Planting grapevines: Video & tips for choosing a variety

They should be fruity, sweet and seedless! We take a close look at the colorful variety of red, white and blue grapes for growing in the home garden.

Grape lovers get their money's worth in the supermarket all year round. As soon as the vineyards in Europe shed their colorful autumn dress, the harvesters in South Africa, India and Chile are already whirring through the vines there. Once transported around the world, they then lie on our shelves. But even in the local grape season, gourmets often spend a long time looking for local goods. If you no longer want to use grapes from Italy, Greece, Spain or Turkey, you can also grow the juicy delicacy in your own garden. Grapevines not only provide delicious fruit, but also add a romantic flair to the garden when they climb up fences and walls. We will show you how you can enjoy your own vine and what you need to consider when planting.

The right time and location for planting grapevines

Grapevines can be planted all year round, according to table grape expert Schmidt von der Rebschule Schmidt in Obernbreit. Planting in spring is common. As a heat-loving plant, the vine thanks a sunny spot. Pure south or west sides or locations facing south-east or south-west are recommended for cultivation. In addition, it makes sense to plant the vines close to a building wall. This radiates the heat stored during the day at night and protects the vines from cold damage.

Before planting, it should be ensured that the location is not endangered by standing water. Clay or loamy soils are ideal. But light sandy soils are also suitable, provided a good humus supply is guaranteed. Good soil loosening is also crucial. If necessary, the soil should be loosened before planting.

The correct procedure for planting grapevines

There are a few things to consider so that you can soon be able to harvest grapes from your own vine yourself. Below we explain how to proceed when planting grapevines.

This is what you need for planting vines

It doesn't take much to plant a grapevine. The following materials are required for planting:

• grapevine
• a spade
• A secateurs
• plant substrate
• A coconut mat
• A piece of string

Dig a planting hole for vines

As soon as a suitable location has been found, a pit about 30 cm wide and 40 cm deep is to be dug into which the vine is to be inserted later. The planting hole should be about twice as deep and wide as the root ball. The bottom of the planting hole is now improved with some fresh substrate - we recommend using special soil for berry plants. In addition, something else can Organic soil activator be added to give the vine a perfect start in its new home.

Prepare grapevine for planting

However, before the plant finally moves in, it must be prepared accordingly. In order to counteract the spiral growth of the roots, which is usual for plants from the pot, cut the root ball slightly all around and loosen the soil with your hands. The small injuries also stimulate root growth. So that the vine grows quickly, it is advisable to saturate the root ball with water before planting. To do this, the plant is placed in a container filled with water until the root ball has soaked up water.

planting grapevines

Now the vine can be placed in the planting hole and this can be filled with substrate. A certain amount of caution is required: the grafting site itself must not be buried. This must look beyond the pit and is only lightly piled up with earth. Cavities around the root ball are closed by gently stepping on them.

If the vine is safe and secure, the individual shoots of a climbing aid can be tied down. A garden fence, for example, is also suitable for this. The plant is then watered well. To keep weeds away, a coconut mat can be placed around the trunk.

Grape Varieties: Hardy & fungus-resistant

The resistance to fungi is particularly decisive for a successful harvest in the garden. powdery mildew (Oidium) and Wrong mildew (Peronospora) are the arch-enemies of every vine. That is why when choosing the grape variety ensure very good resistance to fungi. The sorts Arkadia Rozova, Frumoasa alba, Straschinksi, suzi, Vanessa and Venus have proven to be particularly resilient. A Rozowa, a red Russian table grape, also impresses with its large and early-ripening grapes, which can be harvested from the beginning of September. But also the varieties Vanessa (pink) and Venus (blue grape) bring ripe grapes early and also boast that they are seedless. A feature that is often desired.

Those who like it crispy, on the other hand, will get their money's worth with the Muskat Bleu variety. The variety originating from the USA Centennial seedless (green-yellow color), as the name suggests, also contains no cores. Its fine nutmeg aroma makes it very interesting in terms of taste and as a frost-tolerant variety it is suitable for cultivation in non-typical wine-growing regions. The Russian variety Michurinski (blue grape), which is frost-resistant down to -35 °C, is also particularly insensitive to cold. A special feature with which even her Russian comrade-in-arms, the Red Victoria and the Ukrainian varieties Wodograi cannot quite keep up.

The range of aromatic and robust varieties for cultivation in our latitudes has continued to grow in recent years. After choosing a healthy and resistant grape variety, the decision should be made according to taste, whether white, blue or rosé, early or late ripening and whether with or without seeds.

Common diseases and pests in grapevines

In order to put an end to fungal diseases in particular, and above all powdery mildew and downy mildew, care should be taken to ensure an airy cut. According to Schmidt from Obernbreit, February-March is the best time to prune the vines. Schmidt explains how to cut with a rule of thumb: “Fruit wood is the one-year-old wood. One or two rods from last year's wood must be left standing. The flowers develop from these eyes. If the fungus appears despite proper pruning, the expert recommends a copper preparation, which must be applied before and after flowering.

Animal pests such as the smallpox mite, on the other hand, are comparatively harmless and it is sufficient to dispose of the infested leaves. An organza bag is helpful to avoid having to share the grapes with wasps and birds. The sachet is put over the grape and protects it from unwanted food. More on how to Protect grapes from wasps and birds can be found in our special article.

If you want more Care and fertilization of grapevines If you want to know, you can read more here.