sunburn and you will have black/ruined grapes- especially the lighter varieties of grape. And don't forget to get your soaker systems and water supplies ready! If you don't know what we're talking about with a soaker system, then this blogs for you.
Need some information on how to amend your soil? Check out this article by Monsieur Bocock- who manages to grow blue berries in Great Falls... Yes- blue berries.
Thanks for reaching out to us. It looks like you are already thinking spring even when we are staring winter in the face. I like your style! This past weekend my wife and I cleaned out all the left overs in our garden. Our (2) golden retriever puppies also helped, by helped I mean got dirty and needed baths that evening.
When it comes to the ordering of plants, we are in the middle of placing next years orders as we speak. Each store is responsible for their individual needs and will order based on availability and previous years inventory needs. If you would let me know what store you would like to order from I could get you some information for the order and such. As for the shipping of plants and other Lawn and Garden products there are some restrictions to consider. Due to how fragile the plants are shipping them might not be an option through standards shipping methods. This would be something that can be discussed with the store when you are discussing your order.
I hope this helps answer your question about next years plant shipment. This year I might start my plants earlier in the garage to give them a head start. Montana's short growing season didn't product enough veggies in our garden this past year. Please let me know what store you would like to contact and I can get you their information.
Thanks again,
I see that you have a question about harvesting some grapes. There are some questions that come to mind when trying to answer your question. What are you going to be doing with your harvest? Are you making wine? Jellies? Jams?
Typically harvest season is late September to early October but the time of harvest will determine if you want a grape that is crispy & tart or a sugary sweet. Early harvest will give you the crispy tart, where a later harvest will be sweeter as the sugars have developed. A good way to judge the right time is a taste test right off the vine. Although each vine will have its own characteristics even though it might be the same variety. Using your taste buds rather than your eyes will give you a better indication of the right time to harvest.
I hope this has been helpful in finding the right time to harvest your grape. Just be sure to watch out for signs of frost in your area, sometimes temperatures can drop over night and the frost can alter the sugars in your fruit. Let me know if you have any other questions, I would be happy to get you some more information.