How to Build a Grapevine Support

Grapevines ideally produce lots of heavy fruit, which require supports to hold them up off of the ground and help them get enough sunlight. A popular way to support grapevines is to tie them to wires that run between horizontal supports. Most vineyards use this type of grapevine support, which requires a little bit of physical exertion and simple supplies to build. Since most grape supports stand around 5 feet tall, buy posts that are around 7 feet to allow room to stake them in the ground.

Wooden posts, 7 feet tall
Shovel
Instant cement
String or small wooden support stakes
Strong wire, such as chicken wire or 12.5-gauge wire
Small wooden stakes

Instructions

- 1
  Dig holes 2 feet deep for the support posts. Space holes for posts in the same row about 16 feet apart and space rows between 6 and 10 feet apart.
- 2
  Place the support posts in the holes. Fill the holes halfway with a mixture of water and instant cement.
- 3
  Support the posts with temporary strings tied to nearby standing objects or with angled temporary support stakes. Leave the temporary supports in place until the cement dries.
- 4
  Fill up the rest of the holes with dirt to cover the cement.
- 5
  String two or three rows of 12.5-gauge wire between the posts. Grapevines can grow at different heights, but many growers choose to place the highest trellis wire about 5 feet above the ground.
- 6
  Support new grape plants by tying them to small stakes in the ground until they grow tall enough to reach the lowest trellis wire.

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