Grapevines can produce fruit that are either suitable for eating or making wine. Of the world’s ten thousand plus known cultivars, just thirteen cover more than one-third of the world’s cultivated vineyard area. The most widely planted grape cultivar in the world is Cabernet Sauvignon. And the most expensive and rare cultivar is Ruby Roman, only grown in Japan. Some bunches can sell for as much as 10,000 USD a bunch!
Plant Biography
BOTANICAL NAME
Vitis vinifera, Vitis labrusca
COMMON NAME
Grapevine, cultivated grape, European grape, wine grape.
NATIVE TO
Grapevines are native to the Mediterranean, central Europe and southwestern Asia. In 2022 a sixty-million-year-old grape fossil was discovered in the Colombian Andes. This made it one of the world’s oldest grape fossils.
DESCRIPTION
These lovely garden staples produce tall spires of bell-shaped flowers and have oval-shaped hairy leaves which flower between June and September.
What type of plant is it?
It is a vigorous, scrambling vine.
Where does it like to grow?
Grapevines grow well in full sun, (ideally south or south-west facing aspect), in well-drained, humus-rich soil.
Where does it dislike to grow?
Grapevines dislike growing in heavy, badly drained soil in frost pockets.
What varieties of grapevine should you look for?
Some good varieties to look for growing outdoors are White Phoenix and Red Vanessa.
Three seedless grape cultivars suitable for growing outdoors are Suffolk Red Seedless, Lakemont Seedless and Flame.
Boskoop Glory is a good choice for growing undercover in a pot.
One of the most reliable black dessert grapes to grow under cover in the UK is Black Hamburgh. The famous vine planted at Hampton Court Palace in the 1700s and still cropping more than 250 years later, is a Black Hamburgh!
How to grow grapevines successfully
- Grapevines belong to the plant family, Vitaceae. They are deciduous climbers with tendrils so will need support.
- They start to flower in late spring and finish flowering in early summer.
- They are relatively easy to grow if given the right growing conditions such as free-draining, moisture-retentive soil. Plenty of sun will help ripen the fruits.
- With proper care and pruning a grapevine should live for at least twenty years.
How to grow a grape vine from seed
Named grapevine cultivars will not come true from seed so best to avoid propagating by seed and instead take cuttings.
Is it good for pollinators?
Grapevines self-pollinate as they have both male and female reproductive parts and therefore don’t need external pollination.
How to choose the right variety for your garden
For those wishing to grow grapes for wine, black-fruited ‘Pinot Noir’ is best grown against a warm wall. But it will need a long, hot summer to crop well.
‘Phoenix’ is a multi-purpose, white fruited grape which can be used for eating or making wine. Additionally, it has good resistance to powdery mildew.
Muscat Blue grows well over a pergola, trellis or on a balcony.
How big will it get
The height and spread of grapevine cultivars are variable. The average size is five metres in height and spread. However, some can reach heights of up to 20 metres.
How to plant grapevines
The best time to plant grapevines is when the plant is dormant, from late autumn until early spring.
Winter is ideal for buying and planting bare-root vines as they are cheaper and often establish quicker than container-grown. If planting a bare-root vine, position the top roots just below the soil surface. Ensure the graft point is proud of the soil surface.
If the vine is container-grown, plant it at the same soil level as it was growing in the container. In either case, soak the plant for around two hours before planting.
Grapevines need a sheltered spot, away from frost pockets. And they will tolerate a wide range of soil types if they are free draining. Sandy gravel soil is ideal, failing that, add grit and well-rotted organic matter to heavier soil types.
Grapevines can also be grown under cover in greenhouses which tend to produce better flavoured fruit than those grown outside. There are two methods for planting a grapevines to be grown under cover:
- The first and most popular method is for the root to be planted outside the greenhouse with the top of the plant trained in through a small hole.
- The other is to plant the root inside the greenhouse which tends to produce earlier ripe fruits than when the root is planted outside the greenhouse. The downside is that all watering must be done by the gardener as there will be no natural rainfall on the vine.
How to care for grapevines
Grapevines are quite drought tolerant once established. However, the root area should be kept thoroughly watered during dry spells to avoid fungal diseases.
If needed, feed with a general fertiliser in February in accordance with manufacturer’s packet instructions.
Fruit yield may be improved if the vine is fed fortnightly with a high potassium fertiliser. For example, a tomato feed could be used from late spring until the fruit start to ripen later.
Many grapevine cultivars are winter hardy requiring little maintenance overwinter other than pruning. In colder areas place a layer of mulch of straw or leaf mould around the base of the main stem. This may help keep the plant insulated but remove the mulch from the actual main stem once spring arrives.
How to prune grapevines
Grapevines need to be pruned and trained regularly to keep them producing fruit, stopping rampant growth and keeping the vine healthy.
If growing against a wall or fence, in a greenhouse or over a pergola or archway, train the vine to form a permanent framework. From this, new fruit-carrying stems grow away from the permanent stem framework can be pinched back in the summer and pruned hard over winter.
It’s important to limit pruning times to the winter months as grapevines produce excessive amounts of sap in the spring. This sap can bleed profusely and weaken the plant if pruned at that time of year.
Do grapevines require supports?
It’s important to provide a permanent, robust support for the vine. If growing against a wall or fence, attaching strong, galvanised wires horizontally along the length at 25cm intervals. Leave a gap between the wall and the wire to allow air to circulate freely.
If growing on a pergola, install a similar system of horizontal wires at the top of the pergola. Also spaced 25cm apart.
If growing the vine in open ground then a strong, post-and-wire system will be needed to provide support for the vin. Have the posts standing at a height of approximately 1.8m and spaced at about 4m apart. Install strong galvanised wire stretched between the posts, using screw-in vine eyes to achieve the required tautness.
When to harvest grapes
Grapes tend to ripen and be ready to harvest towards the end of the summer and into autumn.
Eating or dessert grapes are ready to harvest when the grape feels soft and tastes sweet and sugary. In addition, the skin of many green grape varieties will often become thinner and develop a translucent, yellow colour when ripe.
How to store grapes after harvesting
Grapes are best stored in a fridge after harvesting to preserve their crispness. There they should last up to three weeks if stored in a well-ventilated container.
How to propagate grapevine?
The best way to propagate grapevines is by cuttings. These can be hardwood in late autumn and winter and softwood and semi-ripe cuttings between spring and mid-summer.
What problems can grapevines have?
Powdery mildew can be a problem in hot, dry weather. This can be avoided by not overcrowding the vine and pruning to allow good air circulation around it.
Grey mould can affect vines under stress as well as healthy plants, particularly during periods of high humidity. Like powdery mildew, grey mould can be curbed by improving ventilation around the vine and reducing humidity.
Scale, such as brown, currant and/or woolly vine, can be a problem. Scale are sap-sucking insects that attach themselves to the bark of the vine stems. Healthy plants can usually cope with light populations of scale insects requiring you to do nothing. And they can be controlled by encouraging predators such as ladybirds into the garden.
Birds and wasps can be a problem as the fruit is ripening. Airy transparent organza bags can be placed over ripening bunches of grapes to protect from birds without harming them. Wasps tend to only be attracted to ripe fruit and so picking bunches when ready should solve that problem.
Best time of year to buy this plant
Vines are available in UK garden centres and plant nurseries year-round and are best planted between autumn and winter whilst the vine is dormant.
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David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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