Grape Trellis – Support Your Vineyard

One really good thing about grapes is that they grow on a vine and need a trellis in order to grow. Because of this space is not an issue. People can grow grapes in their backyards with only a small amount of space just as well as vineyards can on a few hundred acres of property.

Trellis Aesthetics

Vines are not strong enough to support themselves and therefore need a trellis for support. The way a trellis looks depends upon the person who is growing the grapevine. It can be very decorative or it can strictly be functional. A trellis can come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit the needs of the grape grower and it can be made out of a variety of materials including iron, pretreated wood, stainless steel, PVC pipe, or aluminum. It can be purchased or a simple functional design can be fairly easily constructed by hand. Although grapevines can be grown in a yard, they are a fairly large plant. You will need a space of about eight feet by eight feet for one vine.

Trellis Construction

The trellis should always be built before the grapevine is planted. In general, a shorter trellis is more suitable to endure colder weathers, while higher trellises maximize sunlight exposure in warm climates. A short trellis will have posts of an average of 3 ft in height, while a large trellis usually has posts 8 ft tall.

Trellis Location

Determining where your trellis will be located must be planned before you begin placing the poles. When planting the posts, make sure they are a minimum of 2 ft into the ground, for optimum support. Many recommend cementing the post into the ground to ensure that it will stay in place, while others suggest securing the post with the use of catch wires that are anchored to the ground, or to a second, smaller pole. Trellis posts must be planted 8ft apart, with two rows of galvanized wire running between posts. One must run along the bottom of the poles ” at least 3 inches from the ground- and one must run along the top of the poles. You can staple them to the posts by using a staple gun.

Building Your Trellis

Once you have mapped out the grapevines location, and had your trellis built you can begin digging the holes for its installment. Posts must be an average of 2 ft into the ground. You can either secure them in place using sand and cement, or you can tie them down to the ground using catch wires, Posts are set at a distance of 8ft apart, with two rows of galvanized steel running between the poles. One runs along the top of the posts, and one along the bottom, securing them together. You can use a staple gun to staple the wires in place.

When your vine is planted and it begins to grow it will grow up along the two main trellis wires with some coaxing on your part. You can use string or cloth to tie the vine to the wires. Using more wire to tie the shoot in place can sometimes damage the shoot.

Pierre Duponte is a grape growing expert. He spends his time teaching others how to make fine wines. For more great tips on Grape Trellis Location & Setup and how to make wine visit http://www.grapegrowingwinemakingtips.com/.

No related posts.