Reliance Seedless Grape Vine

Sounds like Japanese beetle damage. They can do a tremendous amount of damage in very short time. Here they show up in late June and by July they are rampant but if you get up early while its cool you can easily brush them off into soapy water.

I have tried both methods, and both are equally valid. My climbing trellis system is somewhat non-traditional and I found I can direct the budding process a little better with the spur pruning method. Generally you can expect a bud to appear at the end of a spur, so you are more likely to be able to predict where the eventual vine will be with the spur method. This matters more to me because the space I have for growth is more limited than a traditional trellis system. If you employ the same climbing system that the commercial vineyards do, then your pruning method is probably less important.

Reliance can develop canes of 15’ or longer if left Unpruned. I would prune to spurs in dormant season of late winter or early spring before buds start to swell. Two buds per spur, with maybe 4-6 spurs depending upon the age of the vine. If you haven’t yet planted them, pinch off any flowers the first two years. Develop roots and structure first. They’ll fruit better the third and fourth year.

Thank you for your question. Reliance is a cold-hardy seedless grape that is unrelated to Concord. The seedless trait comes from one of these varieties: Thompson Seedless, Russian Seedless or Black Monukka. These are all cultivars of Vitis vinifera.

Yes,it makes great juice. I have made grape jam and syrup as well as wine for the last several years. That process always starts with the juice, which is always delightful. They are a hardy grape that produces well- year 4, was the beginning of larger harvesting, year 5 or 6 was huge! Good lick

Reliance grape is grown as a rooted cutting (on its own root as opposed to grafting onto a different rootstock).

Our grapes and berry plants are not grafted.

There is no "key word" per se, but these grapes are indeed slipskin.

Hi Roger,

Thank you for your inquiry. The Reliance grapes have a tender skin and flesh with a melting texture. They are very crispy and have an outstanding fruity flavor.

Thanks!

I also have heavy clay but have amended the top 12 inches with peat, topsoil and compost prior to planting. Plants are growing good. Had 7 clumps of grapes the 2nd year but unfortunately a little bird pluck off every single grape. Looking forward to this year.

I am in Minnesota roughly where zone 4A and 4B meet.