Guide to growing grapes at last: 3 common problems and their solutions

The cultivation of vines is an enterprise in which anyone with some land can participate. At the beginning of your adventure, you are happy and excited. You can’t wait to see those juicy grapes grow in your vineyard! But as time goes by, you start to run into a lot of problems, and you don’t know what to do! And then you feel frustrated, wondering if you should give up… If you’re thinking about that… don’t! There are solutions to your problems. Here are some common problems grape growers face and how to solve them to guide you in growing grapes at last!

To help! My vines are growing leaves, not fruit!

Are you overwatering your plants? If your vines are growing leaves, not fruit, this is called “vegetative growth.” This is because their vines absorb too much water. Although your grape vines need water to grow, they don’t like it very much. So don’t overwater your plants and don’t let them stand in water! That’s why it’s very, very important to have good drainage in your soil: the best vineyards are known for their excellent drainage system, so the grape vines absorb just the right amount of water they need.

To help! The leaves of my vines are withering, and why are there so few fruits?

If you run into this problem, your vines may have developed diseases. Identifying the disease is the first step in finding a solution. You should know the identifying marks of common grape diseases so you can easily diagnose and treat them. Always remember that prevention is still the best cure! Diseases, especially those that are fungal in origin, thrive in warm, moist areas. So make sure your grape vines get enough airflow. A good trellis system would ensure this, as well as good canopy management.

To help! My grapes are being eaten by pests!

Pests can really be a problem, so it is best to start control measures as early as possible to prevent them from destroying your vineyard. For insects, in general, your vines tolerate a moderate amount of damage from insects. But once its fruits are threatened, action must be taken. If you want to avoid pesticides, there are other things you can do. You can use predatory insects that will prey on these pests without eating your crops. Examples of these are lacewings and ladybugs. Another thing you can do is cut off grape shoots that are heavily infested, so that other shoots can remain healthy.

For birds and deer, auditory, visual, and odor repellents are quite effective in repelling them. You can also use netting to cover your vines so birds can’t get to them.

These steps will help you solve your grape growing problems so that you can finally continue growing grapes!