Generally speaking, a grape vine growing in your backyard could take three years to produce a good crop of viable grapes. That said, there are several factors that will determine how long it will take for your newly planted grape vine to produce fruit: plant age and size at planting time, climate, sun, soil and other environmental conditions and proper pruning and other care practices.
Size matters...
The age of a grape vine you purchase will determine how long after planting it takes to prodeuce a good crop of fruit. Regardless of age, grape vines transplanted from a nursery pot to garden soil will spend the first year acclimating and establishing roots in their new home.
Below is the approximate age of grape vine growing in various size nursery pots.
1 Gallon Pot - 12 to 18 months old
2 Gallon Pot - 24 to 30 months old
3 Gallon Pot - 36 to 48 months old
So, if you plant a new grape vine in your garden that was in a 1 gallon nursery pot (12 to 18 months old) you can expect it to grow relatively quickly in the first year developing a thicker trunk and side shoots. In the second year the vine might produce a few clusters of small grapes, but there won't be a large yield of normal size sweet grapes until the third year.
Helpful Tips For Growing Healthy & Productive Grape Vines
Growing grapes that produce abundant harvests of sweet grapes is very easy when they are planted right and in the right spot and properly cared for. Here's a few basic tips with links to orther articles that provide more details.
Cultural Preferences
Sun. To produce fruit, grape vines require adequate exposure to sunlight. The more sun you give them the more abundant the harvest. Though grape vines will grow in partial shade, the vines require at least 7 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce abundant, quality sweet grapes. When growing on a trellis, plant vines facing southward if possible.
Soil. Grape vines need a well-drained soil. Constantly soggy or wet soil is problematic. A moist but well-drained soil is best.
USDA Zone. before selecting a grape vine variety to grow in your gardens make sure it is hardy in your USDA Zone, which is listed in several places on every plant page in this website. Find Your USDA Zone
Grape Vine Care Tips
Pruning is important
Grapes develop only on the new shoots that sprout from 1 year old branches. If you have too many old branches (from no pruning), then the roots will have to supply too much foliage and you'll get fewer grapes. If you prune back your vines completely each year, then you get lots of new growth, but again, few grapes. Pruning grapes isn't that difficult once you know how, and there are several methods for training them to grow on fences, arbors, trellises and other structures that will keep the vines off the ground.
Fertilizing grape vines
Grape vines will benefit from an annual application of fertilizer in spring. Soil pH is important as well. If the soil is too alkaline the vine will not be able to absorb fertilizer applied and nutrients it needs from the soil.
Grapevines prefer a moist but well-drained soil. Though vines are moderately drought tolerant, they will appreciate moisture when there are grapes on the vines, but not a constantly soggy or wet soil.
Hope this info was helpful.
Plant Long & Prosper!
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