Seedless Grapes....

Really? This is really new to me. All this time, I sit down with a big bunch of them grapes, I never knew how they came about. All I knew is that they grow from vines. But it never occurred to me to think how the first grape came about. Hmm... Interesting. So any idea where and when the first grape was eaten? How did it grow? From seeds?

I guess the very first grape vine evolved as did other plants over time. Grape vines are already mentioned in the bible. Here in Canada we have wild grapes that grow in profusion in certain areas. Sometimes I gather some and make grape jelly. They are dark blue with very tiny berries and have big seeds, not good to eat. I guess they propagate from seeds. I guess over time through cultivation, cross pollination and mutation different varieties evolved that vintners desired. Once they have the variety they want they graft shoots of those onto existing vines. Anyway, I gave a link to one of your respondents if you are really interested in the process.

As I grow grapes, and belong to a South African Grape Site by Dannie Wunn, I have just learned to make my grapes seedless. Grapes have both male and female water shoots, and when you are pruning them in the spring, you prune the male water shoots, so they will not pollinate, so the grapes (female) will produce fruit and no seeds.

Actually you are partially right Raijin. They cut a vine from another seedless grape and graft it onto on an existing vine that is a couple of years old and has developed healthy wood. My grandfather used to do this work, a long time ago. See also http://cetulare.ucdavis.edu/pubgrape/gv698.htm

Really, was not that sure enough but thanks Linda!;) I have bookmarked the link, I'll read it from time to time and learn how things work by grafting them grape vines!;) Thanks..

ha ha ha... interesting link you got there! A real wealth of knowledge. But it still does not really explain how the first seedless grape was grown. I mean, ok, you do various grafting to get the current mutation of seedless grapes. But how in the world did that fella know what to mix to get the seedless grapes? And how in the world did he know what to mix to get the various colors of the seedless grapes? Any idea who invented seedless grapes?

Grafting to a host vine is how new varities are grown, but pruning male water shoots makes female grapes (fruit) seedless.