How to Grow Grapevines

I specify "your" garden because a lot of the large vineyards and commercial farmlands use different methods for the propagation of grapevines. Namely, they take huge sections of already grown grapevines (about 12 inches or so), cut them off, and then store them in moist soil in the fall. In the spring, they transfer the bisected grapevines to more moist soil where it will take root and grow into a healthy vine.

How do you grow grapevines for your garden, though? The best methods I've seen are from The Art of Growing Grapes, but the general methodology is the same as commercial grape growers', only to a lesser extent.

As a home garden owner, you should take a vine you have already growing grapes, stretch it to the ground, and cover it with garden soil. Do this in the spring and, if you keep it moist for long enough, you'll be able to get it rooted. From there you slice it from the mother plant and transfer it to wherever you need in your garden and manage it like any other grapevine.

If you're a home gardener living in a very wintry area for one part of the year or more, then it can be very difficult and downright impossible sometimes to keep your grapevines growing and healthy in the winter time. If you've wondered how to grow grapevines that stay safe, then hopefully these tips will help:

- Choose the right varieties of grapes : Sometimes it's all down to fate whether your grapes survive, but you can give them the best chance by looking at where you reside and what types of grapes normally grow there. Your grapevines will naturally go into a state of dormancy and be protected during winter months if you choose the right variety. Otherwise it's trickier and grapevines and grapes can be hurt.

- Careful pruning- And by careful I mean in the amount, not the actual pruning itself. Confusing, but just make sure you don't prune your grapevines too often during winter; when a grapevine is being pruned, it's almost forced out of dormancy and trying to grow in the winter is an obvious no-no

- Have multiple trunks- Just in case you can't manage to save one, having another trunk will ensure some grapes survive. Manage them both well, though, and hopefully you'll have extras!

More tips on grape pruning can be found at Easy Grape Growing.

Now that you know how to grow grapevines, get to growing them and protecting them well! And don't forget to drop by: