Growing Grapes Article 1 - Grape Growth and Fruiting Traits
Before starting out your very own backyard grapevine farm, it is imperative that you familiarize yourself to the fullest about growing grapes. There are many factors that come into play when trying to grow wine grapes, especially when you are doing it not just for the hobby of it, but for the actual production of high good quality wine grapes. As a grape growing farmer for more than 20 years, I have come to learn all types of grape growing characteristics and I find it really important for a new grape farmer to understand the basic fundementals.
Grapes, as you should already know, come from woody grapevines consisting of a root system, a trunk and either shoots or canes. The root systems of grapes are boundless with the majority of its roots spreading within the upper two to five feet of earth. However, grapevine roots can penetrate up to twenty to forty feet of corse-grained soil.
The grapevine trunk is the fixed stem of the grape plant that supports its fruit bearing canes. The trunk acts as a transport for both water and nutrients to be delivered consistantly to the grapesvine's roots and shoots. Food fabricated by the foliage is also transported to the root system through the grapevine trunk.
Now, moving right along to the shoots of the grapesvines. Well, shoots basically develop from the dormant buds of the previous year's growth. As the shoots become longer, new buds form inside the axils of the grapevine leaves. At first, the shoots tend to be lusciously mouthwatering, but they gradually harden...becoming woody by the winter solstice. Once hardened, these wooden shoots are now called Canes.
As far as fruiting goes, only grapevines of about one year of growth bear flowers and clusters of fruits. Grapevines are typically self-fruitful and it only takes a sinlge plant to produce grapes.
Many backyard grape gardeners and farmers enjoy growing grapes just as a hobby and may plant several varieties of grapevines.
One of the great things about growing grapes is that grapevines can grow and sprout on a good range of earth soil. The best growth of grapevines can be produced from well drained earth soil. However, I would recommend avoiding soils that are actively wet during grape growing season. Also stay away from highly fertile earth soils as they are not essential to grape growing.
Planting sites are very important for growing grapes. It is a good idea to choose a planting site that receives full exposure to the sun while avoiding highly shaded areas. I understand that space restrictions in the backyard may cause a poor planting site. If that is the case, it may not be a good idea to plant in that area due to poor grape growing results.
These are only some of the basic fundamentals of backyard grape growing. For a more in depth look at
growing grapes and grapevine growing, click this link.