Growing grapes is not for a person who wants to reap the benefits the year the grape vines are planted. It is more of a long-term commitment, making grape growing a hobby that needs lots of care and nurturing. Giving the grape vines the right amount of nurturing will produce delicious grapes that can be used in many grape recipes including jams and jellies.
Purchase Grape Vines
Before purchasing grape vines, check with a local nursery or extension office to determine which types of grapes can be grown in the region where they will be planted. Some online suppliers have e-mails, phone numbers, and even live chats where customers can ask about each specific type of grape and find out which grape vines are best suited for different types of soil.
Next, decide what the grapes will be used for once they begin to produce fruit. If the grapes will be enjoyed straight off the vine, a couple of varieties can be purchased with only need for a small space for the grape vines to grow. If the plan is somewhat more elaborate with the hopes of making growing grapes a business or to use in wine making, then a larger area will need to be set aside for the grape vines to grow.
Planting Grape Vines
It is best not to purchase grape vines until it is time for them to be planted. Some suppliers take orders, but do not ship the grape vines until planting time. Handle the delicate grape vines gently and be sure to keep the root ball moist. Some grape vines come with roots that are exposed with no dirt around them. If the vines with exposed roots will not be planted that day, soak the roots in water for several hours. Do not soak for more than a day as the roots will become damaged.
If the vines cannot be planted in a timely fashion, plant the vines in shallow dirt until planting time. Keep the roots moist at all times and avoid soil with standing water. The soil for the grape vines is best kept at a pH of 6 to 7. The soil should also contain sand for optimum growing. Break up the soil where the grapes are to be planted. Check to make sure the sun will shine on the vines for most of the day before digging the holes. According to the article "How to Grow Grapes" on How to Do Things.com, vines should be planted 8 to 10 feet apart.
When the grape vines are ready to be planted, dig a hole that will allow the roots to fit in nicely without crowding. The hole needs to be deep enough that all of the roots will be covered with dirt. Place the grape vine roots in the hole and cover the entire root with dirt. Add extra dirt to mound up around the vine base for support. Water the roots and do not allow the roots to dry out for the next several weeks. Water the grape vines in late evening. This will allow the water time to be absorbed throughout the night.
Grape Vine Care and Grape Trellis Training
Knowing whether or not the grape vines are receiving enough nutrients after the first year, the hobbyist needs to look at the leaves. Are they nice, green, and healthy? Are the leaves more of a brownish color? When the soil is lacking in nutrients the leaves will not have a beautiful natural green color. To aid this problem, add a thick layer of natural compost around the base of the vine. Roots can grow in a large area under the ground, so make sure to add compost a couple of feet around from the base of the vine.
Training grape vines to grow up a trellis takes work from the hobbyist. As the grape vines grow, daily walk around your vineyard to check growth. When needed, arrange the vines to grow in the proper direction. The process is not difficult, just tedious as the vines want to grow their own way and not where the hobbyist wishes. Keep at it each day. Once the vines begin to grow the right direction the process is much easier.
Pruning Grape Vines
Pruning is an important part of growing grapes. First, when pruning is done the grapes grow larger and tend to have more clusters. Second, pruning will help aid in training the grape vines up the trellis. Vines will grow off to the sides taking away from the main vine. These side vines should be cut back to allow growth to be directed to the main vine itself.
After the winter season, check for vines the winter weather might have damaged. Brown vines that are brittle will need to be pruned. Also, allowing all the vines to grow and clump together will not allow sufficient sunlight or air flow to reach the grapes. Prune these as well.
Harvesting Grapes
“When will it be time to harvest the grapes?” This is something hobbyist ask quite often. The grapes are ready to harvest when the middle grapes and the bottom grapes on the cluster are ripe. Birds will try to eat the grapes too. A net can help with bird control.
Many different types of grapes are available such as: Concord grapes, seedless grapes, Cabernet, Grenache, Merlot, Muscat, Pinotage, etc. Try cooking with the grapes that are in the vineyard. Here is one easy grape recipe to try:
Easy Marshmallow Grape Salad Recipe
- 1 pound seedless green & red grapes
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 ounces marshmallow crème
- handful of slivered almonds, or other nuts
Remove stems and wash grapes. Place grapes in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl mix together cream cheese and marshmallow crème. Fold mixture into grapes and add almonds. Chill for 1 hour. Sour cream can be substituted for marshmallow crème, if desired.
Sources:
Garden. Love to Know.com, “ Planting Grape Vines ” (accessed November 22, 2010).
How to Do Things.com, “How to Grow Grapes” (accessed November 22, 2010).
TLE101
Annette Phillips - Annette Phillips is the Topic Editor for Natural Disasters. Phillips is also the author of Willow's Ride and a licensed Cosmetologist.
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