Grapevines

Homegrown grape harvest: how to choose and grow the right vine

Few plants give so much in return for so little space. In our range you will find table, wine and decorative vines grown in containers, so they are easy to plant and ready to settle into a garden or onto a terrace. If you want to start with a larger planting, choose a collection of several plants in one order. Browse our grape vines for sale and find the type that fits your plans, from fresh eating to home winemaking and green screens.

Table grape vines

Table grape vines are grown for fruit that you eat straight from the bunch. When you compare grape varieties, start with the seeds. Seedless grape vines produce soft, convenient berries that are loved by families, while varieties with seeds often have a deeper, richer flavour. Berries come in many colours. Green seedless grapes are fresh and mild, red seedless grapes are sweet and crisp, and dark berries are rich and aromatic. A muscat grape stands out for its fragrant, floral taste.

Ripening time also matters. Early forms give fruit in a short, warm summer, and late ones build more sugar in a long autumn. Most table grapes can be used in several ways. They are excellent as dessert grapes, they make a good fresh juice, and some types dry well into raisins. If you want to buy grape vines for the family garden, this group is the easiest place to start.

Wine grape vines

Wine grape vines are chosen for the juice that makes a good homemade drink. Some types give white wine and others red, so decide on the style before you order.Traditional Vitis vinifera types are prized for their fine quality, though they usually need extra shelter when the weather is wet. For a home plot, look at resistant hybrids. These disease resistant plants cope better with fungal problems and need fewer treatments, which saves time and effort. Wine grapes picked from healthy vines have a more even balance of sugar and acid, which lays the foundation for a good drink.

Ornamental grape vines

An ornamental grape vine is grown mostly for its leaves and its shape. Its foliage turns bright red, orange and gold in autumn, and the small berries add colour. Related climbing vines such as the porcelain vine carry decorative berries that change colour from pale green to blue and violet. These fruit vines are good for covering an arbor, a fence or a wall. They also create natural shade above a seating area and give the garden a soft, informal character.

How to choose a grape vine

Before you pick a plant, answer a few simple questions.

Purpose: decide whether you want fresh fruit, wine or decoration.

Ripening time: match the season to your local summer, and choose an early type if the warm period is short.

Hardiness: cold hardy grape vines are the safer choice for areas with frosty winters.

Health: a resistant plant needs fewer sprays.

Place: decide whether the vine will be planted in open ground or kept in a container.

Many grapevines are grafted grape vines on a strong grape rootstock, which gives better vigour and helps in difficult soil. Others grow on their own roots. Product pages show which form each plant has, so you can compare before you order.

Planting and growing

Good grape vine plant care is simple. Pick a bright spot with shelter from strong wind, and provide a sturdy support, for example a trellis, an arbor or a pergola. Set young grape vines at the same depth as in the container, water well and tie the first shoots to the support. A single vine fruits on its own, so you do not need a partner plant to get a crop. Prune in winter while the plant is dormant to keep the shape and to control the size of the harvest.

A grape vine in a pot is a good solution for a terrace. Potted grape vines need a deep, wide container with good drainage, regular watering and feeding in spring. In cold areas, move the pot to a sheltered place for winter. You can read more about long term care in our blog.

Common mistakes to avoid

Young vines usually run into trouble during their very first season. Do not plant too deep, because buried buds may rot and the shoots will grow weakly. Avoid heavy fertiliser at planting, since strong feeding pushes soft leaves instead of roots. Instead, feed lightly in spring and let the plant build a solid base. Water deeply but not too often, and keep the soil loose and free of weeds so the roots can breathe.

Do not skip the support in the first year. Tie the strongest shot upright and remove weak side growth, so that all the energy goes into one healthy stem. In the first summer, remove any bunches that appear. This feels hard, but it helps the vine grow stronger roots and gives better crops later. Good airflow also keeps the leaves dry and lowers the risk of mildew. With a little patience at the start, you will enjoy bigger and sweeter bunches for many years.

Winter protection

In regions with hard frost, young vines benefit from extra care in their first winters. Mound loose soil or mulch around the base of the stem, and wrap the lower trunk in breathable fleece. Do not use plastic, because it traps moisture and invites rot. Remove the covering gradually in spring, once the risk of severe cold has passed.

Buying and delivery

If you want to find reliable grape vine plants from a trusted grape vine nursery, we ship them from our warehouse in the Netherlands during the period that is best for planting. Delivery across Europe is by DPD, UPS or PostNL and takes 2 to 5 working days. Shipping costs a flat 5.95 €, and orders from 59 € ship free. You receive a tracking number once your parcel is sent. Every plant is checked for quality before dispatch. If a plant arrives damaged, we offer a replacement or a refund. Our grape plants are available in different sizes and sets.