Types of Grapevine Trellis

Single-Stake Trellis

• Casual home gardeners who wish to grow only a small number of grapes can use a single-stake trellis. This type of trellis consists of one vertical post for the vine to climb. A small pergola or standard garden trellis can be used in place of a single-stake trellis setup. This arrangement also works well s a temporary arrangement for very young plants. One to two grapevines can fit on a single-stake trellis, pergola or garden trellis, so a series of pergolas may be needed for those who with to grow more than two vines. If using a garden trellis, it should be mounted in such a way that it faces south. All of these arrangements allow the grapevine to climb to a height that offers direct sunlight.

Three-Wire Trellis

• The three-wire trellis system is often used for grape varieties that quickly climb to the top of a trellis and then grow downward such as the Edelweiss variety and a number of American varieties. In this arrangement, posts are placed vertically into the ground with 4 to 8 feet of the post being left above the ground. To ensure that the weight of the grapevines is adequately supported, these vertical posts are usually not spaced more than 8 feet apart. Three wires are then strung horizontally between the upper regions of the two posts. When completed, this type of trellis looks much like a fence. Depending upon the grape variety chosen, two-wire trellises are sometimes substituted for three-wire trellises.

Geneva Double Blind Curtain Trellis

• Geneva double curtain trellises utilize vertical posts with arms at the top. Wires are strung between the arms of two posts as in the three-wire arrangement, however, in the Geneva double curtain arrangement two wires are run parallel to each other, similar to the arrangement found in a wash line. The grapes are trained to cover both wires at the same time so that the weight of the vine is distributed between them. This trellis arrangement provides the grapes with the most sunlight and provides extra support for heavy and rapidly growing grapevine varieties. Geneva double curtain arrangements also help growers in cooler climates keep grapes away from the cold air next to the ground.