Grow Your Own Fresh Fruit!
‘Reliance’ (Plant patent 5174), also from the University of Arkansas, produces large clusters of round, red, medium-sized berries. What a perfect addition to your summer salad as well as an irresistible snack! The skins are tender and the flesh is melting in texture, with a sweet labrusca flavor. Coloring may be poor in some years, and fruit often crack in wet seasons. Cold hardiness is among the highest of the seedless varieties. Grapes are not particular about soil preference and do especially well in clays and loams that have been improved with organic matter. Not only do the plants produce fruit, grapevines are also ornamental. Train vines over an arbor or pergola to create a striking garden accent and you’ll soon be harvesting your own fresh grapes.

The vines are allowed to run as they will the first year and the posting or staking is done the second or third year when you will prune heavily, leaving only 2 or 3 buds on the strongest stem. As it grows you’ll keep only the most vigorous sprout to form the main stem. Shallow cultivation and mulching are beneficial.