How to Grow Grapes at Home

How to Grow Grapes at Home

How to Grow Grapes at Home

To grow grapes at home is very like to growing grapes in a large vineyard. Space is the only tangible difference. A number of things must be considered to obtain healthy grape vines in either a large vineyard or in the backyard. The primal factor is properly tending the vines. This will embrace the all aspects including water, sunlight, pruning, soil preparation and pest control. Pruning and pest control are the aspects that the home grower finds the most troublesome.

Cutting away unwanted growth by pruning will encourage more growth of the type wanted. Different grape variety need to be pruned in different ways. The copious leaf growth of the traditional varieties is considerably curtailed on the disease resistant hybrids which are also more robust in the winter. Grapevines need to be pruned to remove the previous years fruiting canes or spurs. Grapes are only produced on shoots growing from one-year-old canes. The growth of heathy new canes every year must be encouraged. If too much of the vine is pruned back, more shoots will grow on the vine, which in turn, produces more crop and foliage. This is not a good thing as the heavier foliage will result in a shade and this will not assist the fruit ripen. It is important that there are no injuries to the plant during pruning it is necessary that extreme care is taken by the inexperienced grower. When removing year-old shoots, a hand pruner can be used effectively. Pruning the heavier thicker shoots should invariably be carried out with a handsaw or lopper.

Time must be spent by the home grape grower dealing with insects, birds and other pests such as deer. Insects love to enjoy a tasty grapevine these will include grape berry moths, leafhoppers, Japenese beetles and rose chafers. Grapevines can endure a small amount of insect damage but an infestation will need to be controlled with insectacides or similar. It is only necessary to control insects when a large portion of the leaf area or the fruit itself is threatened.

Birds, on the other hand, can be much more destructive. A crop of grapes can be wholly devastated by a flock of birds, but luckily they are easier to scare away than an individual bird. Physical barriers against birds such as nets covering the vines can be installed by home growers. But it has to be taken down before the winter or ice could form on it and damage the vines. Home growers should try scares such as artificial owls, hawks and snakes to keep birds away, even aluminium pie plates will work. If deer need to be controlled a aroma emitter can be very effective. A new shoot in a home vineyard will appear very tempting to deer in the early spring when food is still scarce. The unwanted attention of birds can be dicouraged by the odor of humans, dog hair and soap. Additionally, the scent of coyotes can also be used since coyotes are natural predators to deer.

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