![]() ![]() This south-facing space is the ideal location for a trellis, because it receives full sun and is out of the way enough that the trellis doesn’t shade my other plantings. I’m fortunate to have had a vacant space along the north side of my apple orchard, at the base of the adjacent woods. You’ll want to locate your trellis in a spot that’s generally south-facing (if you live in the Northern Hemisphere) and offers full sun. A solar panel angle calculator, such as the one at Solar Electricity Handbook, can help you find the optimum angle for your trellis. Fortunately, grapes don’t really care about an exact angle, as long as they receive full sunlight. Because of the materials I had on hand when I built my trellis and the spacing I wanted between posts, my trellis is actually angled at 45 degrees. In my location, an ideal incline angle for maximum insolation during summer growing months averages approximately 60 degrees from vertical. My growing season is approximately mid-May through mid-September. My grape trellis is located in north-central Maine (Zone 4a), slightly above 46 degrees north latitude. The angled incline portion of the trellis will support almost all annual vine and leaf growth, as well as some fruit. The vertical portion of the trellis will retain the permanent grape vines that run horizontally. To develop leader lines (the larger vines from which annual vines and grapes spawn), grapes need two vertical cordon lines, one about 20 inches high, and the other 40 inches high. This inclined trellis design consists of two primary parts: a vertical part and an angled part. Stay away from rope, because it’s not as strong as wire, and it can degrade in the elements. If you don’t already have a roll of wire, invest in a 304 stainless steel wire that stays in place when bent. I was fortunate to have a roll of salvaged stainless steel wire on hand when I built my trellis, which I fashioned into a latticework attached to the frame. Grapevines can grow to be quite heavy, though, so the lumber must be substantial to avoid collapse. You can use whatever type of wood you prefer. I’d have preferred to use cedar, but dimensional cedar was unavailable in my area at that time, so I chose pressure-treated lumber instead. Unfortunately, the poles rotted by the third year, so I decided to upgrade. Fortunately, the design worked far better than I’d expected, and the grapes flourished. These were a good way to test the inclined trellis concept without investing money to purchase lumber. My first trellis was made with maple and birch poles from my property. Trellising your grapes will boost production, and it’s easy to assemble this design in one day. ![]() These instructions are for a simple and effective inclined grape trellis sized to accommodate six grape plants however, you can modify them to accommodate any number of plants. A sturdy trellis will facilitate two of these three necessities directly (full sunlight and elevation), and aid substantially in the third (pruning). Unlike many plants, grapes aren’t finicky, and they require little more than seasonal pruning, full sunlight, and elevation. A friend of mine once said that grapes like to suffer, and I’ve found this to be true. Growing grapes is easy, fun, and rewarding. An angled trellis will keep vines off the ground, allowing for better sun exposure and easier pruning. ![]()
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