Growing California Wild Grape Cuttings, Days 0-39

Vitis californica, the California wild grape, is a wild grape species widespread across much of California as well as Southwestern Oregon. The California wild grape grows along streams and rivers (riparian zones) and thrives in damp areas (small marshes and wetlands, low depression areas that collect water); however, like most other native California plants it can withstand periods of dry conditions. Vitis californica is a deciduous vine which can grow to over 10 m in length, climbing to the tree canopy on top of California sycamores with twisted, woody ropes of vine covered in green leaves. In the fall the leaves turn many shades of orange and yellow.
Bunches of small and often sour but edible purple grapes hang from the vines in autumn. The grapes provide an important food source for a variety of wild animals, especially birds, and the foliage provides thick cover. The wild grape is strong and robust, and viticulturists worldwide often use it as rootstock for their wine grapes. In some areas where the plant is not native it has the capacity to become a noxious weed. Vitis californica is cultivated as an ornamental plant. The interesting shape and color of the leaves and the lush, trainable vines make this species an attractive garden plant. This vine is commonly used in native plant gardens, where once established it thrives without summer water.
To follow in my footsteps, get a wild cutting from any older growth that has brown bark with a fleshy green herbaceous interior, with 1 or more nodes (junctions where vine stems and leaf petioles branch out from). Soak the bottom of the cutting, the woody stem, in a glass of water and place in the sun, but perhaps not full sun all day. If I could redo this whole process I would also recommend spraying the leaves and branches, especially the leaf undersides, with garden variety insecticides to kill wild analogs of spider mites. After 5 weeks roots should spawn from the bottom near the cut site or in my case, below the first node where the water soaked to in the bark. Let it sit for a few days and plant it so all the roots are covered in soil (pre-sterilized to the best of your ability) by at least a few centimeters, water generously, and position it to get as much sunlight as possible.
I am interested in seeing how California wild grape grows from cuttings, and if I can ever get flowers and grapes from a trimmed, managed bush like the ones you see in vineyards. Many vineyards use California wild grape old growth trunks as rootstocks and graft domesticated grape vines on top, which is an approach I may consider if the series makes it that far.

[@norfolkwaye3620]

When doing green cuttings, you will need to remove the leaves down to leaving a single half-leaf left, then keep it in near 100% humidty to prevent wilting.

[@RobBackyardGardenerr]

Very cool series started. Looking forward to watching the progress!

[@TheMelvinWei]

Rob Backyard Gardenerr Thanks Rob. This should take a while to adjust to soil but I expect to really take off from here.

[@KennethKramm]

HI Melvin.... I looking forward to this new series....

[@TheMelvinWei]

KennethKramm It took a long time to sprout roots, and may take a while to adjust to life in soil, but it should be a long and fruitful series as a hardy wild species.

[@charlieHUscene]

Thats a hummingbird nest you found with the 2 little eggs

[@cosmosgarden8257]

बहुत ही सुंदर और उपयोगी जानकारी 🌻GARDENING IS MY LIFE🌾

[@sud6646]

that nest was cool

[@kevalhadiyal1458]

Sir, is branch immersed in water ??

[@ArthurHau]

Get rid of the leaves if you want to put them into wet soil. They will root without the big leaves. The big leaves cannot be supported because of transpiration.

[@suphahameh5712]

What time of the year was this?

[@dfanman1]

The best cuttings to plant are the ones that are pencil thickness or thicker, that is the industry standard any thinner than that and the vines will grow very spindly.

[@hameedpasha8020]

hello sir.what u added in the water? and how much time it will required? march is the time to cutting? please reply sir

[@TheMelvinWei]

+Hameed pasha You can probably cut this in the wild any time, as long as you get the green stuff inside the branches. I just used tap water, you can add some things to disinfect the water but if you have it outside in the sun everyday instead of indoors that's probably not necessary. It'll take probably more than a month to grow roots.

[@shelakroes990]

hi,can you suggest what kind of fertilizer should I use?

[@TheMelvinWei]

For this particular episode I used none, just water, but what I do these days is use Miracle Gro to supply nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, while using crushed up multivitamins to supply all the other minerals and micronutrients my plants need.

[@shelakroes990]

+Melvin Wei okay thanks so much,I have plant grapes and apple tree,but not sure if these tree can grow healthy,because Malaysia is very hot.

[@TheMelvinWei]

Grapes should be okay because we have so many vineyards in California where it gets very hot, I don't know about apple trees though.

[@ktchan1585]

$

[@rayclout8349]

shela kroes mj

[@jerrybenzl8843]

Is it not vitis girdiana?

[@md.ibrahimsheikh3347]

wow

[@aurelienyonrac]

nice to see what did not work, thanks

[@jimmyganglia5234]

Put some river sand in the soil..grapes like soil that holds water..or just take the soil from where you took those cuttings

[@davidhirotsu5696]

do you have these for sale or trade?

[@TubeTab]

Keep the nest alive, it was cool.

[@brotherboytv8519]

That was a hummingbirds nest

[@habibsabri704]

Hello Sir I am Habib from Kashmir (Pakistan) I want to buy some grape varieties Cutting's How can I buy?

[@aeonmike]

Springtails help with gnats.

[@rhmahal6555]

It's a hummingbird nest

[@edmonddantes1617]

how i wish anyone will send me some branch of grapes so i can plant one here in my home. looking forward to have it. thank you in advance

[@byrdsdoityourselfgarage7330]

Edmond Dantes where do you live?

[@edmonddantes1617]

Joseph Byrd thank you my friend. From Philippines

[@edmonddantes1617]

Joseph Byrd from Philippines. thank you

[@byrdsdoityourselfgarage7330]

I'm sure you could find wild vines . Not sure if you live in a rural area, but if not, I could get some cuttings for you this spring, and send them to you. We have wild concord grape vines here in Delaware.

[@edmonddantes1617]

Joseph Byrd im living in a place where grape only in a market and i really wanted to plant grapes since i was a kid but its hard for me to find vines or steam to plant. the germinating process of seed are too zero chance to sprout. i wish i could have vine to plant. even single vine will do. i really appreciate your kindness. thank you so much my friend.

[@roshansoni8894]

Number dena bhai aapna

[@Okorokanze2000]

Too many leaves to root a cutting from. I’m not expert but I once made a rock grow roots. Lol jk

[@TheMelvinWei]

In the future I would definitely strip all the leaves off, they don't seem to do much but dehydrate the stem. Some people leave on a few of the top leaves though.