Growing Grapes: Your first year’s goal
In the northern hemisphere, it will soon be spring and your grape vine will show signs of life after the cold winter. Hundreds of new grape growers will start a vineyard of their own, with great anticipation of having their own grapes one day.
This is great, as there is absolutely no other plant, that responds to personal care, than a grape vine; just ask those who successfully started their own vineyards the past growing season.
BUT, unfortunately, there will also be those who will miserably fail as well. Those who think that by sticking a cutting into the soil is enough to ensure a productive grape vine – think again. Although growing grapes is not that hard, you need to have a set of well-planned goals for the first growing season.
With this article, I want to give you some ideas of what can be done and what you should strive to achieve during the first growing season. This will help you plan ahead and set your goals for the upcoming growing season.
Where you will plant your grape vine:
Except for choosing the correct variety, the location where you will plant your grape vines are probably the most important step into becoming a successful grape grower. I see so many well prepared soils, great looking trellises and good looking cuttings, planted in a spot where a grape vine will for sure not become a productive plant.
Then what is the perfect site for planting a grape vine? Let’s start by looking at the soil.
PH:
Fortunately a grape vine can be grown on a relatively wide range of pH. The ideal pH for growing grapes is slightly acidulous; between 6.0 and 7.2, although you can go as low as 5,5 and as high as 7.8.
But why is the pH so important to us?
When the pH of your soil is below 5, one major negative thing happens inside the soil. Clay particles in the soil will start to dissolve and aluminum (Al) ions will be released. These Al-ions prevent much needed magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca) cations from binding to the soil and will be inaccessible to the grape vine. In other words, what I’m trying to tell you, is to take a soil sample or two and let it be analyzed and do correctional fertilization in advance.
Soil structure and texture:
The structure of a soil is The soil structure is the relevant position of individual soil, silt and clay particles to each other and include the pores these individual particles forms as well. Soil structure has a major influence on water and air movement, biological activity and root growth. Grapes do best on deep, well drained soils.
The soil texture is the relative proportion of clay, silt and sand particles in the soil. Clay particles are very small, and binds to each other, making the soil impenetrable for roots, air and water. These very clayish soils tends to compact with irrigation, so keep in mind to ad lots of organic matter to the soil.
Choose a sunny spot for your grape vines:
Grape vines need lots of sun for it to be productive – period! Plant your grape vine in spot where it will have direct sunlight for at least have 80% of the day. Without enough sunlight, the buds on the grape vine will become unfruitful and will not bear any fruit.
To give you an example; just next to my house, I have a 1.3 hectare Crimson Seedless vineyard – a beautiful vineyard with a good yield as well. My wife has got a lovely garden and I also love trees, but right next to the vineyard, stands an old tree that over shades about 5 vines in the vineyard. This past growing season, these vines only produced 5 bunches per vine, as to the rest of the vineyard that produces 16 to 20 bunches per vine.
Luckily there are 2000 more vines in the vineyard that can produce grapes, so I just leave the tree as it is, BUT what if you only had those 5 grape vines? See where I’m heading? Keep those trees away from your grape vines!
Preparing the soil and planting hole:
Now, I’m not going to go into this too much, as I’ve written an article about this some time ago, but don’t underestimate the importance of properly preparing the planting hole. This is where your grape vine will spend the rest of it’s life. So do take care when planting your grape vine.
Achive this during year one and you are well on your way
to becoming a great grape grower! 
(yes, it is possible!)
Training your grape vine:
Now this is where so many fail. Your goal for the first year should be to get the vine on the trellis wires as quickly as possible. Achieving this, will ensure that you can start developing the cordon or structure of the grape vine as soon as possible.
The sooner your structure is developed, the sooner you will have a grape crop to share with your friends and family.
DO NOT ALLOW A ONE-YEAR-OLD GRAPE VINE TO PRODUCE GRAPES!
If you allow a young vine to have grapes, you will only set back the much needed growth and your grape vine will not be strong enough to start developing the structure of the vine in year two. A one-year-old grape vine will not produce usable grapes anyway – so remove all grapes during year one.
Diseases and weeds:
The young grape vine’s biggest enemy are weeds and diseases like powdery mildew and downy mildew. Get rid of all weeds BEFORE planting the grape vine; this will make chemical weed control much easier. Follow a 10 day spray program to prevent diseases attacking your young vine.
Right, I hope this article guided you into the right direction.
Remember: Plan ahead and think of what your grape vine will look like in about 5 years from now - then make your decisions.
Danie
Let me guide you and show you exactly what to do;
From planting your grape vine to pruning it in winter!
Join the Complete Grape Growing System Right NOW.
Tags: grapes you can grow in ontario, best grapes to grow in eastern ky, best places to grow flame seedless grapes, how to grow chinese magnolia grapes, grapes that grow on trees
thankyou very much Danie your tips are very helpful they are also very inspiring. My question is does your technique’s for growing grape vine’s apply to persons who want to grow grape vines for the purpose of producing ice wine’s?
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:25 am
I suppose so Lino, although I don’t have any experience in producing ice wine.
Remember, the physiology of a grape vine stays the same, no matter what you using it for.
Danie
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Hi Danie, just popping into to say thanks for the tips and to let you know my grapes are coming along fine ..
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:26 am
Hi Ros,
Thanks for reply. Great to hear your vines are doing well
Danie
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Thanks So Much…for the information…..its very helpful for the novice grower…..
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:26 am
Alan, you are more than welcome ….
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I indian my farm house in south india maxi tem. 45 centigreat mini20 that so please help me for product
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Thank you so much for this! My husband and I just planted 6 vines….we are firt-timers! Very excited, but also nervous=) Thank you for all of your help and advice!
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:27 am
Hi Amanda,
Glad you can use the info. Good luck …
Danie
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Great info , I look forward in having some success .
“ keep on graping on ~~
Thank you & best wishes ,
Bob.
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:27 am
Thanks Bob
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Hi Danie
Thank you, you have just saved me from catastrophe, for just a few hours ago I marked out where to plant 6 vines and I had put one just feet away from a young pear tree. I too am nervous like Amanda five years is a long time to make mistakes, so of back to the allotment tomorrow to change my plan. Again many thank
Take care
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:29 am
Hi Margaret,
Seems like the post was just in time. No need to be nervous, just follow good advice and you will do just OK - I’m sure of that.
Danie
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Great info but still confused…. I am building an arbor/ pergola and want to plant grape vines at each corner and runn the vine around each post to the top and then canapoy the top with the vines (10 X 14foot pergola). I will plant new vines ( 2 Cynthianas and 2 Niagaras). I am hoping for both red and whoite grapes mainly to eat.
Location is Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Soil is somewhat acidic and clay like. I will be amending the soil.
So… year one, do I simply work on building a cordon around the posts to 9 feet in height and remove all grapes?
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:32 am
Robert,
I hope this was the post you mailed me about. Anyway, sorry for the delay in replying …
Robert, I recorded a video about training a grape vine on an arbor some time ago. It is posted on YouTube. You can have a look at it at the
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Hi Danie,
Thank you so much for the information about grape growing. I am from East Africa and would like to try growing grapes here. Is this possible? The climate here is much different from yours there, but I want to give it a try. Please help.
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Danie Reply:
March 22nd, 2009 at 8:37 am
Hi Jennifer,
Where in east Africa are you from. I suppose it is near the equator - what is you climate like there?
Danie
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Hello Dinie Reply:
February 4th, 2010 at 9:42 am
Dear Danie,
Greetings,just to respond to jen’s email, the Temperatures in East Africa, except on the hot and generally humid coastal belt, are moderate, with maxima of around 25 °C (77 °F) and minima of 15 °C (59 °F) at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,921 ft). At altitudes of above 2,500 metres (8,202 ft), frosts are common during the dry season and maxima typically about 21 °C (70 °F) or less.
I am also interested in this information, i am considering growing grapes in my garden in kenya.
cheers
Amina
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Hey Danie,
Thanks for the info at present. I grow grape in Malaysia, in tropical climate. At the moment i having problem with unbalance ph,witch upper level is 7.6 and deep 18 inches is 3.5 How to solve problem. Can you guide me.
Thanks.
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this webssite is AWESOME….
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Danie - My wife and I are in the process of building grape trellises behind our house on the side of a hill in Oklahoma, USA. We have visited many vineyards, but really did not know where to start. We purchased your book online and now feel confident that we have better understanding of what is required to take on this major project. I will let you know how things go and will send pictures. We really enjoy your updates. Ron
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BigDog…
I am So Lucky That I found your blog and great articles. I will come to your blog often for finding new great articles from your blog.I am adding your rss feed in my reader Thank you…
Hi Danie
Thanks for the information concerning growing grapes. I really like them and its rear to find them in my country (Rwanda). I desire to grow them but i wonder whether the climate is favorable. The place i would try it is in Eastern pronvince of Rwanda. Usually its hot and has two rainny seasons thats October and February but thats no problem since i can provide irrigation. As for the soil this i will have find out according to your advice. Basically my own concern we experince no winter so tell me if it can work out or advice me.
Thanks
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Danie,
My residence has a western facing backyard that I will be building up with soil and enclosing in a wall ( to keep the deer away ). The area that I plan on planting my Cabernet grapes would get about 8 to 9 hrs of direct sun. First - Is this enough sunlight for the vines and Second - Is there a mixture of soil that you would recomend, I live in the Hill Country about an hour north of San Antonio, Texas on a Hill Top so my existing soil is about 4 to 5 inches of topsoil and the rest limestone deposits. My plan is to use excavated limestone that I have from the digging of the foundation pad to line the base of the enclosed backyard and fill with soil and topsoil mix.
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