Grapes

Grapes are a popular choice to grow in the home garden. 

Grapevines not only produce tasty fruit that can be used in many ways, but the vines can be trained to provide shade or privacy in the landscape.  

Below is a collection of resources just for the home gardener. 

Also visit the Horticulture Center link in the gold bar above for details on the vineyard at the Fair Oaks Horticulture Center.

Resources

Note: PDF files open in a new window/tab.

Please visit the In the FOHC Vineyard page, which has helpful vocabulary and a calendar of operations for the home grape grower.

Websites

• Plant problem diagnostic tool - UC Integrated Pest Management gives you the ability to solve plant problems.
  
  
• The California Garden Web provides extensive information about growing grapes in the home garden, and includes information about planting and caring for young vines, training and pruning, canopy management, disease and insect management, and more.
  
  
• Cultural tips from the UC IPM Online Statewide Integrated Pest Management website about growing grapes address these individual topics:
  
  
  • Site selection
  • Planting
  • Training and pruning
  • First- and second-year pruning
  • Trellising
  • Watering
  • Fertilizing
  • Harvesting and storage
    
    
• Pests and disorders of grapes from the UC IPM Online Statewide Integrated Pest Management website provides extensive information about insects, diseases, weeds, and other grape pest problems.
  
  
• Washington State University Extension gives some basic guidelines for pruning grapes.

Publications

• Guidelines for the Home Vineyard is an 11 page document that describes the planting and care of grapevines (PDF 1MB). (EHN 97)
  
  
• Grape Cultivars in the FOHC Vineyard (PDF) (EHN 97a)
  
  
• An especially common disease affecting grapes in our area is powdery mildew (PDF 632KB). This Pest Note from UC IPM Online discusses monitoring and treatment options. (PN 7494)
  
  
• This document provides more information about powdery mildew (PDF 62KB) control from UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County. (GN 106)
  
  
• Growing Grapes in the Home Garden (PDF) includes easy to understand diagrams for grape culture by Chuck Ingels, Sacramento County UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor.

Videos

• Watch Sacramento County UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor Chuck Ingels demonstrate grape vine pruning.  (2:49 min.)
  
  
• Chuck Ingels, UC Cooperative Extension Farm Advisor, discusses spur and cane pruning grapes, as well as shoot thinning.  (5 min.)
  

ANR = free publication from the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Catalog
PN = free publication from UC Integrated Pest Management
EHN = Environmental Horticulture Notes from the UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County
GN = Garden Notes from the UCCE Master Gardeners of Sacramento County

You need Adobe Reader to read the PDF files; download the latest version using the link below.