Grapes are a welcome addition to any orchard. They can be placed on walls, over trellises or over arches and need very little space if pruned carefully. Vines need reasonably deep soil with no drainage and full sun to ripen properly and will grow happily in any good garden soil and sunny site throughout France.

How to grow your vines:

In their first year, the vines need quite a bit of water before the drought begins. Vines grown indoors will require careful watering, but vines grown outdoors will only require watering during severe and prolonged droughts.
You can also plant your vines in containers and place them in places with a lot of sun exposure such as a south-facing terrace.

Remove all flowers for the first two years after planting.

Leave three bunches of grapes on three-year-old vines and about five on four-year-old vines, a little longer if they are growing well. Allow for full harvest afterward.

Mulch in spring when the soil is moist, to control weeds, place stones or gravel, 5 to 7.5 cm deep around the base of the plants. White gravel reflects sunlight on top of the vine, black gravel or recycled slate absorbs sunlight and warms the soil. Do not use manure.

The formation of grape clusters

Install a support system for the vines, against the wires with a wall gap of 25 to 30 cm.

The main pruning period is in early winter (late November-early December). The pinching of new shoots, as well as the reduction of fruits, takes place in spring and summer.

There are two types of grapes: table grapes and those ideal for making wine.

Table or dessert grapes should be grown in a greenhouse to ripen properly or, if planted in a container, they should be put outdoors in the winter. They can also be planted outdoors. Vines grown in this way rarely require additional watering and are easy to feed and manage.

Wine grapes are grown outdoors in a warm, sheltered, and sunny location, such as a wall or near to the south or southwest. Vines grow in any soil, as long as it is well-drained.

When planting a row of vines, a south-facing slope with the rows running north to south is desirable. Avoid frost pockets, frost damages young shoots. Choose a variety suitable for your climate and soil.

Buy and Seed

Don’t buy ‘potted’ plants (with a mass of roots around the inside of the pot). If the purchase is made in summer, the foliage should be very green and healthy, not yellow.

The ideal time to plant is between October and March, in a field without weeds. Plant vines against walls and fences, keep 1.2 m between them and plant them 12.5 cm from the wall.

The best place to find your vines is at the local nursery, ask them for advice on what kind of vines you want and what soil they will need. You can also check with local winegrowers who will be happy to inform you and give you some tips.