Vitis 'VANESSA'

Vanessa is a highly popular seedless table grapevine variety from Canada from 1986. It is sought-after not only for its hardiness but mainly for its excellent taste. The grapes are mid-sized to large bearing rounded to oval berries of dark red colour early in the season, usually from early September. The skin is firm and the texture crunchy and juicy. It has mild flavour and is sweet. Ripe fruit withstands rain. It has strong vigour and is suitable for both outdoor and tunnel cultivation. Deciduous leaves turn vibrant shades of pink, scarlet red, and burgundy red in late summer and autumn.

Grape vine has to be pruned every year in warmer days of January or at the end of winter after the danger of the worst frosts. Cut back side branches to 2-3 buds, 2-years-old wood bears fruit. Treat it against mite before buds open. When it sets fruit cut off the new shoots a few centimeters above the grape and do not let it grow again. From midsummer you can start removing leaves from above the grapes to allow direct sunlight. Get some wasp-trap as they could ruin your fruit and may get dangerous.

Grow grape vine in sunny and airy (not windy) locations. It is not suitable for damp sites and shady pergolas where it can easily be affected by diseases. Provide a good support. The best results are on slopes – because of the angle of sun rays. The soil has to be permeable, humus-rich and deep. Extra watering is desired by end spring and later only if the summer is dry, and always directly in the soil, never water the whole plant. In autumn remove fallen leaves from under the plants as they might contain diseases and mites. Fertilizing is good if adequate and selective, otherwise the plant will grow wild and set too much fruit of inferior quality. Vanessa is very hardy and can withstand temperatures down to abt. -29°C (USDA zone 5).

Last update 31-08-2017