Growing Grapes in a Small Space

It may surprise you to learn that you don't need a lot of space to grow vines. You can successfully produce grapes in small beds or even containers. The trick is to use kniffen umbrella training methods. Don't worry; it doesn't have a high regimen, you need a botanical degree to understand. It is a way to cut your grapes in standard form so that the vine will fit into a small space.

There are many different training systems for growing grapes, and some of them have some pretty fancy reputations. How kniffen umbrellas create a single or double trunk and cry. Vine canes trained in this way look like a stripped umbrella.

Material: Grape, bed area or large container in full sun, four feet stake, Pruners, tie, body of grape vine, training in Kniffen umbrella.

During the first growing season, your goal is to create stems and help vines to develop a healthy root system. After planting the vine, choose the strongest cane (or two, if you want a double stem) and remove the rest. Cut back orw, so that only two or three eyes are left.

When the shoots reach 6 to 10 inches in length, choose the best and remove others, tie the shot gently to the training stakes. I prefer to use wood holding about 4 feet tall to provide extra support and protection vines. When the summer carries a pinch off the side shoots, so that the main shot will grow to the top of the pole. You'll have to tie it to the stake when it grows.

When shooting up to the top, tightly tie it to the pole and cut the ends off. Don't worry if Vine doesn't reach the top at the end of this first season. Just continue the process next spring.

Next year, new shoots will emerge from the top of the trunk. Delete the one that appears below. You need intense growth at the top.

Okay, okay, so now you've done it through two or three growing seasons, depending on how long it took the vine to reach the top of the pole. In late winter, you are ready to choose some fruits. Choose one cane on either side of the trunk near the top and remove all the others. If the leaves are long and strong, they can leave six to 10 eyes with them, otherwise each cane will be minimized to three or four eyes. In the coming summer, you should be able to enjoy the first of your folk grapes.

To maintain the shape and health of your grape sprouts prune it every year in late winter. Pick three or four of the best cans and cut them back to six to 10 eyes. These can replace any of the main stems if damaged. Delete all the other and your kit!