Tips for Successful Backyard Grape Growing

Growing grapes in the backyard or garden can be a rewarding experience. It can also be a huge failure if not done correctly. Vines are perennials and will grow for years to come. There are a few things to consider before you jump in and start planting your vines. Otherwise, mistakes made when planting will haunt you in the future.

Grapes need a lot of sun. One of the biggest mistakes the home gardener makes when growing grapes is planting them in the shade under a tree or where houses shade them most of the day. If you watch wild vines grow, you will notice that they do their best to climb trees and shrubs to get out into the daylight. Without proper sunlight, you cannot get proper maturity. Make sure the location you choose has good sun most of the day.

A second mistake many home gardeners make is disregarding the growth habit and vigor of the grape variety. These two factors come into play when planting the vine and deciding how to entangle the vine.

Vigorous varieties need a lot of space. You can find out how vigorous a variety is by checking with your local nursery where you bought your vines. Vigorous varieties need eight feet between vines when planting. Less vigorous varieties can be planted closer to six feet between vines. Very low vigor vines can be planted as close as four feet.

The growth habit determines the type of trellis and how the vine will be trained and pruned. Grape varieties with a large part of their ancestry coming from American wild species tend to decline. They are like wild vines that grow to the top of small trees and shrubs and then cascade down during the summer. The gardener will find that it is best to mimic this natural growth.

Vines of this type will be placed on a high wire about six feet off the ground. The vines are pruned two to four long canes each year. As the shoots grow each year from the canes left at the time of pruning, they will grow outward on each side and soon begin to fall towards the ground, forming a curtain of leaves at the end of the growing season.

Many varieties have the European grape, V. vinifera, in their ancestry. European grape varieties tend to grow more upright. These grape varieties need a more extensive trellis system. At least four cables are needed to contain them. The first cable is approximately three feet off the ground with the two additional cables at eight-inch intervals above the bottom cable. The vines are attached to a log that extends to the lower wire.

Two to four canes are pruned and tied to the lower wire on each side of the trunk. As the shoots grow through spring and summer, they are tied directly to the wires above. Once the shoots have reached about 16 inches above the top wire, they are cut off at the tips. This “cover” prevents further growth and shade of the vine underneath.

Grapes need a good supply of water when they are actively growing in spring and summer. They should be watered at least once a week in areas with little rain. More often in drought conditions. This watering should be continued until the berries begin to change color. After coloring, there is no need to water and will actually slow down the ripening process. Once the leaves have fallen in the fall, a last large watering should be done before the soil freezes in order for the vines to overwinter.

Perhaps the biggest mistake I see with home gardeners growing grapes is neglecting to prune the vines each year. It is a requirement! Without pruning the vine becomes a tangled mess. The vines dominate and the berries do not ripen properly. The disease appears when the vine is too shady and does not receive dry winds. The vines will weaken over time and will eventually die before their time.

Pruning removes 90-95% of the growth from the previous year. It keeps the strains in balance and helps control the harvest and ripen the fruit. Pruning the vine is an art, not a science. Information on grapevine pruning can be obtained from your local Agricultural Extension agent. They have agricultural bulletins that detail the pruning process. You can also find comments at: http://www.ristcanyonvineyards.com/grapevine_pruning_and_training.html

Vine growing can be a good hobby that will provide you and your family with fresh fruit or grapes to make wine. Table grape varieties and wine varieties are different. Be sure to plant the right varieties for the desired purpose. Home gardeners must also ensure that the varieties they are planting are suited to their local climate. Some varieties cannot withstand cold winters, while others can tolerate freezing temperatures down to -25-30F.

Varieties that have American grape species in their ancestry can tolerate colder winters. Be sure to check with your nurseryman to adjust the variety you are planting to your conditions. The variety you choose should also be able to ripen in its climate. I see too many home gardeners planting varieties that take up to 170 days or more to mature in areas that are only 150 days or less in their growing seasons.

If you are considering growing vines in your yard or garden, be sure to consider the above factors before you start planting. Choose your grape varieties based on what you plan to use them for, how they adapt to local growing conditions, and plan the trellis according to the variety’s growth habit. I wish you all the luck in your endeavor.

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