Content
- 1 Why do you need a trellis?
- 2 Types of trellises for grapes
- 3 Selecting material for the trellis
- 4 Height and dimensions of trellises for grapes
- 5 How to make a grape support with your own hands
- 6 Choosing a place to install a trellis for grapes
- 7 How to properly tie grapes to a trellis in spring
- 8 Conclusion
Grapes belong to the category of crops that many gardeners prefer to grow on their plots. After all, adults and children like its juicy, tasty fruits, and the variety of species allows you to choose a variety based on your personal preferences. Also, the wide spread of this southern culture was facilitated by selection, since this made it possible to obtain grapes with high frost resistance and excellent consumer qualities. But to successfully grow vines, special support is needed. A do-it-yourself trellis for grapes will create favorable conditions for its development. Indeed, in this case, the gardener will be able to take into account the characteristics of each specific variety.
Support increases crop productivity and improves the presentation of bunches
Why do you need a trellis?
Grapes are characterized by increased flexibility of shoots, which can break under gusts of wind, especially during fruiting under the load of the crop. This determines the need to tie them to the support. In addition, this culture is sun-loving. If there is insufficient lighting, you should not count on a good harvest. And if the vine is not tied to a support in a timely manner, then the sun’s rays will not be able to penetrate the shoots, which will lead to a decrease in productivity.
Trellis for growing grapes:
- improves air circulation between vines;
- reduces the likelihood of developing fungal diseases;
- promotes greater accumulation of nutritional components in fruits;
- increases the percentage of ripening of young vines;
- minimizes breakage of shoots under gusts of wind;
- accelerates the ripening of bunches;
- simplifies planting care.
Types of trellises for grapes
There are several main types of trellises that are suitable for grapes, and you can make them yourself. The choice depends on the variety of crop grown, planting pattern, and pruning technology used.
But you should understand that you should not delay the installation of the support structure, because in the third year after planting, the grapes begin to bear fruit. This means that by this time the liana will have already grown a sufficient number of shoots, and its root system will increase significantly. And if the support is not installed by this point, this will negatively affect the further development of the grapes.
Single-plane trellis for grapes
This type of trellis is considered the most accessible and uncomplicated, so making such a support with your own hands will not be particularly difficult. When using it, the grapes develop on one plane. And the structure itself consists of several support pillars with rows of wire stretched between them.
On a single-plane trellis, which you can make with your own hands, the plant receives a sufficient amount of light and is well ventilated. This support is suitable for technical and decorative varieties. It allows unlimited access to the vine for the purpose of pruning and processing throughout the entire growing season. At the same time, agricultural and flower crops can be grown between rows of plantings, which saves space on the site.
This design will not withstand grape varieties characterized by high growth vigor, which produce many new shoots every year.
Single-plane trellis suitable for covering grapes, low varieties
Double-plane trellis for grapes
The support for grapes can also be two-plane; you can also make it yourself. This design is preferred by gardeners who are engaged in professional cultivation of crops and have a large plot. This type will tolerate table varieties.
In this case, the vine, as well as growing shoots, are located on two planes, which contributes to their uniform distribution and ripening of the bunches.
Two-plane trellises come in the following types:
- straight lines - the planes are located opposite each other;
- oblique - letter V;
- Y-shaped - the upper part of the structure extends from the central pillar at an angle of 45-60°.
Building such a support with your own hands requires large material costs and time, but the result is a durable structure. It makes it possible to double the yield by increasing the fruit sleeves.
A two-plane support should be installed for grapes with high growth force
Decorative trellis for grapes
Many gardeners consider a trellis with a vine entwining it as an element of landscape design. Therefore, summer residents most often choose decorative types of structures. You can make them with your own hands in the form of pergolas, arches, and gazebos.
A beautiful trellis for grapes will look impressive on the site, but it will not be able to increase the yield of the crop.
Decorative supports are most often made of wood, which increases its aesthetic qualities
Selecting material for the trellis
Any gardener can make a trellis for grapes correctly with his own hands, but initially you need to decide on the type of material. There are several options to consider. The difference between them lies in the cost and technique of performing the work.
Possible options:
- Tree. This is an affordable material from which you can make your own supports in a small area. Pillars made of wood are stable and can withstand high tension forces. The disadvantage of wood is that it is susceptible to rotting. And the part of the pile that will be in the ground will become unusable in 5-6 years.But the service life of such a structure can be extended if the workpieces are generously watered with 5% Bordeaux mixture, and then the lower part is painted with bitumen.
Proper wood treatment helps slow down the rotting process
- Metal. If you make a trellis with your own hands from this material, it will be durable. But the gardener must have certain skills in working with metal. For such a structure to be stable, it must be concreted into the soil. The metal trellis should be painted before installation. This will prevent rust from occurring.
Metal can withstand any load
- Plastic, profile pipes. A trellis made from these materials will cost no more than the previous options. It has a long service life, as it is not subject to rotting or rust. Moreover, these materials do not need to be processed before installation, since they do not interact with moisture or fertilizers. Plastic and profile pipes can bend, but not break. They can be used to make an arch or a gazebo with your own hands.
Plastic, profile pipes are not suitable for tall crop species
Height and dimensions of trellises for grapes
Before you start making a support with your own hands, you need to calculate its dimensions and height. The length of the trellis should be 2-2.5 m. And between them a wire with a diameter of 4 mm will be stretched every 40-50 cm in order to timely tie the grapes to the trellis.
The height of the structure depends on the crop variety and growing region. For covering types in the central and northern regions, it is necessary to install supports 2.5-3 m high, taking into account the fact that 50 cm will be buried in the ground.In the southern regions, for table crops, the structure must be made with your own hands, at least 3.5-4 m, also taking into account the fact that half a meter will be in the ground.
How to make a grape support with your own hands
Making a trellis with your own hands will not be difficult if you familiarize yourself with the type of work to be done in advance and prepare the material and tools. In the future, all that remains is to take into account the recommendations and, if necessary, improve the design at your discretion.
Trellis for grapes from a profile pipe
Using this material, you can make a trellis with your own hands with minimal labor. Any gardener can make the design.
You will need:
- 8 profile pipes;
- 30-40 m of wire;
- 8 crossbars;
- crushed stone, cement.
The procedure for installing a trellis with your own hands:
- Dig holes in 70 cm increments.
- Install two pipes in them, slightly inclined in different directions, fill them with cement and crushed stone at the base, and secure them.
- Connect them from above with crossbars.
- Make holes in the pipes with a drill, the first at a height of 50 cm from the ground, and the next after 40-45 cm.
- Stretch copper wire through them and secure it.
A trellis made of profile pipes will last for many years
Trellis for grapes made of plastic pipes
This material is highly resistant to adverse external factors. But the support for grapes made of plastic pipes is unable to withstand the increased load of the crop. To increase the strength of the structure, it is necessary to initially install reinforcement in the prepared holes and fill it with cement mortar, and then string plastic pipes onto it.
After this, all that remains is to stretch the transverse rows of wire and secure them.
The trellis of plastic pipes must be carefully fixed so that it does not tilt
Wooden trellis for grapes
Considering the characteristics of this material, you need to pre-treat it before installing the trellis with your own hands. This must be done in advance so that the parts can dry thoroughly before starting work.
To make a trellis for grapes from wood with your own hands, you will need:
- pillars with a diameter of 15 cm;
- wire with a cross section of 4 mm;
- sand, cement.
The procedure for doing the work yourself:
- Dig holes at a distance of 70 cm;
- Install pillars in them;
- Fill with a solution of sand and cement;
- Stretch the rows of wire every 40-50 cm.
Wooden structures require replacement more often than others
DIY metal trellises for grapes
To make a support from metal yourself, you need to have a welding machine. But this design is durable and highly durable. Experienced gardeners mainly use trellises made from rebar for grapes, since the material costs are quite justified.
You will need:
- 6 pipes with a diameter of 4-5 cm and a length of 2.5-3.5 m;
- 2 jumpers 130 cm each;
- wire with a cross section of 40 mm;
- crushed stone;
- cement.
The procedure for making a trellis with your own hands:
- Weld the pipe into a V-shape.
- Dig holes at a distance of 1.2 m.
- Install the resulting blanks in them and cement them.
- After the solution has hardened, connect them from above with horizontal jumpers.
- Stretch the wire in increments of 40-50 cm.
Metal structure requires periodic painting
Choosing a place to install a trellis for grapes
In order for the trellis to bring maximum benefit, it must be installed in the direction from north to south. In this case, the grapes will be well lit at any time of the day. And this contributes to high yields, improves the taste of fruits, and accelerates the ripening of bunches.
How to properly tie grapes to a trellis in spring
Caring for this crop involves timely tying the vine to a support. This will allow the shoots to fully develop and reduce the load on them.
You need to start tying grapes to the trellis in early spring. The procedure should be carried out before the buds open.
Spring garter rules:
- Fix the elongated sleeves of the vine to the transverse jumpers at an angle of 50-60°.
- Tie replacement shoots to the bottom wire.
- The vine should be secured with soft twine or cloth.
- Old vine shoots should be tied at right angles, otherwise they may break.
Throughout the season, the grapes grow new shoots. To protect it from gusts of wind, it is necessary to do a summer garter of grapes. The procedure must be carried out several times as new shoots grow.
Conclusion
A do-it-yourself grape trellis will be able to take into account all the features of the selected crop variety. It can be made from different types of material. But you should understand that it is better to immediately install a strong, reliable structure than to change it later when the grapes have already grown. Because this will lead to a decrease in yield.
