Grapevine cultivation made easy

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Zahrah Nasir

There is so much convoluted myth and mystery attached to cultivating grapevines that many people are put off before they ever get started on what is actually a very simple task. It would be fair to say that grapevines are one of the easiest of all fruiting vines to grow, and this includes right here in Pakistan.

Quite irrespective of the area of this incredibly climatically diverse country in which you live, grapevines should be an integral part of your home organic food production. Furthermore, whilst they are traditionally cultivated directly in the ground, they are perfectly at home being grown in large clay pots or other suitable, preferably recycled containers. They can be an important species for rooftop gardening as well as on balconies, verandas, and, as long as they are provided with something suitable to climb up and over, are ideal for even the smallest of yards as long as they get plenty of direct sunlight, which is something they cannot thrive without.

One of the most common misconceptions — and this can be a fatal mistake — is that grapevines need rich, fertile soil with lots of water on a regular basis if they are to produce a respectable harvest of either white, green, red, or black grapes. This could not be further from the truth.

Grapevines should be cultivated in poor, very well-drained soil and, once established, which does not take long in suitable conditions, require very little water at all. If they are overfed, they will naturally grow like crazy, sending out long, leafy shoots that grow inches literally overnight. But healthy as they may look, in such circumstances they are highly unlikely to bear any fruit at all. On the watering front, too much water encourages weak, sappy growth and a plethora of fungal and other diseases, including rotting of the root system, which in turn leads to dieback and then death of the vines.

The ideal location for growing grapes directly in the ground is, if you have such a place, at the top or halfway down a steep slope. Water, whether rainwater or irrigation, naturally drains downwards and the vine roots, after taking up the little water they require, will remain dry. Never plant grapevines at the base of a slope, as water tends to collect in such locations, which is bad news for this species of fruiting vine.

Lots and lots of direct sunshine is another essential requirement. Without it, the vines will struggle to grow and, if they manage to survive, will be poor, sickly specimens that will never produce so much as a single bunch of grapes.

If cultivating grapevines in clay pots or other suitable containers, ensure that the drainage hole(s) in the receptacle base are completely clear of any obstruction. This can be easily achieved by laying broken shards of clay pots at angles over the drainage hole before putting in any soil, as drainage must be top rate at all times.

Also, before planting your grapevines, it is a good idea to place a handful of rusty iron (not stainless steel) nails and a perfectly clean beef knuckle bone (boil the bone first to remove all traces of fat and gristle, otherwise pests, including rodents, may be attracted) in the bottom of the planting hole. These will take many years to rot away and, in the process, provide all the essential minerals, such as calcium, iron, and potassium, that the vine needs throughout what can be, with proper care, a very long and productive life.

Grapevines, if healthy and happy, grow extremely fast and will need support to climb. This support is best emplaced either before or at the actual planting time. Such support can be constructed out of a variety of materials, with wooden trellises being the best and easiest option. Especially where temperatures soar during the long months of a Pakistani summer, tender vines may develop an aversion to hanging on to metal constructions, which often become too hot to touch. Grapevines are also at home climbing nearby trees and shrubs, which is how nature intended them to grow.

The best time to plant grapevines, whether pot-grown or purchased as bare-rooted plants, is from the beginning of December through the end of February. However, pot/container-grown vines can be transplanted at any time of the year if care is taken, as newly grown shoots are very brittle and can easily break or be damaged.

Grapevines are simple to propagate from winter pruning’s too. Select strongly developed shoots, approximately 6–8 inches in length, with at least 6 leaf buds and comprised of actual wood, not soft green recent growth. Insert them up to a quarter of their length in pots of soil, adding a measure of river (not saline sea) sand to assist drainage. Keep slightly damp, not wet, and they should show signs of new growth within 6–8 weeks. Allow them to fully establish, which may take another 3–4 months, before transplanting them to their permanent growing position or large pots/containers.

Grapevines are pruned twice a year, more if they show signs of getting out of hand during summer. Summer pruning consists of cutting back leggy, new, green growth to a quarter of its length. Winter pruning is the heaviest, pruning woody stems hard back to just 3–4 leaf buds. Never prune woody stems during the growing season, otherwise they will bleed out their life-supporting sap and can, in extreme cases, die. Pruning woody stems during growth also allows access to fungal diseases, so must be avoided at all costs.

Totally un-pruned grapevines can still flourish and bear tons of fruit but, while it can be tempting just to let them be, they can, if left to run wild like this, eventually outgrow and out crop their own strength.

Grapevines must not be allowed, if you want good crops of decent grapes, to bear fruit until they are at least 4 years old. Any flowers that develop before this should be nipped off. If they are allowed to fruit before they reach maturity, the resultant crops – forever afterwards – will be of poor quality, often sour grapes.

Birds are, of course, a problem when grapes are ripening – wasps and ants can be a nuisance too – so it is best to net the individual bunches of grapes, or even the entire vine if possible, when fruit is developing. To enjoy your grapes over a longer period of time than is usual, it may be necessary to check over individual bunches each and every single day. While this is tedious, it is worth it. Using a pair of small scissors, carefully cut out ripe or damaged grapes and leave the remainder to grow on as a single bunch of grapes does not ripen all on the same day.

Grapevines can be used, grown over trellises and frames, to provide essential summer shade for other, far more delicate plants and also to create filtered, green shade, over seating areas for humans too.

Growing this wonderful, highly nutritious fruit, really is not a complicated procedure at all and, if your vines fail to fruit, don’t worry – you can use the vitamin rich leaves to make dolmas (Lebanese dish made out of stuffed grape leaves).