Grapes are grown all around the world for multiple purposes. Most of the vineyards are used to grow grapes for wine, but not always. Some vineyards are used to make jellies, jams, or juice. Grapes are not frequently grown in home gardens, which there doesn’t seem to be a reason for. They are delicious and easy to snack on without having to prepare. Grapes would be a great thing to grow in your backyard for an awesome fruit that everyone will love. Here’s everything you need to know about growing grapes.
Can I Successfully Grow Grapes on a Small Acreage Homestead?
Can I successfully grow grapes on a small acreage homestead? Absolutely! Homesteading on small acreage essentials include choosing the right grape varieties for your climate, providing trellis support for the vines, and ensuring proper soil conditions and drainage. With dedication and the right knowledge, you can enjoy a bountiful grape harvest on your small-scale homestead.
What to Know About Growing Grapes
Planting
Plant a young, dormant plant with bare roots in the early Spring. Make sure you have a trellis before you start planting. Grapes need to be trained very early on to grow upwards so they can grow better, and it also prevents disease. You’ll need to soak the roots of the grape vine for about 2-3 hours before you plant it. This helps the vine to be able to start its growing process faster. Your planting site should receive a lot of sun. 1-2 hours of shade a day won’t hurt the plant, but it should receive a lot of sun throughout the day. If you’re planting more than one vine, make sure they are about 6-10 feet apart because grape vines really grow out and could crowd other plants if they’re too close. Place the grape vine about 12 inches deep into the ground and fill the hole back up with soil. Be sure to water the planted grape vine thoroughly.
Image Source: Pixabay
Caring
The biggest thing you need to do with grapes, is prune them. Grapes are very heavy and the plant will not be able to support all the weight of the grapes if it does not have a strong root system. For the first year, cut back all the buds except 2-3 strong ones. You probably won’t get any fruit the first year. Prune in March or April the following year, when the plant is still dormant. You can remove most of what the plant has grown the previous year. The more you prune, the stronger the roots of the plant will be, and the more fruit you will get. You can also make sure that birds stay away from your fruit by putting a net around your grapes. Continue to ensure your grapes get a lot of sun.
Harvesting
When to harvest grapes is up to you. Try a couple from different bunches to see if they taste the way you like it. They can be a little more tart and sour, or sweet. Pick the grapes when they are firm and juicy, not shriveled. Unless you want raisins. If your grapes are not ripening, you can trim your vines a little so that they receive more sunlight inside the vines. Sometimes the plant starts growing so thick that the grapes in the middle don’t receive enough sunlight to ripen. After you’ve harvested your grapes, you can do whatever you want with them! You can make wine, jams, jellies, or juice. Or you can just eat them right off of the vine for a yummy snack on a picnic.
Summing Up
Growing grapes is not hard to do and they provide an abundance of fruit. If you want to try something new to plant in your garden, consider growing grapes. You won’t be sorry. You’ll have so much delicious fruit ripe for the plucking. Try growing grapes and see how easy and fun it can be!
Image Source: Pixabay
