ABSTRACT
Grapes are easy to grow in the home garden. They are well adapted to different soils and climates, and can be trained to a wall, fence or trellis, thus requiring much less space than fruit trees. Good air drainage is usually important for grapes because fungal diseases are quite prevalent. A southern exposure usually gets better sunlight, so the grapes will ripen earlier there. For growing grapes, the length of the growing season (the period between the last spring frost to first fall frost) should be at least 155 to 165 days, with longer periods being more desirable. Very fertile soils promote too much vegetative growth and delay maturity. Gravelly or loamy soils are considered best for grapes. Avoid extreme soil types like sand or heavy clays as grapes grow poorly on them. In most grape growing regions, grapes will grow poorly unless they are irrigated. When the weather gets hot, grapes need irrigation once a week.
