Navlet's Garden Centers | Newsletter | Vol. 6, No. 1 | Growing Wine Grapes

In This Issue
Vol. 6, No. 1

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Country Nest Collection
Plant Gladiolus
Growing Wine Grapes
Bareroot Roses
Got Clay?
Seasonal Products
Dwarf Azaleas
Garden Show

Growing Wine Grapes - the Basics
by Buzz Bertolero, the "Dirt Gardener"

To me, the very presence of grapevines in a garden speaks of relaxing afternoons and Old World charm. Fortunately for us, the Bay Area's Mediterranean-like climate makes this one of the few areas where backyard gardeners can enjoy this fabulous crop. And the basics are simple.
Grapevines should be grown on a freestanding structure. Not only does this limit their invasive nature, it also allows air to circulate through the stems, thus reducing the risk of diseases. I recommend planting wine grapes at least three feet away from any structure, in rows that run north to south. The plants should be four to six feet apart within the row, with rows spaced six feet apart. You'll need to string wire to support the arms of the vines, with the lowest wire thirty inches off the ground.
Pruning wine grapes need not be baffling once the proper foundation has been established; it begins at planting. Simply remove all the growth down to two buds on a single stem. After the first growing season, you'll have a mass of twisted stems and branches covered with leaves. Just select a single, straight stem to form the trunk, and tie it to a stake. The stem should at least reach the lateral wire. Now attach a lateral branch on each side to the wire with plastic tape. Remove all remaining stems and branches. If no laterals growth is present, wait until there is new growth about twelve inches long. Select one of them and then prune the rest of the shoots off at the trunk. It takes about five years for the grapevines to reach peak production. They continue producing for the next fifteen years, and then the yield usually declines. In case you're wondering, it takes 2.4 pounds of grapes to produce one bottle of wine. Your vines could each produce as much as 10 pounds per year! Cheers.