Cultivation – How does it work?
It's best to wait until spring to plant grapevines. Grapevines are among the heat-loving fruit trees. It's best to choose a time in March/April, when severe frosts are no longer expected. Low winter temperatures, late frosts, and extreme winter droughts are a real threat to newly planted grapevines.
When cultivating, cut the plant back to the first bud and lightly cover the grafting point with soil.
Location – Where is best?
Suitable soil for your grapevines should have the following characteristics: well-drained, neither waterlogged nor extremely dry, nutrient-rich, and also slightly calcareous. Grapevines prefer sunny and sheltered locations. The best place to grow them is as a freestanding or wall-mounted trellis facing south, southeast, or southwest. There should always be at least 20 cm of space between the trellis and the wall. Otherwise, expect a space of 1.5 by 2 meters and a height of between 2 and 6 meters.
Care – What needs to be done?
The best time to prune is on frost-free days in February and March. Regular pruning stimulates the formation of flower buds, which guarantees a consistent and abundant harvest. Prune only the shoots that grew the previous year. If you're wondering which branches these might be, just take a look at the bark. You'll notice that the bark on annuals is lighter. It's best to cut the shoots back to about two to three buds. Your vines will then bear fruit on the side shoots growing on them.
To protect the plants from birds that also target the sweet fruits, it is advisable to stretch a net over the plants.
Vines also need a lot of minerals, so it's essential to apply a complete fertilizer before bud break. In the fall, it's a good idea to enrich the entire bed with well-rotted compost.
