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My grape vines, already many years old when I moved here, grow up the sides of the barn and one outbuilding. Underneath the vines are hundreds of nails, spikes, wires and other fasteners added over time to support the heavily-laden vines when fruiting. Not the best way to support grapes!
I have had the good fortune this summer to watch and learn as my neighbor, Barry Ratihn, increased the number of grape vines he is growing for wine, requiring hundreds of feet of new, substantial supports. Barry’s existing vines already covered perhaps a quarter of an acre and he easily doubled that. There are now a total of 200 grape vines, half red grapes and half white grapes, including a Virginia native grape, Norton. I don’t propose to explain all the variables in grape trellising here, just show my neighbor’s very professional job. I understand he spent months doing research and visiting many vineyards before beginning this project. I imagine the whole viticulture business would fill several books!
Barry’s first step was, of course, the layout. Next was attaching an auger to his tractor PTO (power take-off) and drilling all the post holes, 24 inches deep and 20 feet on center. The rows are 10 feet apart, matching the existing rows. The poles are round pressure treated posts, 5” diameter and 10’ tall, set in the clay soil, tamped and plumb.
New Posts with "H" Post Bracing
Tensioning the Wires
Existing Poles with vines
At each end of each row there is an end-post assembly (a horizontal “H” brace between 2 posts) and a brace wire, which keep the poles from leaning in when tension is later applied to the wires in the rows between the posts. The smooth wire used is a 12.5 gauge high-tensile galvanized wire. The tension on each wire is set by using an in-line wire strainer with a heavy clip and manually tightening the tension to about 250 pounds. (This wire will begin to stretch at about 1,000 pounds of tension, and will break above 1,500 pounds of tension.) Stringing the wire is definitely a 2-man job, and Barry had his son-in-law to help. The stiff, coiled wire is under a lot of tension and flies everywhere as it is released from the spool or spinning jenny. Both men suffered many cuts, pokes and scrapes stringing the wire; wearing safety glasses during this phase is crucial!
There are a total of 5 horizontal wires (2 are parallel along the top row) strung to accommodate all growth stages, training, pruning and harvesting of the grapes. Stringing the wires at 2’ intervals begins at the bottom and works up, tensioning each wire as it is set. Barry also used his auger to dig the holes for his new grape vines; there are 3 vines planted between each set of poles. Each new vine is encased in a biodegradable cardboard ‘vine shelter’ to protect it during the first year of growth. The vine shelters also control unwanted lateral growth.
New Vines Set Out in Vine Shelters
New Vine Starting 'Training'
Parallel Top Wires
One photo shows the newest vine growth just reaching the first training wire (which is really the second wire), and being trained to it. The lowest wire merely serves as a stabilizer for the new plants in their vine shelters. Another photo shows more mature vines being trained to additional, higher wires. The wires are spaced at 2’ on center; the top set of parallel wires is 8’off the ground and the vines ultimately grow between these top 2 wires. Some advantages of this system besides pest management and harvesting, include training the vines to wires allowing easier removal of some leaves, which exposes the grapes to more sunlight (but not enough to burn the grapes). It also allows for more fungal resistance.
Older Vines Being Wire-Trained
Mature Vines
High, Soft Enclosure Fencing
The entire grape vine section of his property is enclosed in a soft-material fencing tucked into the soil at the bottom, and 10’ high to keep out the abundant deer and rabbits. The vineyard is fully exposed to high winds coming off the hill behind it, so the structure needed to both support the heavy fruit and resist high winds.
Having a small backyard garden myself, I wouldn’t need this kind of grape trellis for a just few grape vines. However, if you are interested in starting in viticulture, I hope this article has given you some insight about one system of trellising.
Photo Credits: All photos are by the author.
About Darius Van d'Rhys
I have a 'growing my own food' obsession that comes fromf my overlapping interests in cooking, nutrition and gardening. I am also a "teacher", a writer, a builder… and a craftsperson and... and… and many other things, LOL. In fact, I guess I am a generalist, and a Seeker.
I live in the southern Appalachian Mountains on a hillside with a creek in front, and drive a 15 year old truck I lovingly call “My Farmer’s Ferrari.”
Posted by Cavier (from Alameda, CA) on August 27, 2008 at 8:42 PM:
I planted a small grape vine three years ago in a five gallon container. It is doing very well, pls advise me when it will need to be planted in a larger container.
Thank you.
Cavier
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Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on August 27, 2008 at 8:49 PM:
Sorry, I know nothing about about grapevines in containers.
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Posted by bobmc2 (from Wynnewood, OK) on September 4, 2008 at 9:45 AM:
Is there a reason why you have not put it in the ground? the pot you have should be sufficient for some time..
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Subject: you must have esp!!!
Posted by virginbred (from Edisto Island, SC) on August 25, 2008 at 6:10 PM:
just last week i was doing research on grape trellises as i have found wild grapes on my property...i notice some vines have no grapes and others have grapes...i'm assuming these are male and female vines??? the base of the vines are almost a foot thick and the vines are growing in trees...i'm trying to figure out how to tame them because most of the fruit is way out of reach...great article and well timed for me!!! thanks darius i've enjoyed reading everyone of your articles...
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Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on August 25, 2008 at 7:43 PM:
Thanks! I just love it when something I write promotes a spark in someone, or helps them with a problem area.
I don't know about 'gender' in grapes but I do know that if they are not pruned occasionally (by us or by Nature) they will not produce...
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Posted by capntom (from Saint Petersburg, FL) on September 22, 2008 at 10:40 AM:
Thanks Darius, that's great information and timely for me too. I'll be referring to your posts frequently I think. Looks like we have some things in common. I too, must be a generalist. I'm a builder, carpenter, woodworker, with a desire to get back to
my roots. Consequently, I've recently purchased a ten acre piece of country just outside Old Town, FL where I intend to
start a small vineyard to support my hobby of winemaking and a large garden to enable my wife's need to revive an old
favorite pastime of canning. First things first though, we've got to sell the city house and build a green home in the country.
I'll keep my eye out for future posts. Have a Great Day!
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Subject: Generalist
Posted by Debja (from Colfax, WI) on August 25, 2008 at 8:45 AM:
Thank you for this word. I have hesitatingly referred to my life as a "Jill of all trades", but I like generalist better!
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Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on August 25, 2008 at 9:00 AM:
Thanks... it seems to 'set' better with me, too.
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Subject: Good Article
Posted by phicks (from Lakeland, FL) on August 20, 2008 at 7:11 PM:
Good one Darius there use to be lots of Wild or Feral Grapes around you Paul
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Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on August 20, 2008 at 8:10 PM:
There's still some, Paul... even on my shed (which is the old smoke house). There were some on the barn but when they were pruned, the trunk interior was rotted. Must have been 50 years old.
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Subject: wire attachment...
Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on August 20, 2008 at 11:53 AM:
Darius, Great article, but I can't see from the photos as to how the wires are attached to the posts. I assume he uses some type of hardware, ...what's it called? Do you have a close up picture you can post? I'm as interested in the support system mechanics as I am the those beautiful grapevines!
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Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on August 20, 2008 at 12:26 PM:
He just wrapped the wire around the posts several times, then around itself about 2-3 feet along the stretched wire. I didn't show it because I didn't think it looked as professional as the rest of the project. He must be one strong man... He did use some fence staples to hold it horizontally where he wanted it but the tension on the wires would have pulled it loose if that was all he did for fastening.
I couldn't even get a "u" shaped bend in the wire he gave me. I was planning to use it for my raspberry trellis before I found I couldn't manipulate it very well.
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Posted by Sundownr (from (Bev) Wytheville, VA) on August 20, 2008 at 2:26 PM:
LOL, the experienced folk make the job look easy (muscles help, too)! I guess I'll stick with clothesline wire for my small scale needs!
Thanks for the info!
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Posted by leaflady (from Hughesville, MO) on August 20, 2008 at 9:08 PM:
When we got our first grapes about 10 years ago (I think)Jack used hedge posts for the end posts and a few of them along the 90' long row. We use metal T posts in between them. The wire was just American fencing set on concrete blocks lying on their sides so I have about 8" clearance to weedeat under the fence. 8' is way to high for us to have reached. The Am. wire supports the vines very well.
We have noticed that the end post on the south end has broken or rotted off and the vines are down on the ground somewhat. This fall after the leaves have fallen off it will be replaced.
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Subject: privacy
Posted by cathy4 (from St. Louis County, MO) on August 20, 2008 at 10:26 AM:
Grapes grown like this make a lovely green privacy screen around a yard, with the benefit of fruit. Thanks for showing how to put up the supports.
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Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on August 20, 2008 at 11:00 AM:
I never thought about the use for privacy... Thanks!
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Subject: Great article
Posted by dragonfly53 (from (Terri) South Boston, VA) on August 20, 2008 at 7:26 AM:
Hi Darius
Thank you again for a well written, informative article! Your neighbors vines look so neat, how does he keep the weeds down? I am always fighting with wiregrass and others that magically appear the day after I've hoed the garden - what's his secret?
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Posted by darius (from Marion, VA) on August 20, 2008 at 9:15 AM:
LOL, riding mower and weedeater for the grass, just like I do. I don't hoe in my vegetable garden but I do try and pull weeds before they seed. Heavy mulch helps. You might be interested in my article for next Wednesday, it's on weeds.
