Growing Grapes at Home

To most people, growing grapes home may seem to be too much of a feat. This is because they are misled into thinking that growing grapes is a back breaking work that eats a lot of time and takes a lot of effort. But those “notions” are not entirely correct because as royal as grape vines and fruits look like, they are not actually that hard to rear.

In fact, they can be raised by novices just like you. You just need to have the most basic information and you should be good to go.

So what information should you know when growing grapes home?

If you need a landscaper, check out the best landscapers in El Paso

Here are some of them:

Grapes are generally propagated with the use of cuttings or rootstocks. They are commonly available in your local nursery. When buying, just make sure that the variety you’re getting is right for your area.

When planting grapes at your home, the first thing that you have to check is the density of your soil. You must make sure that that the earth in your area is loose enough for proper drainage and at the same time dense enough to keep the moisture your plant needs.

Remember, grapes love the sun so much that without it you will not get your desired yield. So when growing grapes home, try to put them in a spot where they can get the most amount of morning sun.
Planting grapes in the early days of spring gives them enough time to thrive through summer and prepare for dormancy by late autumn and winter.

Related Post: How to Tend to a Grape Vine Growing on a Trellis

Grape plants should be planted at least 6 – 8 feet apart from each other. This distance gives them enough space to not crowd each other – preventing the plants from competing for nutrients and sunlight.

Support your vine as it grows to its ideal length and size. You can do that by providing trellis that will keep the plant upright. Keep in mind that trellis do not need to be store bought, nor do they need to be elaborate. Just as long as they are sturdy enough to hold their ground under the weight of the vine then makeshift trellis from wood scrap, PVC or any other material should be just fine.

Do not hesitate to prune. When you are cutting unwanted vines or branches, you are actually doing the plant a favor rather than killing it. This is because, pruning does not only promote new growth but it also allows the passage of sun to the other parts of the plant.

Finally, do not forget to feed your vines. Giving it a fertilizer once a month should be okay. If you can, try to stay away from commercially produced plant feeds because in the long run, they tend to make your soil acidic. Your best bets would still be organic fertilizers like compost and manure.

If you are new in growing grapes home, you might find everything stated above too hard to remember or execute. But try to be patient because once you master the art, everything is bound to be easier. Plus, in two years, you will get your ultimate reward – the first taste of your home grown grapes.

You can read this comprehensive guide about buying a sprayer for your garden.

Best Grapes for Growing a Successful Vineyard

Growing grapes as a hobby, in your own backyard is not exactly tough. You just need the simple know hows – how to plant, when to prune, when to fertilize, where to put them, how to prepare the soil and that should be all good. What you should really think about or consider is which grapes for growing is best for you and your area.

When choosing the best grapes for growing in a vineyard, you basically have to think about two things. First is the zone, or the area where you live and second, what do you want to use the grapes for.

Considering Your Area’s Hardiness Zone:

Zoning is based on each area’s average temperature. And currently, North America is divided into 11 zones. The coldest being zone 1 which is majority of Alaska and the hottest are those areas in zone 11. In relation to grapes, most varieties thrive in zone 3 to 8. Zone 3 to 8 is ideal for these perennials because the temperatures in these areas are not hot enough to wilt or dry out the plant, nor are they too cold to kill the fruits with frost.

Some of the cities belonging to the zone 3 – 8 range include:

• Burlington, Vermont
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Pierre, South Dakota
• Salt Lake City, Utah
• Portland, Maine
• Atlanta, Georgia

Now if your city is not listed above, don’t give up just yet because you can always visit your local nursery and find out which specific type of grapes do well in your respective areas/ zones.

Choosing the Right Varieties:

When choosing for the right type of grapes for growing, it is always important to ask yourself: “What do I want the grapes for?” Do you want it for eating? Are you planning to make preserves out of them? Do you plan on making wine from them and so on and so forth. Once you have determined that, then it will be easier for you to pick one out of the vast varieties and hybrids available.

Now if you do not have the slightest idea which to choose, here are a couple of varieties you may want to consider:

• For wine making, you can go for the classic blue Concord grapes or the amber colored Chardonel.
• For eating or for your simple enjoyment, then Golden Muscat can be your best bet.
• And if you want grapes for preserving or making raisins then you can always choose the seedless Marquis – which is actually good for almost everything. If you are not too fond of Marquis, then go for Agawam as this produces red – violet grapes that are not only stunning but exceptionally sweet as well.

Those are the two factors that you may want to consider before choosing grapes for growing. Keeping them in mind is key because if you neglect one of them, you can either end up with a plant that won’t grow or type of fruit that you do not want.

Related Post:

How to Grow Grape Vines in the Right Soil

How to Tend to a Grape Vine Growing on a Trellis

Growing Grapes at Home

How to Grow Grape Vines in the Right Soil

So you are new in growing grapes. You have little, to no skills at all. But because you love the fruit so much and you are fascinated with the plant, you decided to go for it. And like any good student, you did your research. You know what zone you are in and you have already selected and bought the variety that you want to plant. All there’s left to know is how to grow grape vines.

Check out this site for backpack and garden sprayer reviews sprayeradvisor.com

Learning how to grow grape vines can be a bit challenging if you are just starting out. But nothing is unconquerable especially if you study and of course put your heart into it. And if you already have the heart but need help with the skills, then here are the basics that can help you know how to grow grape vines.

Related Post:

How to Tend to a Grape Vine Growing on a Trellis
Growing Grapes at Home

First off, be aware that grapes need to be planted on the right soil. And the right soil for this crop is something that allows proper drainage of water. This is because like any other perennial, they do not like being drowned at all. So if the earth in your area is mostly clay, you should try to loosen the ground prior to planting. Loosening the ground does not really take much work and money because some good quality compost will do the trick.

However, if you will be working mostly with sand, it is also equally important to make it a bit denser. Yes, sand provides good drainage but it allows water to pass too quickly, preventing the roots frm getting something.

Once your soil is properly prepared, you can keep these tips in mind to keep your grapes healthy and productive.

1. Plant them at least 6 feet apart.  Yes, that may seem to be too much especially frm a small unassuming rootstock but believe it or not, that space is just right to prevent two plants frm taking over each other.
2. Once planted, water them sparingly and give them the best organic fertilizer that you can find at least once every month. They especially need this during the first year of their life as they establish their rooting in the ground.
3. Support the new vine with a trellis. The idea is to keep the main vine upright.
4. Prune. In the first year of their life, you should snip off the small branches and leave two of the main vines thriving. Doing this will allow all the nutrients to focus on the main vine and as it thickens.
5. Train your vines to make them look more beautiful and to keep fruits out of the ground. You can tell them what direction to go to by winding thick wires across the branches and carefully leading them to rest on the trellis you provided.
6. Finally one important part of learning how to grow grape vines is knowing how to maintain them. Honestly, it does not take a lot, as long as you prune your plants, fertilize them and water them, you are sure to have a taste of your first harvest in 2 to 4 years.