Re: Wild CA Grape Seeds
European commercial grape vines are known varieties chosen for specific
qualities - *grafted* on to hardier, more vigorous, disease-resistant
root-stock. Last century the European wine industry was rescued from the
ravages of an aphid by using Californian root-stock. (this aphid -
Phylloxera vastatrix - is also the reason why there is little wine
production in the Eastern USA) In many areas soil-borne nematodes make
grafting on to resistant stock necessary.
Root-stock is increased by cuttings, these can be taken from green-wood at
midsummer or hardwood in early or midwinter - this may be because these are
the periods when the vines are pruned so there is abundant material for
propagating.
The cuttings and grafting used to be done in house, but these days companies
specialise in mass producing vines for planting.
Muscadine *cultivars* are only be propagated by grafting or layering - not
from cuttings (difficult) or seed (cultivars are unlikely to come true).
> The book ended the bit about grape seeds by noting that propagation
> was generally via cuttings. Should think they would root fairly
> readily, considering how the wild vines root down wherever they touch
> earth.
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