How to Build a Grape Trellis


Do you grow grapevines and need a trellis? Here are a few tips on how to build your own trellis and decide what size fitsĀ  your needs best. It is not as difficult as it may seem. Here is a step by step way to build a grape trellis with moderate ease and simplicity. Read on.

Procedure:

Things You’ll Need

  • Pre Treated Wood
  • PVC Pipe (Stainless Steel or Aluminum)
  • Galvanized Steel Wire
  • Nails
  • Wire Strainers
  • Catch Wire
  • Wire Cutters

A basic trellis is set up in a similar way that fences are set up. How tall your trellis and the shape of it will depends on the climate and the kind of grapes you grow. The smaller trellises are often used in warmer climates. Shorter trellises are use in preparation for winter.

You should build your trellis before you have planted your grapes. Use a pre-treated wood, PVC pipe, stainless steel, or aluminum for this grape trellis. These materials are weather resistant and resilient against animals and pests.

To make a short trellis, use posts that are 3 feet tall. To make tall trellises, use 8 foot posts. The posts should 20 feet apart and be placed 2 feet below the surface of the ground.

Place two lengths of 12.5 gauge galvanized steel wire along the posts. The bottom wire should be 3 inches above ground level optimally. The second wire should go on top of the posts. Staple the wire place with a staple gun. Use wire strainers (or guy wires) on both ends to increase and steady the tension in the main wires.

Hammer large nails on both sides of the trellis posts. This needs to be applied along both rows of trellis wires. Be careful when hammering. Keep your fingers out of the way. Then, cut several strips of a lighter gauge wire. These are called catch wires. Make them the same length as your entire trellis. Attach chain links to each end of the wire. Put the ends to either end of your trellis. Let the wires rest on the nails on the middle posts. The catch wires can be used to organize your grapes.

Your grapevines will grow on the two main trellis wires with some training input from you. To train your grapes, place the branch from the main stem of your grapevines along the wires. Use the lighter gauge wires (catch wires) to hold the grapes in the proper place. As the vines begin to grow carefully adjust your catch wires to ensure that the grapevines keep growing upward. This will help keep the grapevines exposed to the much needed sunlight.

Filed Under: General How To's

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About the Author: Jason Prickett loves to write about home maintenance and stuff you can do yourself instead of hiring any professional. His step by step guides will assist you in completing your home maintenance tasks.

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