Vitis ‘Ontario’

An American, strong-growing cultivar yielding tasty fruit, with exceptionally decorative leaves. Easy to cultivate, totally hardy.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: Medium-sized fruit, spherical/round, yellow-green, sweet with a strawberry flavour; ripening at the end of IX. Medium-sized bunches. Leaves decorative, dark green, silvery underneath, turn yellow in autumn. Flowers unassuming, yellow, open in VI.

HOW IT GROWS: A climber using tendrils for support. Strong-growing, reaches 10 m with an annual growth of 2 m.

WHERE TO PLANT: Sunny and warm site required. Soil rich in humus, fertile, moderately moist and of neutral or slightly acidic pH. The cultivar is disease resistant and totally hardy (zone 4–9).

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). Does not require frost insulation.

HOW TO APPLY: Suitable for amateur cultivation and for training along large garden structures, e.g. arbours and pergolas.

ORIGIN: U.S.A.