Growing grapes in Utah — print version.
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SUS Farms · Utah Gardening
Growing grapes in Utah
trees · advanced · ~6 min read
Utah's climate suits cold-hardy table grapes well -- Concord, Himrod, Lakemont, Reliance. Wine grapes (vinifera) are riskier in zones 5-6 because of late frost, but cold-climate hybrids (Marquette, Frontenac) are increasingly viable.
Trellis system
Two-wire vertical trellis: bottom wire 30" off the ground, top wire 60". Train one cordon along each wire. Plant vines 8 feet apart. T-posts work; permanent line posts (cedar 4x4) work better long-term.
Pruning is the whole game
A grapevine left unpruned makes huge leaves and tiny fruit. Each winter, prune off 90% of the previous year's growth. Leave 4 cordons (2 per wire), each with 6-10 buds. This is more aggressive than feels right -- do it anyway.
Watering
Drip line under the cordons. Deep weekly watering during establishment. After year 3, mature vines need surprisingly little water -- too much makes excess vegetation and weak fruit.
Bird netting
Birds will strip a vine in a single afternoon at peak ripeness. Drape bird netting over the canopy 2 weeks before harvest. Pick up fallen fruit -- it ferments and attracts wasps.