Tips For Successful Backyard Grape Growing
Growing grapes in the backyard or garden can be a rewarding experience. It can also be quite a failure if not done properly. Grapevines are lifelong plants and will grow for years to come. There are a few things to consider before you just jump in and start grape planting. Otherwise, mistakes made at planting will haunt you in the future.
Grapes need lots of sunshine. One of the biggest mistakes that the grape growers makes when growing grapes is to plant them in the shade under a tree or where they get shaded by houses most of the day. If you see wild grapevines grow, you will notice they make all efforts to climb trees and shrubs to get into the daylight. Without adequate sunlight, proper ripeness cannot be achieved. Be certain that the spot you choose has good sun most of the day.
Another mistake that many home gardeners make is to not take into consideration the grape variety’s growth habit and vigor. These two factors come into play when planting the grapevine and deciding on how to trellis the vine.
Vigorous varieties needs wider space. You can find out how vigorous a variety is by consulting your local nursery where you buy grape vines. Vigorous varieties need eight feet between vines when planting. Less vigorous varieties can be planted closer at six feet between vines. Very low vigor vines can be grown as close as four feet.
Growth habit determines the trellis type and how the grapevine will be trained and pruned. Grape varieties with a large portion of their ancestry coming from wild American species tend to droop. These are like the wild vines that grow to the top of small trees and shrubs then cascade downward during the summer. The gardener will find that it is best to mimic this natural growth.
