Growing Grapes Background

Growing Grapes

Growing

Plant in full sun, in the hottest part of your yard.

Grapes are highly adaptable and easy to grow! Plant in full sun, in the hottest part of your yard. Avoid areas shaded by trees or shrubs. Grape vines are pruned each spring for best results, removing 75-90% of the previous year's growth. You can also prune to control the shape during the growing season. Established grape vines require infrequent watering, but do not allow young vines to dry out. Self-fruitful.

Planting

Site selection is very important since grape are a long lived plant,

Site selection is very important since grapes are a long lived plant, requiring up to six years growth from the time of planting to reach maximum harvest potential. Grapes can remain productive for up to 100 years, as long as the site selected meets its needs.


Choose the sunniest planting location possible. A south or southwesterly slope is ideal, as it will be warmer, reducing risk of injury from spring frosts. North-South oriented rows provide better and more even exposure of leaves and fruit to sunlight than East-West aligned rows. While grapes grow well on a variety of soils, they will not tolerate poor drainage.


When selecting a variety to grow, choose from cultivars proven to do well in your growing area.

Watering

Young plants need sufficient irrigation to maintain growth

Young plants need sufficient irrigation to maintain growth, without staying overly wet. Once established, mature grapevines are relatively care free. Grapes may need supplemental watering in areas of low annual rainfall.

Pruning

Pruning is important for grapes.

Pruning is important for grapes. It creates balance between vegetative and fruit producing growth, to enable healthy harvests of quality fruit. Grape vines should be pruned when dormant, between January and March. The two methods generally used are spur pruning and cane pruning. Properly pruning grapevines involves the removal of 75-95% of the previous season's growth.

Fertilizing

Grapes should be fertilized very lightly, if at all, in spring

Grapes should be fertilized very lightly, if at all, in spring because too much feeding will compromise fruit production. Amending the soil with manure or compost is fine, but avoid heavy mulching, which can delay maturation of fruit.