Planting Grape Vines

Planting Grape Vines

A thriving international market for wine and grapes has resulted in an explosion in vineyard plantings in many parts of the world.  Dig up the bundles in late March or early April, before the buds start growing, and plant the cuttings 6 to 8 inches apart, with the second bud from the top at the surface of the soil, in straight rows 3 feet apart. Find a spot with full sun, well drained, fertile soil and build some trellising for them to grow on. Prune heavily each winter, removing up to 80 per cent of each vine, to keep your grapes from growing wild. Roots of nematode-infested vines are unable to meet above-ground demands for nutrients and water. And (again like drinking wine) you learn fastest about the subject by doing it, rather than reading about it.

Just before the beginning of warmer weather, while the ground is often still muddy from Winter snow and rain (note the attire), workers use pruning knives or shears to trim back nearly all of the previous year's vine growth. Normally, we only prune it back vigorously in the early spring when the vine is still dormant before leaf-out happens. Vine spacing (Table 5) depends on the type of cultivation, vigor of the vines, soil fertility, and type of training system. The only foolproof method of protection is netting to cover the ripening fruit on the vine.

Some grape varieties are also grafted on to a separate rootstock and may not succeed form cuttings on their own roots. Red wine grape: ‘Regent' : Has good disease resistance and makes good-quality wine. Bred in Germany, this white grape hybrid has been selected for its disease resistance and excellent quality fruits. Wine quality is dictated mainly by the grapevines, not by the better the grapes, the better the wine.

Assuming the grape variety is for your zone, it is usually fine to set out grapes 3 to 4 weeks before the last frost date. If you plant vines rated for your zone, a severe winter may kill all top growth, but it is quite likely that the root will survive and send up new shoots. Seeds are usually not a good idea because a seedling will not produce a true clone of the parent plant. In areas subject to frequent injury from cold, training vines to two trunks may be advantageous.

Apart from eating your grapes straight from the vine, and, or course, producing your own wine there are numerous possibilities to make the best of the fruits of the vine - as well as their leaves. The larger the grape berries (individual grapes), the less skin and more juice there is. A handful of tiny grapes, however, is almost all skin and no juice, which translates into concentrated, rich color and flavor in the juice, and ultimately, in the wine. The key to growing grapes successfully is choosing vines that will flourish in your climate. The California table grape industry is especially quick to change to new varieties.