I constructed a 10’X5’ arbor (pictures below) and planted Brianna and Concord at either end. I’m realizing that just one of those plants could healthily cover the entirety of the arbor and that having both might be a tangled mess. I’m wondering if there’s a way (or if it would be advisable) to create two trunks per plant, one going up the arbor (as planned), and a second spreading across trellises I could make on the right and left walls.
One issue with this idea is the arbor is along a 6 foot cement wall which might radiate some extra heat, but doesn’t get much sun the first half of the day. The top of the arbor is full sun though.
I’d also really appreciate some advise on what training system to use and how to start out. When the vines reach the top of the arbor, how should I structure them? I added some reference letters to the photos to make it easier to discuss or give suggestions.
When I planted my seedless concord many years ago… I had 800 acres of timberland for sale… and one of my potential buyers was the owner of a rather new local vineyard and winery.
He invited me to meet with him at his vineyard/winery and he showed me around and I asked him a few questions and noticed how he had his vines setup.
He had 2 trunks comming up from the ground for each vine… one became a cordon and ran north on the wire… the other ran south.
This allowed him to prune the canopy on the east side to allow morning sun to hit those grape clusters first thing in the morning.
After that…thru the middle of the day and evening the canopy remained and provided shade for the fruit.
I set my seedless concord up the same way.
Once my grape clusters form and the grapes size up some I prune the canopy on the east side… so I get morning sun on my clusters.
He and I were using similar grape vine trellis setup with our cordons running a wire set at around 4.5 to 5 ft in height.
I have never tried an arbor myself but remember my Dad and Grandfather grew grapes on an arbor.
Ps… getting morning sun on your clusters will help greatly with powerdy mildew, black rot type issues. My seedless concords consistently produce good crops with no spray.
Thanks for the tips. The arbor setup is a little less than ideal, but I’m on a .2 acre plot so I’ll have to make due. I’m still in research mode, but I’m thinking I’ll run two trunks- 1 to the top of the arbor and 1 to the wall on each side.
Two trunks on each should be fine. Alternatively, you could probably plant the vines at the base of the columns closest to the wall and train a branch at the top of the pergola to grow along the wall or railing. American hybrids tend to sprawl or weep more than vinifera cultivars, so depending on disease pressure where you are, for the portion along the wall it may be easier to train high and let the fruiting shoots weep down rather than training them vertically each year.
You mentioned the wall doesn’t get sun all day. Would having the vines grow along the railing give them more light exposure?
For the top of the pergola, the challenge will be to retain enough fruiting buds without generating a canopy that’s too dense, especially since both varieties are susceptible to black rot. Concord is supposed to be better when cane pruned. I don’t know about Brianna, but cane pruning should work for that variety as well. You could try having the permanent cordon trained along D/H with three 2.5 foot canes extending out on either side at each of the cables. Alternatively, you could train the cordon along A/G or C/E and have three 5 foot canes. Or have the cordon trained along B/F and have three or four 5 foot canes extending towards the middle of the pergola.
If your vigor is high, it can be tough with shorter canes to retain enough buds for a good crop since the nodes tend to be spaced further apart. On the other hand, if you have low vigor, long canes can have weak, unproductive shoots.
This is a very helpful post, thank you @GrapeNut. I’m going to consider all your options, but right now I like the idea of establishing cordons along A/G and have 5 foot canes go out away from the wall. In that case would I choose 3 canes per plant? I think 5 footers would be better than 2.5 since I think both varieties are vigorous. Also keeping 2.5 footers tidy seems unrealistic.
Yes definitely. I also like your idea of letting them hang down. In that case, would you recommend I establish two separate trunks per plant- one feeding cordons along A/G and the second going along the wall/fence? Or would it be 1 trunk per plant with 2 cordons per trunk?
You may be able to do more if the plants have enough vigor and the canopy doesn’t get too dense. Don’t add too many at once though, or try to leave full-length canes the first year your cordon is established.
For me, aesthetically I think one trunk that splits at the top of the pergola looks better than two trunks, but having two trunks does give you some insurance in case something happens to one of them. In either case, don’t rush into getting the cordons formed. Make sure the trunk(s) are well established and reaching the necessary height with good caliper first. Also don’t let them fruit until then either. As the shoot that will become the trunk is growing, removing laterals and tying it as vertical as possible will encourage it to keep going.
Excellent. I have a much better sense of my options now, thanks! And hopefully some other beginner grape growers will get something out of this thread.
