Growing Grapes for Beginners

Many people choose to carry out hobbies and small businesses of growing fruits and vegetables, and a lot of satisfaction can be gained from eating or selling items that you grow yourself. Watching the growth of a plant into a nutritional fruit or vegetable is a very rewarding experience, and I am certain that you will find great pleasure in growing grapes. But, before going out and beginning planting your own vineyard, there are some things that you must understand about raising grape vines:-

Growing grapes is not a very difficult task. However, it does take patience. Once you have given your grape vines some attention and time, you can and will be enjoying them for years to come.

Before beginning the preparation for your grape vines, you must first determine what type of grapes you want to plant. This will be determined by your climate and the area in which you live. The reason why you want to plant grapes will also have a major impact on the selection of grapes you choose. Some grapes are better suited for picking and eating while others work better in jams, jellies, and juices(recipes to follow in another hub). Knowing your purpose for the grapes and the climate in which you wish to grow them should be discussed with your local specialist nursery before making your choice.

Once you have decided on the type of grape you want to plant, one of the first steps in growing grapes and getting your grape venture underway is selecting the location for the vines. It is very important to ensure that you have adequate soil. You will need to fertilize the soil with either store purchased or natural fertilizers to give your vines a good healthy beginning. Many vine growers believe that organic or natural fertilizers work best for grape vines.

You will also want to ensure that the area that you choose has good drainage. Many grape growers find that planting grape vines on a slope works very well. Good drainage is a key factor in keeping grape vines disease free. Grape vines often thrive in rocky areas where other plants do not keep these factors in mind when choosing your location for planting.

Autumn is often the best time of year to plant grape vines. It is better if the plants are in a dormant state, and timing will be an important contributes to the success of your grape vines.

At the beginning of the growth of your grape vines, you will need to make sure that the plants receive about one inch of rain per week. If your area does not receive this much rain, you will need to water your plants.

Once your vines have grown leaves, make sure that they remain dark green and healthy. If the leaves do not appear to be healthy, you will need to add nutrients to the soil, which we will discuss in a later hub.

As the vines begin to grow, you will need to train them to grow on trellis. This trellis can be made from wood, iron, PVC, or wire. Young plants often need a lot of coaching to begin growing in the right direction.

Once your vines have a good foundation for growth, you will see them begin to change and develop each day. Keep an eye out for weather and pests damage and before long, you will be overwhelmed with the excitement of your first grape clusters!

So, let’s get started growing grapes!