Novice Grape issue

[David91360]

2 years I thought I would grow some grapes, something I was thinking about for years.

So I built a vertical trellis 20 feet wide and 18 feet tall and planted 2 Concord grape vines and 2 white grapes. First year nothing, as expected. Second year really full and busy fine from top to bottom but no grapes to talk about. This year again lots of grape leaves from top to bottom really thick and healthy. It started producing grapes but the grapes never ripened and were hard.

I put a pic on the bottom that might be helpful.

One person told me that the vine was too thick and the grapes needed to get sun and to trim the leaves.

Another person told me to leave the leaves as be and all would be good.

When I look at them today the grapes are rotten. They never got ripe so I beleive I won't have any grapes this year.

1) Is it my vertical trellis and should the grapes be hanging?
2) Is it that the vine is too young just yet and I just have to wait? If so how long
might it take?
3) Is it something else?

Thanks in advance.

[Jay-ell]

I probably can't help as I'm even newer to grapes than you.

How have you been pruning the vine? Is there enough air circulating around the grapes?

Do you think out the bunches at al to reduce the number of bunches? Do you think out the number of grapes per bunch?

P.s. what's your location and welcome to the vine

[Guest]

Firstly Hi and welcome to the vine

Secondly, as you have already found if you ask a gardening question all your answers will be different. Everyone has a very different approach. Just to let you know I have only started in the last couple of years to learn the fruity side of things so the following is only my opinion.

1) Is it my vertical trellis and should the grapes be hanging?

No it is not the trellis, although I do think 4 vines is a lot for that area and grapes as a rule should hang.

2) Is it that the vine is too young just yet and I just have to wait? If so how long
might it take?

Yes the vine is young and given a couple of years I would like to think you you will see decent returns.

3) Is it something else?

You have a lot of impressive growth and there are no issues with them establishing, but at the same time it is worth remembering plants produce fruit as a survival technique (these plants don't look in the slightest bit threatened of dying ) IMO you are leaving too much to chance. I would be cutting back that growth and tieing the growth in. This will give the plant more energy to put in to the fruit, it will open up the plant to allow light and warmth in, improve air circulation, allow you to inspect and harvest fruit easier. You will still get fruit as is in years to come you just have less control of the quality

Also you don't mention what direction the vines are facing.

There is another recent grape thread that might be worth your while looking at http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...xed_90705.html

[roitelet]

Your vine needs a serious prune but not now. When it is dormant reduce the vine to one or two main rods/ stems and in the growing season stop any fruiting stems two leaves beyond a flower. After that reduce the bunches to one per foot of rod when the grapes have set and through out the growing season remove any side shoots as you do for tomatoes. Then you should get eatable grapes. The vine should have been planted on a south facing wall. All sounds a bit drastic I know but it works.

BTW welcome to the vine. where are you growing?

[vixylix]

Welcome! All I know about grapevines is what I saw on gardeners world... but Monty 'the Don' thins out the number of bunches and also the number of grapes on the bunches!

[Losos]

Monty 'the Don' thins out the number of bunches and also the number of grapes on the bunches!

Yes he does it's fidly but it can be done, you'll need a pair of small needle nose scissors, a steady hand, and time !!! I did it last year and was not too impressed with the quality of grapes, trying again this year, hoping it will be more successful !!!