Hi and welcome to my hub on how to grow grapes at home.

Grapes are a favorite of me and my family and we spend a lot on grapes every month... aside from being eaten at the table, hence aptly called table grape, grapes are used to make wine and dried up into raisins.

So, how to grow grapes at home?

If you would like to get into grape growing for fun in your own backyard or home garden, then maybe you will find these tips helpful.

By the way, I am writing this in February, so if you are really want to get into planting grapes, read this article because the best time to plant is spring.

The task of growing grapes at home can be a lot of fun and rewarding work. Minor issues that come with home grown grapes include soil treatment and of course a special place to grow the grapes so that they get enough nourishment from the sun.

Grapes need full sunlight and high temperatures in order to ripen properly. So, pick a place in your garden that gets plenty of sunshine. It is also important to have some sort of soil testing kit. Grape vines grow better and receive the majority of their nutrients when soil is at its optimum pH level. An acceptable pH level for soil is anywhere between 6 to 6.8. However, vineyards have been successful with levels of 6 to 8 pH.

Soil Testing Tip:

What you need?

• a small garden spade, cleaned
• a soil pH tester, cleaned and calibrated (you can get this at any garden supply for less than $20
  

Step 1 - Dig a small hole in the soil using a clean spade, 4-6 inches deep. Remove any twigs, roots or anything that is not soil.

Step 2 - Fill the hole with distilled water until you have a muddy pool at the bottom.

Step 3 - Insert your tester probe into the mud and hold it there for a minute then read the machine.

Spring is the best time to plant because the soil will be easier to work with. Plant healthy vegetation that has a well-developed root system. Water the planting hole thoroughly before planting the grape vine. You should constantly add water to the planting hole while filling the hole with soil so that air pockets do not have the opportunity to form near the roots of the vines. As you plant, space the plants 6 to 8 feet apart. Trim off any roots that are broken or excessively long. Once the grape vines are planted, water them once a week for a month.

When first learning how to grow grapes at home amateurs tend to over fertilize. Nitrogen should be applied two weeks after planting and reapplied annually in early spring, right before new growth starts. Look for the symbol 10-6-4 on packaging. Fertilizer can be applied at a rate of 1 pound per plant. Never apply fertilizers that contain herbicides.

Learn how to successfully grow your own grapes.

Grape Fertilizing Tips:

Apply lime only if soil analysis reveals the need to do so.

When appllying fertilizer, do not concentrate at the base of the trunk, instead apply it  6 to 12 inches from the trunk and spread evenly under the spread of the vine.

Here is an elaborate PDF report on grape fertilization requirements, http://www.spectrumanalytic.com/support/library/pdf/fertilizing_grapes.pdf.

Typically, new vines are allowed to grow at random. It is alright to leave them on the ground during the first season, but it is advised to go ahead and start training the stronger of the two canes that develop to grow upward. A strong, sturdy stake that is 5 to 6 feet tall should suffice.

Have the soil tested every three to five years. Remember to prune your vines. Heavy pruning provides the best fruit. Too little pruning causes poor-quality fruit while too much pruning generates too much vegetative growth and very little fruit or none at all. Another thing to remember when growing grapes at home is for the best fruit, taste the grapes before picking them to see if they are ripe.

If you are looking for an ideal guide to growing grapes at home, you might want to check the Complete Grape Growing System below.