3rd times the charm?

[GrapeEater]

I've had an interesting journey trying to grow grapes. Year one I lost them to frost and year two I over watered and eventually killed them. This year I have a nice plant started and I'm hoping that this is the lucky year! I posted a couple pictures so you could see what I'm dealing with. I built an arbor for them to grow on. I'm hoping that the arbor will work good for the vine. Please let me know if you think I will have trouble getting the vine to grow up the post. I'm hoping to have a trunk climb the post and then have the vines cover the top of the arbor.

Also I am wondering what I need to do in order to get this thing to start climbing the post. Do I prune all but 1 vine back? Do I tie vines around the post with twine? Any advice would help me a lot!

Thanks!

 

[Kraffty]

This is not specific to grapes but I would find something to protect the base of that plant for a few years. A tube could keep weed-whackers, pets and lawnmowers from harming it before it even gets going. In the mean time good old green plastic garden tape to hold the plant to the post as it grows would work fine.

Mike

 

[GrapeEater]

How soon should I expect the plant to reach the canopy of the arbor? It seems to be growing very fast right now.

 

[garymc]

You didn't put in that profile over to the left what part of the country (or which country) or ag zone you're in and made no mention what kind of grape it is. So a guess would be that if it's a vigorous grower it might reach the top this year. If not and if you don't have a long season, probably not. I would consider attaching a piece of thick wire or thin rebar or something for the grape to grab with it's tendrils as it climbs. Otherwise they'll grab the vine and gird it.

 

[GrapeEater]

I live in West Michigan about 30 mins from Lake Michigan. I believe I am in growing Zone 6. I think it's a concord grape plant if it's not concord I think it could be a Mars. Either way I dug a big hole and filled with sand and peat moss and mixed it up really good. My soil is pretty heavy clay naturally so I was worried about the soil draining properly. I will stake a t-post next to the wood post to help the vine climb. I already noticed the vine clinging to it's self. I just pulled the tendrils off.

Should I prune back all vines but the largest and strongest one?

 

[GrapeEater]

Looks like if it is a Mars Vine I should be in good shape for my growing zone.

Mars grape vines (Vitis "Mars") produce seedless blue or purple grapes that are juicy and sweet. Grapes along the "Mars" vine form in large clusters and are thick skinned and easy to peel. Care for the vines is a bit easier than other varieties, since they are resistant to some diseases, cold hardy to U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8 and a vigorous grower.

 

[blumentopferde]

Why just one plant? I'd have at least 2 of them to fill the arbor more evenly (and more quickly).

 

[peaches9324]

Why just one plant? I'd have at least 2 of them to fill the arbor more evenly (and more quickly).

I was thinking the same thing at least one vine per every other post, every post, or the end posts although self pollinating one plant will not be able to fill in the whole arbor

 

[GrapeEater]

I had one plant on each end but the other one died and I have not had time to replant another. I'm still looking for advice on if or when I should prune this plant. Do I cut back all vines except the strongest and work on trying to get it to climb the post or do I just let all the vines grow?

 

[drumlinridgewinery]

I would leave it alone this year. Just give it something to climb up on. Even one of those green plastic poles you see in the garden sections will work and you could leave that there forever. If you prune the green now in the first year it will not store enough energy to survive next winter. And then you start over again. I hope this helps.