Grape cuttings

Grapes are the second easiest non-herbaceous plant I have ever started (after willow). These cuttings were produced from a Valiant grape vine growing out by my parent's place near Duck Lake SK (near Prince Albert). The cutting were dipped in isopropyl rubbing alcohol then dipped in Stim-Root No. 3 rooting powder. The media is a 50/50 mix of sphagnum peat moss and course pearlite. The cuttings were taken well after the plant had developed it's buds and begun to produce new growth. This is not ideal, however grapes (or at least this variety) is so easy to root that it still had over a 90% success rate on rooting. These cuttings were intially started on the heat mat that I had mentioned earlier in regards to the Arctic Kiwi cuttings that I started after the grape cuttings. In the book "The Grape Grower; A Guide to Organic Viticulture" the author states that cuttings can callus within a week if maintained at 27 - 29 degrees C. The callus is a lumpy white tissue that will often split out of the side of the grape cutting. Roots develop out of the callus tissue and so good callus formation is essential for good rooting. Last year I started grape cuttings from wild grapes (Vitus riparia) in the softwood stage. None of these cutting survived the winter. I am not certain, but I suspect that it may have been due to the fact that these cuttings did not have enough stored reserves come spring as they had not lignified (hardened). Time will tell if these guys survive into another year!