Grapes are a welcome addition to any garden. They can be placed on walls, over trellises or over arches and require very little space if carefully pruned. The vines need reasonably deep undrained soil and full sun to mature properly and will grow happily in any good garden soil and sunny site throughout France.

How to grow your vines:

In their first year, vines need plenty of water before drought sets in. Vines grown indoors will require careful watering, but vines grown outdoors will only require watering during severe, prolonged droughts.
You can also plant your vines in containers and place them in locations with lots of sun exposure. like a terrace facing south.

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 more if they are growing well. Allow complete harvest afterwards.

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 the 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 space of 25 to 30 cm.

The main pruning period is early winter (late November-early December). The pinching of new shoots, as well as the reduction of fruits, is carried out 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, placed outdoors in the winter. They can also be planted outdoors. Vines grown this way rarely require additional watering and are easy to feed and manage.

Wine grapes are grown outdoors in a warm, sheltered, sunny location, such as a south or southwest wall or fence. 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 pockets of frost, frost damages young shoots. Choose a variety suitable for your climate and soil.

Buy and plant

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 weed-free land. Plant vines against walls and fences, keeping 1.2m between them and planting them 12.5cm from the wall.

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