How to Grow Grapevines in Texas

Harvest grapes from 4-year-old vines.

Wild grapevines thrived on the margins of Texas rivers for thousands of years before the Spanish began cultivating them in the 17th century. The Spanish planted the first vineyards in what's now El Paso. A hundred years later, European immigrants started to plant cuttings from the motherland in south and central Texas, but they died out, making room again for the Texas native vines. The vines thrive where Pierce's disease isn't a problem. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, the south plains have the best conditions for grapevine cultivation in the state.

Things You'll Need

• Hoe
• Shovel
• Pickax
• 8-foot-long, 4-inch-diameter fence posts, 2
• 12-foot, 9-inch galvanized wire
• Wire cutter
• Disease-resistant nursery grapevines
• Soaker hose
• String
• Shears

Instructions

1. Locate a well-drained site that has a minimum depth of 3 feet above hard rock to allow for healthy root development.

2. Remove all vegetation from the area, including wild grapevines, to prevent potential disease spread.

3. Install a grapevine trellis before planting the vines. For one grapevine, bury two 8-foot-long posts, 4 inches in diameter, 2 feet into the ground. Separate these posts by 8 feet. Wind the end of a 9-gauge galvanized wire around one of the posts 6 feet above ground. Leave 6 inches of wire hanging loose at the end. Stretch the other side of the wire to the other post tightly. Wind the wire around the second post twice, maintaining the wire tension. Twist the piece of wire hanging on the first post around the stretched wire. Do the same at the other end.

4. Dig holes in rows that are 6 feet apart, or more. Give vines 8 feet of space between each other. Place the holes as close to the trellis as possible. Make them as deep and wide as the vines' roots.

5. Plant a grapevine just before the last frost is expected in your area of the state. Set it in the center of the hole and spread its roots. Back fill the hole with topsoil.

6. Irrigate the grapevine after planting with 1 inch of water. Texas Department of Agriculture states grapevines require 24 inches of water (120 galllons) from beginning to end of the growing season. Ask your local cooperative extension the estimated frost-free dates for your region, and what the average rainfall is for the period. If you expect less than 24 inches of precipitation, pay attention to the weather report. Irrigate your vine with a soaker hose when no rain is in the forecast.

7. Cultivate the soil by your grapevine with a hoe. Maintain a weed-free circle at least 12 inches wide around the plant.

8. Tie the canes to the trellis to prevent soil-borne disease.

9. Trim and retie the grapevine canes to the trellis. Do this at four regular intervals each growing season in the second and third years.

10. Remove buds from the lower section of the trunk to prevent them from sprouting too close to the ground. Perform this task in the vine's second and third growing seasons.

11. Harvest grapes in the vines' fourth growing season. Expect their yield to double in the next couple of years with the proper care.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're planting grapes in the Texas Hill Country, place the vines in an elevated area of the land to prevent frost damage in spring. Plant disease-resistant varieties to avoid Pierce's disease. Spray the vines with fungicide to kill powdery mildew, black rot and downy mildew. Consult your cooperative extension office for help identifying the problem and treating it with the least toxic and most effective product.

References

• Nashwood Winery: Texas Department of Agriculture--Texas Wine Grape Guide
• AgriLIFE Extension: Growing Grapes in the Texas Hill Country
• Colorado State University Extension: How Do You Construct a Grapevine Trellis?
• University of Minnesota Extension: Growing Grapes for Home Use