Grape Trellis is For the Strength of Your Vineyard Grapes

A grape trellis is anything that is used to train your grape vines to grow on. In the wild, grapes will grow up fences and tress. If you plant near your home, use the wall and some structure against it to allow the grapes to grow on it. If you have fields of grapes then construct grape trellis' in nice little rows.

A grape trellis is simply a structure used as a support system for grape vines. A trellis can be made of most wood, or wrought iron, PVC, stainless steel and aluminum. Although some wine growers believe that a metal trellis gets too heated in the summer and sunlight that the metal heats up and pass that heat onto the plants and it is hard on them. In order to plant a grape vine, a trellis is a must, otherwise the vines will not be able to climb upward and get enough sunlight.

Your trellis height depends on what you will want to do. You can use short or tall. The taller the trellis the harder it is to prepare the vine for winter and to prune without a ladder. Tall trellises are normally used in warm climates and the shorter ones where it is colder as it will withstands the cold better that way. Short trellises are usually about three feet tall and the tall ones can go up to 8 feet high.

Your grape plants are not an overnight sensation. They will be around for years and you should remember that they can take up to three years to produce fruit. So make sure your trellises are deep and sturdy. Usually it is good to set them in cement as they are not going anywhere that way and will withstand all kinds of weather like wind, rain, storms and snow.

Just make sure to have good planning and have taken careful measurements as to where you would like your trellis to be to ensure that you buy a trellis that is right for you.

The best time to construct your grape trellis is during the first season. It will basically consist of one, two or three tightly stretched wires secured to two firm posts. The posts will serve as wire supports and anchor points. The posts should be 8 feet tall and 2 feed diameter. You should place them at least 2 feet into the ground and brace them with another post for support. For a large vineyard you should use galvanized wire as it won't harm the plants and it lasts long. If you use soft wire once the vines grow, that wire will need tightening more often as you don't want your vines to droop. Make the first wire run 3 inches above the ground and the second one should run along the heads of the trellis posts. Your grape vines are going to climb on these wires.

There are all kinds of new gadgets on the market that you can use on your end posts to tighten the wires but most home growers will use hard wire and wrap it about the post two or three times and secure the end onto itself. It holds well and you can untie it to tighten if needed.

Kacy Waters is a grape growing expert. For more great tips on how to setup and use grape trellis visit http://www.grapegrowinginfo.com