How to Grow Grapes at Home

Growing grapes at home is not that much different from how they are grown in a large vineyard. Space is the only tangible difference. The same series of factors must be deliberated to produce healthy grape vines in both large vineyards or at home. The key factor is properly tending the vines. Soil preparation, water, sunlight, pruning and best control are all encompassed in 'tending'. 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. How the pruning is carried out will depend on the variety of grape that is being grown. 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. Shoots on the one year old canes will produce the grapes of the vine. It is important, therefore to encourage new growth every year of new canes. The vines will produce a larger crop and foliage if pruned back too far. The increase in leaf growth is a disadvantage as this will create a shady environment which will not be helpful to the grapes ripening. The home grape grower has to be careful when pruning to avoid any unnecessary injury to the plant. When removing year-old shoots, a hand pruner can be used effectively. Larger wood on the vine should be cut with either a lopper or a handsaw.



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 stand a small amount of insect damage but an infestation will need to be controlled with insectacides or similar. Only look to control insects if a major part of the leaf growth or the fruit is threatened.



Much more destructive are birds. Crops of grapes have been totally destroyed by a flock of birds, happily they are not difficult to scare away unlike an individual bird. One defence against birds that the home growers can utilize is to cover the vines with nets. However, the net must be remove before the winter as ice will form on it and this could injure the vine. Visual repellants, artificial hawks, owls, snakes or even aluminium pie plates can be used by the home grower. Odor repellents are something that are very effective when it comes to controlling deer. Deer are tempted in the early spring when food is still scarce by the early shoots of home vineyards. The unwanted attention of birds can be dicouraged by the odor of humans, dog hair and soap. Finally as a last resort try the smell of coyotes this will scare away most deer and birds.



Jay is a grape growing enthusiast. For more great information on
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