Growing Grapes on a Trellis and How to Care for Them

Growing Grapes on a Trellis and How to Care for Them

The natural instinct is for grape vines to grow on trees, fences walls and the like. It is therefore all-important that you supply a strong sturdy trellis or like structure to support the grape vines. The grape vine cannot support its harvest of grapes by itself therefore the supporting trellis is essential.

There are many different ways to build a trellis. Some trellises are merely functional others are designed to add beauty to the area in their own right. They can be of a elementary design that you can build yourself or a more complicated design that demands a professional. A trellis can come in an array of different shapes and sizes in order to suit the needs of the grape grower. Also they are now built from an ever growing range of materials including iron, stailess steel, PVC pipe, aluminium and pre-treated wood. The height of the trellis is governed by the climate of the area. In colder climates there is an improved chance of survival through the winter weather with shorter trellises. And it is easier to set the vines for winter. In warm climates tall trellises can be exploited. Using post about three foot high will render a short trellis but a tall trellis requires posts up to eight foot high. All trellises must be substantial and built to last whatever their size and design. Since a grape vine usually takes a few years to produce any grapes, the trellis system is going to be in place for a while.

The trellis should be located to maximize the exposure of the grape vines to sunlight whilst ensuring good air movement. Sunlight and air movement are the key ingredients governing the ripening of the grapes and the limiting of disease. After you have found the best location for your trellis, you should cement the posts that will support the trellis into the ground. Catch wires and adjacent short posts are both good ways of adding additional support to the main post. The posts should be about eight feet apart. Two rows of galvanized steel wire should be run between the posts. The lower of the two wires should be approximately three inches above the ground. The second wire needs to run along the top of the posts. Secure the wires in place with a staple gun.

As soon as your grape vines starts growing, you will want to start training them to grow on the trellis. This may take years. Fasten the growing main shoot vertically to the trellis. Use twine to do this. The shoots could be damaged by wire but not normally by string. Grape vines grow very slowly, and after the next dormant period, two shoots from either side of the main shoot should be tied horizontally to the trellis. These shoots will be where the fruit will grow.

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