In order for the growth and development of grape bushes to be rapid, it is important to garter the plants in a timely manner. Thanks to it, you can not only contribute to the proper development of the vine, but also avoid its sagging. The use of trellises allows for good air exchange between the branches, which has a positive effect on the health of the crop. To garter a vine, it is not at all necessary to purchase supports. If desired, you can build them yourself. The diagrams and sizes of trellises for grapes will help even a beginner to cope with the manufacture of the structure.
During the manufacturing process, you should follow the recommendations of specialists
Why is it needed and what should be the support for grapes?
Trellis allow the cultivated plant to grow and develop properly. Timely gartering of the vine provides ventilation, which is considered a good prevention of fungal diseases. Each branch will receive sufficient lighting. Bushes grown on a trellis are distinguished by frost resistance and rapid ripening of fruits. Inflorescences are pollinated more easily, and good sunlight helps to increase productivity and accelerate metabolic processes. Large berries delight with a sweet taste and juiciness.
It is worth considering that during the fruiting period the vine will create a large load on the structure. That is why supports for grapes must be strong and wear-resistant. Experts recommend using reinforcement or profile pipes to create the structure.
Important! When growing grapes on trellises, harvesting is very easy.
The benefits of growing grapes on a trellis
Among the main advantages of growing grapes on supports are:
- Correct formation of the skeletal basis of bushes from the first years of life and maintaining their certain shape.
- Thanks to the uniform arrangement of grape shoots in the plane of the supports, the vines will not shade each other. The leaf plates receive maximum illumination from the sun's rays.
- Ease of harvesting and the ability to simply care for the cultivated plant.
- Reducing the risk of fungal infections due to sufficient lighting of the bushes with sunlight and proper circulation
The recommended height of trellises is in the range of 100-300 cm
Types of trellises for grapes
There are a large number of varieties of trellises for grapes. The most popular types of supports include:
- single-plane design;
- two-plane design;
- U-shaped trellis, in which the planes are located parallel to each other;
- V- or Y-shaped designs;
- single-row two-plane supports;
- pergola (L-shaped support);
- arched structure or gazebo.
Single-plane trellis
The grape bushes will need to be planted in straight rows running parallel. The trellises should also be located at the edges of the rows. Single-plane trellises for grapes are designs that involve the installation of one row of posts with a wire stretched in one plane. When installing the structure, it is important to place the supports at a short distance from each other.
If the distance between the bushes is 250-300 cm, supports should also be installed between the bushes. It is advisable to place columns for single-plane trellises at a distance of 30 cm from the plants. This will make it possible to easily care for the crop and prepare the bushes for the winter cold. A simple grape trellis is often used by winegrowers.
It is better to install single-plane supports a little further from the grape bushes
Two-plane trellises
On a two-plane structure, the vine, together with green shoots, is located on two planes of wire. This type of support simplifies the process of caring for plants and helps increase productivity due to the fact that shoot growth increases. A similar design is often used when growing vigorous grape varieties.
Important! Two-plane supports can be used exclusively for gartering grape bushes, which are located in the direction from north to south. Any other orientation of the plants will cause severe shading of one row of grapes by another.
The distance between grape trellises should be within 55-80 cm.
Two-plane supports are widely used by winegrowers due to their stability
U-shaped trellis
On one row of bushes, a couple of rows of vertically arranged columns with wire are installed. Both supports will need to be placed on both sides of the plants at the same distance, which should be equal to 50-65 cm. A shorter distance will not make it possible to fully treat the bushes with chemicals.
The recommended height of the U-shaped support reaches 200 cm
V- or Y-shaped designs
On one row of grape plantings, you will need to install a couple of rows of supports at an angle with the presence of wire. The angle does not affect the degree of illumination of the sheet plates by sunlight. It is very important to connect the columns with jumpers to prevent them from falling under a heavy crop. The free hanging of bunches of grapes under the leaf blades due to the tilt of the structure has a positive effect on the growth and development of the crop. The sizes of the grape trellis are selected depending on your own preferences.
V- or Y-shaped structures make it possible to easily cultivate the soil where the grapes are planted
Single-row two-plane supports
For each row of grape bushes, one row of supports is installed, on which strips are welded to secure the wire. The wire is fixed in the extreme parts of the strips. Unfortunately, this design is not convenient, since it is almost impossible to spray inside the trellises.
Single-row two-plane supports are used extremely rarely due to the fact that they are inconvenient
Pergola
Planes with wire and green shoots are arranged horizontally. The recommended pergola height reaches 200-250 cm. The shoots of the crop will need to be placed parallel to each other. When growing grapes on such a structure, a significant increase in vine productivity can be noted. The leaf plates are illuminated by sunlight throughout the day, which has a positive effect on the growth and development of the crop. The bunches are well ventilated. The main disadvantage of a pergola is its height, which makes caring for the plant a little more difficult.
The design effectively decorates the territory of the local area. The grape vine will be able to reach the top of the support in a short period of time, creating an amazing landscape. A pergola should be used not only as a supporting structure, but also as a relaxation area. It will be enough to decorate this place with benches, cozy armchairs and a table. This will create a cozy meeting area in the yard. You can plant bushes with roses near the vineyard.
When growing grapes on pergolas, it is worth considering that treating the bushes with chemicals will be difficult
Arches and gazebos
The arch and gazebo are used for growing only those varieties of grapes that are resistant to diseases and do not need to be prepared for winter cold. Winegrowers often use arched structures to grow table varieties. Large berries delight with juiciness.
An arch for grapes will effectively decorate the area
Two-plane structures
A two-plane trellis for grapes is most often used for vigorous varieties. This design will allow it to withstand a large mass of shoots and bunches of large berries. Such supports can be used on a site with a small area.
At its core, this design consists of two single-plane trellises. They are combined at the base and separated at the top (distance 1-1.5 m). All recommendations presented regarding the arrangement of single-plane varieties are also typical for these plants.
The distance coefficient between the rows in this case is 2. The height of the trellis is multiplied by it. This is how the minimum distance between rows is determined.
This design allows for higher yields. However, caring for the plant will be difficult. Such a design is more difficult and expensive to produce.
Schemes and sizes of supports for grapes
Below you can see the drawings of do-it-yourself grape trellises. The dimensional characteristics of the support are selected depending on your own preferences and the size of the site. The recommended height of the structure is within 200 cm.
The width of the U-shaped structure is selected depending on the grape variety. The garter of vines in single-row two-plane supports is made in several tiers. The design and dimensions of the pergola are selected depending on the load of the grapevines. When determining the parameters of the U-shaped structure, the amount of immersion of the support below the ground level remains unchanged.
A trellis for grapes, the dimensions, diagram and standards of which are listed above, can also be used for growing rose bushes.
How to make a trellis for grapes with your own hands
In order to make a support for grapes with your own hands at the dacha, you can use the step-by-step instructions for assembling the structure described below. Various options will fit well into any landscape design.
Trellis for grapes from a profile pipe
Even a beginner can make a two-plane trellis for grapes with his own hands. Before you start building the structure, you should take care of purchasing:
- profile pipes – 8 pcs.;
- wire – 30 m;
- crossbars – 8 pcs.;
- pegs;
- cement and crushed stone.
Step by step process:
- At a distance of 70 cm, holes are dug, which are subsequently filled with thick cement and covered with crushed stone. The pipes are fixed at the base slightly at an angle. In order for the bushes to withstand the load, the crossbars should be fixed at the top.
- To install the copper wire, you will need to drill holes in the pipes with a drill. It is best to use wire whose cross-section is within 2-3 cm. The first row of wire is pulled at a distance of 55 cm from the ground surface, each subsequent row of wire is placed at a distance of 45-50 cm from the previous one. A do-it-yourself grape support will last for many years.
The recommended height of a structure made of profile pipes reaches 200-250 cm
Trellis for grapes made of plastic pipes
Plastic pipes do not collapse for many years. In addition, the material is durable. To stiffen the pipes, it is recommended to use fittings. Making a trellis for grapes is a fairly simple process that any plot owner can handle.
Step by step process:
- Holes are dug at a distance of 60 cm from each other. Reinforcement is dug into each recess to a depth of 65 cm.
- Plastic pipes are bent in the form of an arch, taking into account the desired bending radius.
- Plastic pipes are strung onto the fittings. To achieve maximum structural rigidity, you should use transverse bridges. The recommended height of a trellis for grapes made of plastic pipes reaches 250-300 cm. The distance between the wires on the grape trellis should be within 45-65 cm.
Trellis made from plastic pipes can be used for a long time
. Important! A trellis for grapes is made from polypropylene pipes in a similar way.
Trellis for grapes made of wood
Before you start making a wooden trellis for grapes, you should take care of purchasing:
- wooden pillars;
- wire, the cross-section of which reaches 4 cm;
- cement;
- crossbars 50 cm.
Step by step process:
- In the selected area for growing grapes, you should dig holes, the depth of which will reach 80 cm. It is recommended to maintain a distance between holes within 45 cm.
- A layer of sand is poured into each hole. Wooden tables are installed in the recesses, and the foundation is cemented. At the top and bottom, crossbars are installed that can support the supports. Wire is threaded into the holes drilled in the posts. Often crop owners are interested in what wire to use for grape trellis. Experts say that it is best to give preference to a copper product. A beautiful trellis for grapes will become a real decoration of your garden plot.
Wooden trellises are the most popular type of support for grapes.
Trellis for grapes made of reinforcement
To build a durable metal trellis for grapes you will need:
- Cover the bottom area of the posts with a layer of bitumen. Hammer the supports into pre-prepared holes to a depth of 55-65 cm. It is recommended to maintain a distance between supports within 2 m.
- The first row of wire is pulled at a distance of 45 cm from the ground surface. Each subsequent row will be at a distance of 50 cm from the previous one. The rods are threaded into holes that were pre-drilled in the supports. Decorative trellis for grapes is durable.
It is also worth fixing the wire on intermediate supports
Strengthening
The support for the grapes must have a strong crossbar on top. The diameter of the pipe in this case may be smaller than that of the support pillars. This is necessary so that the structure can support the weight of the vine along with the fruits. If there is no top crossbar, the support bends and turns out of the ground. A cross section that is too thin will cause it to sag. The wire may sag.
The crossbar can be as small as half an inch in diameter. However, even this will be enough for the structure to retain its shape for a long time. According to experienced gardeners, such supports can last about three decades or even more.
It should also be taken into account that the supports must be buried in the ground to a depth of about 60 cm. The hole should be 80 cm deep. Its width and length are also 60 cm. The first 20 cm of the depression must be filled with ordinary sand. Next, the supports are buried in soil, compacting the soil well. A thrust bearing should also be used for the support post. This will make it harder to loosen it.
Where is the best place to install a trellis for grapes?
Trellis for grapes is not a temporary structure that can be moved from place to place if necessary. That is why it is important to be as smart as possible when choosing a site for installing supports. When choosing a place, you should pay attention to:
- the area is sufficiently illuminated by sunlight;
- a number of planted plants grew in a direction from north to south;
- the distance between the rows was in the range of 150-250 cm.
Advice! A do-it-yourself support for girl’s grapes can be installed near the fence.
Required materials
Metal trellis
Since the trellis is used to maintain the green mass of grapes, it must be as reliable as possible.
To make it with your own hands, use materials such as:
- High-quality lumber (without rot or other defects)
- Rebar and thick wire
- Metal grid
- Plastic and metal pipe
- Cement mortar
Trellis for grapes - rules of construction and installation
To make supports you will need several common tools:
- Wood hacksaw
- Grinder with metal discs
- Screwdriver
- Stapler
- Bayonet shovel
- Tape measure and building level
- Screwdriver and knife
Installation of trellis for grapes
When installing supports for grape bushes, you should follow the recommendations of experts:
- The supports should be located in the direction from north to south. Thus, the plants will be exposed to sunlight from the east in the morning, the inner area of the green mass will be illuminated in the afternoon, and the western part will be illuminated in the evening.
- To prevent sagging and deformation of metal pipes, it is worth installing transverse pipes.
- Before installing metal supports, it is important to carry out anti-corrosion treatment.
How to tie grapes to a trellis
Below you can find the recommendations of experts regarding gartering of grapevines at different times of the year. The health and productivity of the crop depend on this procedure.
How to tie grapes to a trellis in spring
Dry garter is performed until the buds have time to bloom. Each shoot of the plant should be in a horizontal position. The abundance of nutrients contributes to the formation of large clusters. After the procedure is completed, it is recommended to apply a small amount of complex fertilizer under each bush and moisten the plants generously.
Dry gartering is carried out only in early spring
How to tie grapes to a trellis in summer
The procedure, which is carried out in the summer, is called the green garter. Thanks to it, you can protect plantings from strong gusts of wind and rain. The vine should be tied at a right angle. Thus, you can arrange only those plants that have long sleeves or a high stem.
As soon as the vine grows, it will need to be tied up again, tying the regrown shoot to the wire. In one season, it is recommended to perform manipulations to tie up shoots no more than 3 times.
Green garter is carried out in the summer until the clusters are completely formed
Required Tools
For successful work you need an appropriate set of tools. The choice and quantity of tools depends entirely on the materials used in the work:
- To mark the material you need a tape measure, square, level, hydraulic level, pencil, marker;
- for working with plastic pipes – a pipe welding machine, a hacksaw;
- for the manufacture of metal structures - welding machine, angle grinder (grinder), drill, drills, bolts and nuts;
- for working with wood - chainsaw, hammer, screwdriver, nails, self-tapping screws;
- for anti-corrosion and antiseptic work – brushes, roller;
- for excavation and concrete work - a concrete mixer, measuring buckets, shovels and bayonet shovels, a concrete tray;
- for tying the vine to the trellis - scissors, knife, wire cutters.
