Growing grapes is possibly not the easiest thing to tackle but it can be one of the most rewarding. Can you imagine being able to go into the back garden to pick a bunch of grapes rather than buying them from the supermarket. If you follow some simple rules then there is no reason why you can't have success at growing grapes.
Here is my top ten list for growing grapes:
1 - Sunshine. There is no doubt that the biggest mistake you can make is to plant your grapes where they won't get plenty of sunshine.
2 - Space. Depending on the variety you can very easily restrict your grape vine's ability to flourish by not providing it enough space to grow. Even the less vigorous varieties need 4 feet between each plant. The more vigorous ones need up to 8 feet.
3 - Varieties. Choose your grape wisely. There are lots of different types of grape plant that are suited to different environments. Make sure you choose a variety that will respond well in the area where you live's climate.
4 - Purpose. As well as the reasons above to choose a different variety of grape, your choice may be affected by the reason for which you wish to grow your grapes. Do you want them simply for eating? You may want to choose a variety that has sweeter tasting fruits. If your intention is to make your own wine then there are varieties better suited to this purpose as well.
5 - Natural Growth. You need to be aware of the growing habits of the variety of grape you intend to plant as this will determine the trellis type you use and how you train and prune your vines. The grape grower should attempt to mimic as closely as possible what the plant would do in the wild. Varieties that have a predominant American ancestry will tend to droop during the growing season. These types should be trained to about six feet from the ground and then across between canes. This will allow the plant to develop a curtain of foliage during the growing season which will hang down between the canes. Those varieties with more European ancestry will require much more extensive trellis work to support them.
6 - Water. During the growing season grapes require quite a good supply of water and should be watered approximately once per week. This should be done more often if you are in a particularly dry area. Continue to water your grape vines until the fruits start to change colour.
7 - Stop Watering. Don't water your vines after the fruits have started to change colour as it is not required. In fact watering at this stage will hamper the ripening process.
8 - Water Again. After the leaves have fallen in the Autumn and before the chance of frost, give your vines one huge watering to get them through the Winter.
9 - Pruning. It is absolutely vital to prune your vines as otherwise they will not only become a tangled mess of foliage, they will attempt to over produce which will affect the fruit's ability to ripen. Too much foliage will also cause shading which will obviously reduce the amount of vital sunlight the plant gets.
10 - Ripening. The above point doesn't only apply to how well a plant will grow in your environment. It also applies to making sure you will have enough time in the Summer for the fruit to ripen. Some varieties take longer than others for fruit to ripen and you may find you run out of time.
