Grape Vines

Question from Kevin:

I live in Simi Valley, CA. What types of grape vines would do well out here?  I like the dark black grapes and green grapes. I just bought your Month to Month book and both sunset books, I think with these books, I will be taught well in growing organic.

Answer from Pat:

In Simi Valley (Sunset Zone 18) you have many choices for grapes, including table and wine grapes. ‘Thompson Seedless’ should grow well in your area since you have plenty of summer heat. ‘Thompson Seedless’ does best in hot dry areas and is not a good choice for coastal locations or places with cold wind.

Instead of asking me to choose a black grape for your garden, why don’t you wait until your copy of “Sunset Western Garden Book” arrives so you can have the fun of reading up on grape varieties as well as deciding how you want to support them, whether on an arbor or a charming pergola, for shade, or on wires between fence posts? It is both wise and fun to compare all of the characteristics of several possible choices. For example, I might choose a grape like ‘Black Monukka’ for you since many people tell me it’s a good one but ‘Champanel’ is a black grape and it’s resistant to Pierce’s Disease, so that is another factor to think about and ‘Flame’ is a red grape, not black, but it tastes good and is easy to grow and is very vigorous—almost too vigorous—, so it would more quickly cover a pergola, if you plan to build one. Be sure to note the zones and choose a variety appropriate for your climate zone, which is Zone 18. I am glad you purchased both editions of the Sunset Western Garden Book. I note that each of them lists 38 varieties of grape. The “the New Sunset Western Garden Book” has an improved format with more boxes and sidebars (like my book has) and it is very strong on food plants but a little less strong on ornamentals, since it has omitted some, possibly to make room for more how-to information. For example, Aristea ecklonii, a worthwhile, South African, drought-resistant bulb, is listed on page 200 of the 2007 edition but does not appear in the new edition, and I have found others that are no listed. However, if there are any new horticultural techniques, new pests or diseases worth mentioning, or new worthwhile varieties of any common plant the newer edition will most likely include those, which is why I always purchase new editions of this book when they come out. But I also keep the old ones and these include any notes I have made inside their covers.