subject: Growing Grapes from Home [print this page] Growing Grapes from Home Growing Grapes from Home
If you are planning to plant grape vines in your backyard, the primary attribute that you must seek out when growing grapes from home is to find the areas that draw a huge amount of direct sunlight. This is because grape vines require a large amount of sunlight for optimal growth.
Depending on the grape's variety, the room or space for each vine could be as large as 6 to 8 feet apart to grow properly. Table grapes need more space because they bear bigger fruits as compared to wine grapes. Another very essential thing to look at is the drainage of the soil, grapes need water but if the water does not drain from the soil, the root will rot.
When growing grapes from home you need to watch out for pests and diseases that could infest and inflict your plants. Protecting your grapevines from insects is an important aspect of pest control.
Grape berry moths are one of the pests that a gardener growing grapes from home should watch out for. These moths lay their eggs on the grapes and also feed on the fruits of the grape vine. The Japanese beetle or jitterbugs harm most green parts of the grape vine and feed onyoung leaves and fruits. One pest that can stunt the growth of a grape vine and its fruits is the grape leafhoppers. This insect feeds by sucking the grape juices from plants. Another beetle that could destroy your crop is the rose chafers; it damages the grapes by feeding on the flowers, newly set fruit, and shrub. Grape phylloxera is a small insect that largely occurs on the grapevine roots. These types of insects can kill the plant, though some rootstocks can withstand this insect. Another pest is the grape cane gallmaker, these harm new shoots. The female lays her eggs within the new shoots of the grape plant which then goes on to damage the plant. To prevent these pests from attacking your plat you could use commercial or organic insecticides.
For large and open vineyards, birds and deer also pose a danger to your vines. Some grape vine growers implement the use of a scarecrow to ward off the hungry birds. For the deer, a wire fence can be used to make it more difficult for them to destroy your crop.
