| Planting grapes offers the gardener so much | | | | European vines grow low to the ground with the |
| more than the simple pleasures of gardening and | | | | fruit at the top whereas hybrids grow tall with |
| digging in the dirt. Grape vines can live for over a | | | | fruit clusters bunched at the bottom of the vine, |
| thousand years so once you have established | | | | so trellis requirements can be different too. You |
| your plants you are potentially leaving a legacy for | | | | will also want to try and maximize the sunshine |
| generations to come. If you are planting to grow | | | | along the whole row of vines, so that none is too |
| table grapes, after a couple of years you will | | | | much in the shade or more in the sun than the |
| begin to enjoy a bountiful harvest and if you are | | | | rest. |
| planting your grapes for wine making you will | | | | Pruning Is Important |
| have many hours of tinkering with a fun hobby | | | | Because of the way grapes grow, pruning is an |
| ahead of you. | | | | essential maintenance task during the growing |
| Location is a key factor when you plant your | | | | season as well as during the dormant season. |
| grapes. Sunshine helps the grapes concentrate the | | | | When properly pruned, your grape vines will have |
| sugar and bring sweetness to the grapes, so a | | | | one thick stem and two primary branches trained |
| sunny location is ideal. The sugar is vital to the | | | | along the trellis. Each year new shoots, or canes, |
| winemaking process so the more sunshine the | | | | will support the development of grape clusters. |
| better. Table grapes can tolerate partial shade and | | | | New shoots must be clipped constantly to |
| do not need such high concentrations of sugar. | | | | maintain the integrity of the grape vine growing |
| Don't Over Fertilize | | | | structure. |
| Unlike most plants, grapes can thrive in nutrient | | | | Grape production will begin in the first year or two |
| depleted soil. There is no need to enrich the soil | | | | of planting. By the third year after you plant your |
| with compost as you would for tomatoes or | | | | vines, the grape clusters should be developing |
| flowering plants, however, extremely poor soil can | | | | nicely on your young vines. |
| benefit from the addition of some fertilizer. A | | | | Allow the Grapes to Ripen Naturally |
| good test is whether weeds are growing in the | | | | Grapes do best when fully ripened on the vine. A |
| dirt. As long as weeds are thriving it is a good | | | | taste test is an easy way to tell if the grapes are |
| place for planting your grapes. If you have | | | | sweet. If you want to be precise you can test |
| invested a lot in your grape plants, having the soil | | | | the specific gravity of the grapes with a |
| professional tested can pay dividends. | | | | hydrometer. You can purchase a hydrometer at |
| Plan Before You Plant | | | | your local wine making store. A specific gravity of |
| Before you plant, take the time to do a little | | | | 1.1 indicates a fully ripened berry with sufficiently |
| planning. Grouping plants by variety, if you are | | | | concentrated sugar for great wine. |
| planting more than one type of grape, will make it | | | | Planting and harvesting your grapes will bring you |
| easier to maintain the grapes in terms of pruning | | | | much pleasure for many years and investing a |
| since different varieties will grow at different | | | | little extra time to get the grapes settled in the |
| rates, be susceptible to different insect pests and | | | | first two to three years will bring you many |
| diseases, and may require different spacing. | | | | rewards in the future. |