Concord grape vines
Photo: "Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age. Nothing does - except wrinkles. It's true, some wines improve with age. But only if the grapes were good in the first place." by Kate Ter Haar · CC BY 2.0
Fruit · American-slip-skin-grape

Concord grape vines

Perennial · Vitaceae

Concord is the classic American slip-skin grape that defines the familiar flavor of grape juice and jelly in the United States. The fruit is strongly flavored, aromatic, and easy to process, and the vines are more cold-hardy than many European grapes. It suits gardeners in cooler winter climates who are willing to prune annually and manage fungal disease pressure.

At a Glance

Days to Maturity
365–730 days
Sun
6+ hours
full sun 6-8 hours
Spacing
36–120 "
Container
Not Ideal
25+ gallon pot
Height
3–20 ft

Zone Planting Guide

Growing Guide

Transplanting

Min Soil Temp 40°F
Harden Off 0 days

Watering

Weekly Water 1–1.5 "
Needs Moderate
Method Drip

Soil

pH Range 6–7
Soil Type Moist but well-drained soil rich in organic matter; woody fruit hates waterlogging.
Support Arbor — Needs a permanent, heavy-duty trellis or arbor that can carry mature vine weight.

Resilience

Heat: Moderate Cold: Very-high Drought: Moderate

Common Problems

black-rot
Cause: Humid weather and poor airflow infect leaves and fruit clusters.
Prevention: Prune annually, thin growth, and keep fruiting wood open.
bird-pressure
Cause: Birds can strip clusters as sugars rise.
Prevention: Net vines before fruit fully colors.

Nutrition

Feeding Intensity Light feeder
Recommended Recipes Root drench, Worm castings topdress

Harvest

Fruit reaches full cultivar color, detaches cleanly, and tastes fully developed; exact signs vary by crop.

Expected Yield 3–15 lbs/plant
Storage 14 days — Refrigerate clusters dry; process quickly for juice or jelly.

Sources

seed_catalog Trees of Antiquity university University of Missouri Extension university Virginia Cooperative Extension

More Fruits

Concord grape vines Planting Dates by Zone

Planting dates for Concord grape vines vary by USDA hardiness zone. Select your zone below for frost dates, start-indoors timing, and a full monthly planting calendar.

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