How to Grow Australian Grape Vines

Plant Grapevines

• 1

  Prepare your planting site. Grapes should be planted in areas that are elevated for good drainage, exposed to full sunlight and protected as much as possible from any cold temperatures. In Australia, plant grapevines on slopes that face away from prevailing cold winds.

• 2

  Amend your soil. Grapes need quick-draining soil so that they are never exposed to standing water. Turn up the top 12 inches of your garden soil and mix it with sand or gravel (equal parts garden soil and porous material).

• 3

  Dig holes for your Australian grape vines; if you are planting multiple vines, plant them 6 to 8 feet apart to allow for optimum growth, and dig as many as you need. Dig your holes just large enough for the root-balls, as grapes do better if they are planted in shallow holes. Fill the bottom half of the holes with your planting mixture to ensure good drainage beneath the vines.

• 4

  Trim off any broken or bent roots in the grape vines' root-balls, then place the roots into your holes. Spread a thin layer of planting soil over the roots and water sparingly. Build a trellis system behind your grape vines to keep the plants up off the ground.

Stake Grapevines

• 5

  Pound your stakes into the ground using the hammer. Put a stake directly behind each of your new grapevines, for maximum support. Hammer each stake 2 feet into the ground for good security, with 4 to 6 feet of stake exposed above the ground.

• 6

  Secure your wire to the first stake by winding it around the top and then run it to the next stake. Secure the wire to each stake in the row. Tie the wire to the last stake to finish that level of wire trellis. Secure another wire to the stakes, 6 to 12 inches below the first. Successful trellis systems can be made up of 2 to 3 levels of wire, as long as the bottom wire is at least 1 foot off the ground, to allow for circulation and protection.

• 7

  Tie the grapevines up to the stake of your trellis system and to the first wire when they get tall enough. Always tie grape vines at one of the main stems. Once they are trained to the trellis, these climbing vines will naturally grow along the support system. This will offer protection from insects and rot, with good circulation for the leaves and fruit growth.