Grapevine Care Made Easy: Complete Guide to Growing Grapes in Your Home Garden

Grapevines in the backyard are a double blessing. They produce sweet, bite-size fruits that everybody loves to eat, and also are vigorous, dramatic vines that can contribute to the beauty of your landscape for three decades or more.

Of all the different fruit types, grapes are among the most popular and the most versatile. Whether you are growing the small, rounded fruits to devour fresh or planning to make juice or wine, you’ll likely find many grape fans.

There are several kinds of varieties of grapes and hundreds of cultivars for each, so do research on growth requirements before you buy. They can vary considerably, though all require a wind-protected, full-sun location and well-draining soil.

Are you wondering how to grow grapes? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve included all the information you need to start growing grapevines.

Quick Grapevine Facts

Selecting Grapevines

When it comes to growing grapes, your first step is to decide what kind to grow. You have many options for grapevine varieties for your backyard orchard. The two main categories are American grapes (Vitis labrusca), native to this country, and European grapes (Vitus vinifera), native to Europe. There are also hybrids of the two, often termed “French-American hybrids.”

Many grapes grown in this country are American vine varieties. These native vines are cold-hardy (USDA zone 3 to 6) and disease resistant. The grapes produced are great to snack on fresh from the vine - like the ‘Concord’ grape variety - but are also used for juice, jams and jellies.

Muscadine grapes (Vitis roundifolia) are another type of American grapes. They can grow in warmer areas and are often grown in the South. Some Muscadine grapes require cross-pollination.

European grapes thrive in warm, dry areas (USDA zones 7-10) - usually locations with Mediterranean climates, and need a long growing season, at least 170 frost-free days. They are most often grown for wine, like the ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Chardonnay’ cultivars.

French-American hybrids are also available. Some are disease resistant, like American grapes, but sweeter and better for wine, like European grapes. They grow vigorously, resist winter cold and require a long, warm growing season.

Hundreds of cultivars are available in commerce. Select a type of grapevine that is hardy to your region. Often, this will exclude either American grapes (if you live in a warm climate) or European grapes (if you live in a chillier climate).

Grapevine Light Needs

Although grapevines double as attractive vines in the backyard and can be planted as shade cover, most people grow them for the juicy fruit they produce. How do you grow grapes? For the best possible grape crop, install your vines where they will get full sun.

Soil for Grapevines

No matter which cultivar you decide to plant, all grapevines need good drainage. For best results, plant them in soil that is loose, deep, and well-drained. Loamy soil is best and you can add nutrients to the soil with a good compost.

If you have homemade compost, make sure the compost is ready before applying it. Otherwise, you can purchase a premade organic compost like this one from the Home Depot.

It is best not to mulch around the base of your grapevines. Grapevine roots like to be warm and mulch may keep them too cool and result in poor fruit set.

Step-by-Step Planting Guide

1. Buy dormant, bare-root plants from a reputable garden store. Choose certified virus-free stock if possible. Most varieties are self-fertile but be sure to ask. If the one you choose is not self-fertile, you’ll need to add a second variety for pollination.
2. Select a site for your grapevine. Plant in a spot with full sun or as close to full sun as you can get. If you have to choose between full morning sun or full afternoon sun, go for the site with full morning sun.
3. Start the planting process after the final freeze of spring is past. Decide what kind of support system you will use to help the vines to grow upward. The vines have clasping tendrils that help them attach to a structure. The structure keeps the vine off the ground.
4. Soak the grapevine roots in tepid water for several hours before planting. Trim off any broken roots.
5. Dig planting holes for the grapevines between 6 and 10 feet (2-3m) apart. Make each hole 12 inches (30cm) deep and wide, Put a few inches of topsoil in each hole, then place the vine in the hole, setting it a little deeper than it was grown in the nursery. Only the top bud should be above soil level. Firm the soil to eliminate air pockets near the roots. Water the roots then fill the hole with soil, pressing it in gently. Then water well.

Training and Trellising

It is necessary to prepare a support for the grapevine to climb and it must be in place before planting. This is essential for the growth and productivity of the grapevines, since this ensures that the vines will get the sunlight and the airflow that they require. A proper structure helps prevent fungal diseases and makes harvesting the grapes much easier.

A trellis system is a popular choice for a grapevine support. There are trellises available in commerce but you can easily build one yourself using vertical posts and horizontal wires. The trellis can be attached to a house or garage or it can stand on its own. Use strong, secure posts and wire to create a latticework for the vines to grow on.

As the vine grows taller initially, attach it to the posts. When the shoots grow out horizontally, they attach to the wires with tendrils, but give them some help getting to the right area. Directing growth is called training the vine.

If you prefer to start more simply, a trellis is not mandatory. Use one tall stake for each grapevine. As the vine grows, attach it to the stake. Other types of structures include arbors and gables.

Pruning Grapevines

Pruning grapes can seem complex, but don’t let this task scare you. If you understand the whys and wherefores, it all falls into place.

Pruning Goals

Left to their own devices, grapevines will grow tall canes - some to 60 feet! The canes will grow branches creating a mass of growth so thick that all light will be blocked and few if any grapes will grow. The thick mass of canes will crowd out any new growth and, as they age, will stop producing any fruit at all.

In order to get a crop of grapes from your vines, the vines need to be controlled through pruning the canes. Only one-year-old canes produce “buds,” that is, the shoots that produce fruit. Once a cane has produced their fruit for the season, it will not produce again. To keep producing grapes, the plant must be pruned to renew the young canes. If your canes are older than one year, they won’t produce buds and you aren’t likely to get grapes.

In addition to the one-year age limitation for fruiting canes, grapevines require sunshine and airflow to fruit. To accomplish this, you need to have healthy canes growing up and producing shoots that grow horizontally and produce fruit. The trellis system is a perfect way to get vines into shape to produce fruit.

The main goal of pruning is to increase the number of one-year-old canes and ensure that the buds get sunshine and airflow. The pruning is done every year while the vine is dormant, generally late winter or early spring.

Sharp, ergonomically designed pruners will help keep your hands and arms from becoming tired as you prune your backyard vineyard. Felco 2 pruners are the best in the business and Felco also sells a sharpening tool to keep your pruners in tip-top shape.

Pruning Techniques

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to pruning grapevines. Rather, there are many different ways to prune and your pruning technique will depend on your training system. Each method has its own way of promoting growth and fruit production, so getting a working knowledge of your system is very important to successful pruning.

Two primary techniques are spur pruning and cane pruning. Spur pruning involves pruning the last year’s canes down to spurs, each with two to three buds. This is an easier method preferred by home gardeners. Cane pruning doesn’t cut the cane so far back. You will leave up to buds. The best choice depends on the type of grapes and the gardener’s preferences.

First-Year Pruning

This year is easy. Plant the vine in early spring and let it rock and roll all summer, growing canes and leaves to its heart’s desire. When winter arrives, pick a long, strong cane to serve as the trunk of the vine. Tie it vertically to one of the posts and prune it to 3 or 4 of the lowest buds.

Second-Year Pruning

As spring rolls round, pick one of the new shoots growing from the trunk stem. This will be the upper trunk of the vine. Attach it to the post and trim out all of the other stems. In summer, prune the top of this upper trunk so that it develops two lateral stems or arms. Tie these arms into the wire cordon. When the second winter arrives, prune out all new growth that is not trunk or arms.

Third-Year Pruning

Allow the arms of the grapevine to grow horizontally along the cordon. Remove any side shoots on the trunk. When winter comes, either spur prune or cane prune the vine, depending on the variety.

Subsequent Years

Each winter after the third year either cane prune or spur prune.

Cane Pruning:

• Cut back each arm to 12 buds
• Attach them to the support to fruit the next summer;
• Then choose 2 lateral shoots near the trunk
• Cut these back to 2 buds ; they will become fruiting canes the summer after next;
• Each winter, remove all arms that have just finished fruiting to permit the renewal shoots to grow in spring.

Spur Pruning:

• Prune out weak shoots from the arms leaving strong shoots spaced 6-10 inches apart;
• Trim each shoot back to 2 buds to produce 2 fruit-bearing stems the following season;
• Every winter remove the lower shoot on each spur;
• Then cut the upper stem to 2 buds to develop into stems and bear fruit the next summer;
• Repeat this each winter.

Watering Grapevines

Grapevines need water to grow those juicy grapes. In fact, the soil should be kept moist but not wet. If the weather is dry for more than a few days, give the vines extra water. You can prevent overwatering by being sure that the soil drains well before planting.

Fertilizing Grapevines

Over time, your grapevine will require fertilizer, but not initially. Do not fertilize the vines the year you plant them unless a soil test establishes that the soil lacks necessary nutrients. Just add some organic compost to the top of the soil.

If you wish to fertilize, start adding a balanced fertilizer during the second year. Alternatively, just keep applying compost around the base of the vines every spring. This has several benefits, increasing the organic content of the soil, facilitating drainage and adding nutrients to the soil. After a few years, let your vines tell you how they are doing. If the vines appear to be in bursting health, no need to fertilize. But it’s always a good idea to test the soil annually and base your actions on the results. A simple soil test kit like the Rapitest kit from Amazon is a great way to see what your soil needs.

Pests and Diseases

Grapevine problems like pests and diseases are part and parcel of growing grapes. Many diseases and insects attack grapevines, and you have to be vigilant. You’ll have less trouble if you space the vines well apart to allow good air circulation. Still, grapes can be vulnerable to fungal diseases, black rot and botrytis bunch rot.

Insect pests are also attracted to grape plants, including leafhoppers, mealybugs, grape berry moths and Japanese beetles. You can limit the number of insects by keeping weeds away from the crop.

Care Calendar

Harvesting Grapes

Important note: Grapes mature on the vine or not at all. That means judging maturity is essential. Most varieties mature in the period between late summer and mid-fall, so that’s the window to keep in mind when harvesting grapes.

Color alone can’t be the test for maturity, when it comes to grapes. They can turn color before they ripen or ripen before they change color. But it is one thing to consider. Also look at the stems. When grapes are ripe, their stems turn brown and shrivel up a little.

Fortunately, an entire bunch of grapes - European or American - ripen at the same time. All you have to do is cut off a cluster. This is not true of muscadine grapes, which ripen individually. You’ll have to pick individual muscadine grapes.

Your best test of maturity is a taste test. Ripe grapes are sweet flavored. If they are ripe, use pruning shears to clip off clusters. Cover them and put them into the refrigerator. They will last for several weeks.

Harvest grapes when they are full-colored and sweet flavored usually from late summer to mid-fall depending on the variety. When grapes are ripe the stem will brown and slightly shrivel. When removing an entire bunch, be careful not to remove the powdery bloom or to crush bunches. Put them in a single layer in a shallow basket.

Grapevines won't produce grapes? It could be any number of problems including too much fertilizer, not enough sunlight, pests and diseases, or your grapevines weren't pollinated.

Winterizing

The first step in winterizing grapevines is to prune the canes annually, removing the majority of the prior year’s growth. Then, just before winter, insulate the canes by covering them with about 8 inches (20cm) of mounded soil. Add extra protection in colder regions by mulching generously with straw. You can also purchase cold hardy grapevine varieties that will fare better in colder climates.

Propagation

The most common way to propagate American and European grapes is by rooting cuttings taken during dormancy. Use a sharp, sterilized hand pruner and make clean cuts. Take 12-inch (30cm) cuttings from one-year-old wood. Each cutting should have a few buds.

Prepare a cup or small container by filling it with moist soil. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone, then push it into moist soil. You can find rooting hormone at your local garden center or purchase rooting hormone from Amazon. Use a clear plastic bag as a “greenhouse” to cover the cutting, then situate it in an area where it gets bright indirect light. Keep the soil moist.

The cutting will show new growth in two or three weeks. When new growth appears, remove the clear plastic bag. Move the potted cutting outside to a site that is protected from full sun and also wind. After two weeks getting used to outside weather, the plant can be moved into the ground at its permanent location.

Container Growing

It isn’t hard to grow grapevines in containers. Use a large, sturdy container that is 15-20 gallons and some 18 inches deep and wide. Install a strong trellis that will hold up for many years. Add light, well-draining potting soil that is rich in organic matter.

Plant your grapevine in spring. It’s easier if you pick a dwarf vine but it isn’t essential. Dwarf varieties are also called patio grapes. 'Red Pixie' patio grapes can be purchased from Park Seed and make a great first grapevine.

Then place the container in a sunny, warm location. Be sure it will get some 6 hours of sunlight a day. Water the container after planting, then regularly to keep the soil moist.

It’s important to fertilize a container plant since nutrients in the limited soil can be used up faster than you might think. Act in spring when flower buds first appear. Use a product that is low in nitrogen but high in potassium and phosphorus.

Grapevine Care Essentials