Pruning Grape Vines Tips By Bakari Masudi

Most fruit trees and vines require pruning to optimize its fruit production capacity and grape vines are no exception. Pruning the vines properly is the best way to make sure that your crops will produce more fruits for years to come. Growing and maintaining a grape vine is no small task; it requires time and can be frustrating for other people. Pruning is an important step to encourage new growth and stop possible diseases that may hamper the growth of your plants.
1. Pruning vines can help you control the size of your crops. It also maintains the quality of grapes and helps keep the growth of the vines manageable.
2. People who are experts at pruning grape vines have even worked this out into an exact science by counting each bud that grows on the branches.
3. You can start pruning your grape vines pretty much anytime during warmer climates after leaf loss in the autumn and before new buds grow in the spring. However, during cold climates, its best to wait until mid-winter before pruning your vines. This is done so the vines will not be forced to grow too early and then get destroyed by the late frost.
4. Pruning the grape vines starts by finding the thickest or strongest stem on the grape vine. This will serve as its main trunk. Trim all other stems that grow at the base of the trunk.
5. Pruning grape vines on the second years' spring season entails cutting all the side stems except for the two strongest ones on the side of the main trunk. Also pinch the top of the vine to force side growth.
6. Pruning the vines during the summer of the second year entails cutting the top of the vines to induce fruit production.
7. Pruning vines during the spring and summer of the third year keeps the basic framework of the vines.
8. When pruning grape vines during the third winter, leave twelve buds on each side of the trunk. These buds will produce the fruits the next summer. Continue doing this process each winter, making sure that there are always twelve renewal buds on the stems to ensure fruit production the following summer.

Bakari is a Grapes Growing Fan and has been growing grapes for the last 5 years. He has published several works on grapes growing including a Free ebook on grapes growing tips which can be accessed Free at his website: http://www.howtoprunegrapevines.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bakari_Masudi

Growing A Grape Vine

Growing a grape vine can be a hobby or a business. As a hobby, growing your own grapes can be very rewarding. It can also be a nice ornament that will enhance the beauty of your yard. As a business, you can make and sell jellies, candies, juices or wines with your harvest. Recently, more and more people are realizing that growing grape vines has many benefits. This has prompted them to learn how to grow the vines successfully. Here are the basic steps:
- Determining the ideal location to plant the vine is one of the most important factors to be considered. Proper irrigation and lots fo sunlight is a must for the area. The grape vine will not be able to grow well if the area is very wet or has clay like soil, which is very dense and will not allow the water to seep in. Another very important factor is to check the soil's pH level. The pH level must be somewhere between 6.5 and 7.5. Nevertheless, asking your local agriculturist how to grow grapes successfully can be a big help.
- Growing a vine is no joke. You will need to give the vines care and attention. They need to be well watered, at least once a week. Ideally, the plant should not be allowed to bear fruit during it's initial year. Controlling the first year of growth will allow the roots to grow strong and healthy. When needed, the grape clusters should be picked out. Sometimes a grow tube is used. This device acts as a guide in growing the grape vine as well as protecting it against animals. However, the grow tube will have to be removed after the first growing season so that the branches can harden.
- An effective pest control system will be very important. Grapes attract many insects, including one of the worst is the wasp. The wasps will destroy the fruits by breaking the skin and eating the flesh. The best way to protect your plant is by making wasp traps or by planting a rose bush close to the vines.
- Growing a vine includes a number of tasks, one of which is pruning the vine. Careful pruning can have a great impact on the amount of fruit and the growth of the vines. In order for the grape vines to grow productively they need to be pruned regularly. If not properly pruned, they will produce very little fruit in future seasons.
- Growing a good strong vine will required you to have knowledge of the weather conditions in your area. You will need more protection from the winter weather than you would need from the sun and too much heat. Growers have found many innovative ways to deal with this. One way is by using a cover crop, which insulates the vines against the cold. Also, covering the ground with hay will help to insulate the trunk.
Beginners who are just starting to learn the process of growing a grape vine may be able to find more help from agriculturists or local growers. These professionals will be able to give you the needed information on how to grow quality grape vines.

Gino Vittone has put together some step by step tips for growing your own grapes. You can find this information here: http://www.grapegrowingguidance.com/how-to-grow-grape-vines/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gino_Vittone

Grape vines

Grapes that I want

How To Site Plan For Growing Grapevines By Josh Lawrence

When planning the site of the grape vineyard you should consider climate, soil, water availability, location, disease incidence. A crucial aspect of vineyard planning is to match the site with the appropriate grape variety. The combination of the site characteristics and the grape varieties establishes the potential quality, and productivity of the vineyard.
Site Selection
Part of selecting the site for growing grapevines is deciding how many grapes, or how much wine you want to produce. Consider these assumptions... · A mature grapevine yields anywhere from eight to twelve pounds of grapes. · Eleven or Twelve pounds of grapes will make a gallon of finished wine. · Grapevines should be planted 6 feet apart, and the rows should be 10 feet apart. 100 grapevines would make a vineyard of ten rows with ten vines in a row. When computing the dimensions of the vineyard, six feet must be added around the outside for end posts and space for mowers and other equipment. If you try to plant the grapevines closer together you will find that the yield isn't as good as vines planted farther apart. As a home grower, achieving top yields per acre may not be as important to you, so you can leave more or less room as your situation requires. Multiply the length of each row by the width of all the rows to get the number of square feet the vineyard will take up.
Growing Season
Temperatures during growing season are very important to your site assessment. This is due to the temperatures influence on grape ripening and the quality of the grapes produced. A general estimate for a grape growing season is April 1 through October 31. You will get almost no shoot growth at temperatures of 50 degrees or less. So, depending on the region you live in your growing season could be start before or after April first, and extend beyond October 31. Grape varieties with early bud break should be avoided in regions with a high early frost risk.
Sloping Land Is Generally Ideal
Ideal land for a vineyard is on a slope, oriented anywhere from the southeast to the southwest in cooler areas, or northeast to northwest in hotter climates. The best spot for the vines is the third quarter up a hill. This will allow cooler air to settle at nights and keep the frost off your grapevines. This is not to say that some very fine grapes and wines aren't grown on flatter ground, but if you have an option a hillside is considered better growing area.
Location
Your location assessment should begin with road access. Can you access your grape vineyard via roads? You should also consider your proximity to winery clientele. Another consideration should be if there is a temporary labor supply nearby during harvest season. If you are going to have a tasting room for your vineyard you will need to make sure you are in relatively close proximity to a population that would generate adequate tourist traffic. You will also need to consider parking for your tourist traffic. - This of course assumes you will be planning for a wine producing vineyard. If you are just growing grapes at home for table grapes, or for yourself - this type of planning is unnecessary.

My name is Josh Lawrence and I've been an avid grape lover and grower for as long as I can remember. I started http://HowDoIGrowGrapes.com/site-planning-for-growing-grapevines as a free resource for you and others who wish to explore the Grape Growing hobby and get the most out of caring for valuable grape plants.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Lawrence

How To Grow Grape Vines - Three Critical Soil Factors In Learning How To Grow Grape Vines By Roberto Batch

Learning how to grow grape vines successfully takes 80% knowledge, 19% skill, and 1% luck. Knowing exactly how to choose the correct soil for your vines is key to your overall success with your crop. If you are growing grapes professionally, know that it's your soil that gives your grapes, and your wine, that hardy, unique flavor that many connoisseurs crave.
Here are the 3 key factors of your soil that will make your grapes healthy, rich tasting and productive, and they are Content, Minerals, and the Conditions of the environment.
CONTENT
Before you start anything, it is critical you have your soil analyzed. If the ground lacks minerals, your crop could be doomed from the start. Either way, it is imperative that the nutrients in the soil be balanced as to not affect the growth or overgrowth of your vines and leaves. Testing the soil will reveal the pH balance. If you're located in an area where water drains freely through the soil, you may find your soil to be higher in acid content. A typical level of pH should be between 6 - 6.5 so your grape vines can ingest the nutrients. Having a pH below 6 in your soil, means that your soil is higher in acid content. You'll have to bring the balance up by adding lime. To adjust your pH down, because the level is 7 or higher, use rootstock to saturate high lime conditions.
MINERALS
After the first season, your crop extracted almost all the minerals from the soils. Prepare your soil for next year by adding those minerals back in with the use of organically grown fertilizers. Organically grown fertilizers are a natural source of nitrogen, so after you test your soil again, you'll need to determine how much of the potassium, phosphorus or nitrogen was depleted to know what type of fertilizer to use. It's good practice to take sample tests of your soil in various locations in your vineyard year after year. It's the only real safe way of knowing the average pH levels and how to adjust them appropriately.
ENVIRONMENT
Depending on the environment you're in, your soil may be dryer or more moist. In order to grow the healthiest grape possible, you must have the best drainage, while offering your vines a strong foundation with which to grow through the soil. Vines trying to grow in an environment of high moisture will lull themselves into a catatonic-like state which will stunt their growth and they won't produce fruit. In other words, the high moisture will put your vines in a state of hibernation. You want damp but firm soil that satisfies both criteria for the best results.
Think of vineyards in California, USA or in Chili. Many are created on slopes to allow for consistent drainage, where the soil also holds planting steadily. This soil also needs to hold your trellis system upright and hold the weight of your vines once they start creeping up the posts and cables. Remember to keep in mind that your vines will need more than 3 feet of soil to grow, as will the posted to stay anchored. In the end, you want to take note of the design, layout, and landscape of some of the most successful vineyards and create an environment similar to theirs, and when the time comes, you too will be producing luscious, healthy grapes that you can profit from.

For more on how to grow grape vines, visit our website below.
Roberto (Robert) Batch is a successful grape grower and entrepreneur who teaches how to grow grape vines in the right soil on his website. To learn more, visit http://www.newestgrapegrowingsecrets.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roberto_Batch