Hindrance to Backyard Grape Growing

Are you one of those home gardeners that don’t know the three
stumbling blocks to successfully growing grapes in your backyard?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

I am growing grapes at home successfully under the worst of conditions
since 1975 and I can tell you that most of the problems gardeners
ncounter are because they don’t have any idea about the nature of the
beast that they are growing. So let’s look at the problems that I
see when people, like you, have me come and analyze what problems
they are having growing the backyard grapevine.

The first problem I see is that gardeners want to grow grapes but they do not know the variety they are growing and
its manner of growth. This leads to many problems from the get go.
Each specie has to be treated differently. The most usual
types in local nurseries are either Concord types or the
Vinifera grape (Europe). It all matters on whether you live East
or West. In the East, Concord types are the usual.
In the West, especially along the Pacific Coast, you will see
the vinifera varieties. Each distinct type have differing growth
habits and this influences what you will have to do to maintain
them.

Growing concord grapes have a more drooping habit of growth. Vinifera
types are more upward in their growth habit. What is it
mean? It means that each specie has to be trained differently
because they grow in another way. Considering the Concord types droop,
they must be trained high and allowed to droop downward during
the growing season. The vinifera types must be trained low and
allowed to grow upward. This takes benefit of the natural
growth habit and maximizes the sunlight into the leaves to get
the best ripening conditions and yield of grapes.  Good luck