Have you have decided to plant a vineyard, or even a few grapevines? Don't even think about planting your grapes unless your grape trellis or arbor has been completed. Even the simplest structures require some construction, and if you have already planted your grapes, you are sure to cause some damage. If you are planting 3-4 vines in your backyard, you probably want a decorative arbor, while any serious planting requires a trellis. Without a trellis your grapevines will sprawl all over the ground, never produce any grapes, and probably rot or develop a disease. The vines do not develop a trunk or branches that are strong enough to support themselves. In addition, the most important factor in a vine's development is plenty of sunshine.
The grape trellis gets your vines up in the air and spread out so each bud gets plenty of sun. Also a well designed trellis or arbor will allow you to grow a lot of vines in a limited space. That is the reason that growing grapes is one of the most profitable crops on a per acre basis. If you want an arbor for the backyard, there are many prebuilt designs that you can buy at your local building supply for a reasonable cost. If you want to build your own, a search on the internet will turn up a number of plans. A trellis must be constructed on site and should be designed to last a long time since many grapevines can produce for up to 30 years. In your planning you should allow an area of about 8 feet by 8 feet for each vine. In warm climates trellises are usually about 6 feet high, and in colder climates they should not be higher than three feet so your grapes aren't as exposed when winter weather arrives.
Normally you should plant your vineyard in rows about 8-10 feet apart and orient the rows north to south so each vine gets maximum sunlight. The trellis needs to be strong enough to withstand the weight of the vine with a full crop of grapes. Allowance should also be made for local weather conditions including high winds. You will need to use pretreated wood or metal for your posts and galvanized steel wire to run between the posts. I recommend that you use treated wood posts at least 3" in diameter and buy the best materials so your trellis will last for at least 20 years. Place your poles 8 feet apart and sink them 2 feet into the ground.
They are best if you set them in concrete, and I always coat the pole with roofing compound about an inch above the cement for extra protection against moisture. At the ends of each row you need to install an anchor to keep the wire taught. About 6 feet from the end of the row bury a 4 foot pole 3 feet into the ground angled away from the row. Drill a hole in the anchor and push the wire through using a wire clamp to hold it in place. Next drill each post near the top and 3 feet off the ground. Run two lengths of 10-12 gauge galvanized wire from post to post pulling tight through the holes you drilled. There are other ways to build a trellis, but this method is the most popular.
If you live in a cold climate and are planning to use hybrid grapes there are some other designs you might consider such as a T design with two wires running at the 3 foot level.Whatever method of construction you choose, hopefully you can complete the job in the fall before your first planting so as soon as spring arrives you can get your plants in the ground and maximum growth the first year.
Gino Marino is a grape growing expert. For more great tips on how to setup and use grape trellis visit http://www.grapesmakewine.com.
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