Vitis ‘Marechal Foch’

Resistant and plentiful cultivar yielding dark purple round fruit, perfect for making home wine.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: Fruit round, smallish, dark blue-black, ideal for homemade wine (the juice is a strong dye); ripening at the end of IX. Medium-sized bunches. Leaves turn golden yellow in autumn. Flowers unassuming, yellow, open in VI.

HOW IT GROWS: A climber using tendrils for support. Moderate growth-strength at 2 m a year.

WHERE TO PLANT: A sunny and warm site required. Soil should be humus-rich, fertile, moderately moist of neutral or slightly acidic pH. Totally hardy (zone 5–9).

HOW TO PLANT AND MAINTAIN: Before planting immerse the plant container in water for 10-30 min.  Place the root ball in a 40 x 40 x 40 cm hole with a 10 cm layer of well-rotten manure or compost, 0.5-1 cm deeper than it was before. Fill the hole with fertile soil. The plants should be spaced at least 30 cm from other plants or from a wall. Prune moderately. To encourage high quality yield, the yearly pruning should be performed (usually in winter, around the second half of February). Frost insulation recommended for ground-grown plants.

HOW TO APPLY: Suitable for amateur cultivation, recommended for training over large garden structures such as arbours and pergolas.

ORIGIN: France.