Growing Grapes - Securing Grape Vine Shoots To The Trellis Wires

Securing the grape vines' shoots to the trellis has many advantages. What we mean by securing the shoots is to tie the shoot to the trellis wire, so the wind will not damage or break the shoot or that bunches don't get damaged. The biggest benefit of securing shoots to the trellis wires is that your grapes will hang loose from the canopy. This will ensure that the grape bunches get proper sunlight and spray exposure.

When growing grapes for eating or also known as table grapes, the bunch sizes and weight is much larger than those of wine grapes and will growth or get heavier as the season develop and the grapes ripen. If a bunch hangs from an unsecured shoot, it will pull the shoot down, into the row and in the end will hang below the canopy (fruiting zone). These grapes that hang loose from the canopy get damaged well if you cultivate your vineyards with a tractor or spray pump.

How to secure the shoot? Up until a few years ago, we grape growers twined the shoots colse to the trellis wires. With a general gable trellis, there are only five trellis wires and allot of shoots, so many of the shoots had to be bundled together before it is twined on the trellis wires - which off course made these shoots look like a "sausage" of shoots on the wire.

I found that these "sausages" were the starting point of many diseases and problems, as there is almost zero sunlight penetration or airflow inside the bundles. I started finding for an alternative, when I discovered that when I simply take the shoot, bend it down and just tie it to the trellis wires with a plastic string, I get a well spaced canopy with grapes still hanging loose as well.

You could go without securing shoots on your grape vine, but although a bit more labor intensive, the securing of shoots will ensue in you growing far good potential grapes, with much less diseases.

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