Red Flame Table Grapes Do Well In The Mojave Desert

Red flame table grapes grown by reader in Las Vegas

Q. My Red Flame grapes are terrific this year. I think some at the end of the bunches have turned into raisons from the heat. Is there a way to prevent this? When will the vine need fertilizer? By the way I used dollar store garland hanging from the grape arbor and from my fig trees and I've avoided 99% of bird problems this year, what a relief!

A. Red Flame table grapes do well here. Because of our heat we do get uneven ripening of the berries in a single bunch. When a bunch is ready to pick you may have a variation in berries from a few raisins to some berries that are still green.

You can reduce this to some extent by reducing the amount of water the vines are getting when the berries begin to turn color in the bunches, about 3 to 4 weeks before harvest.