How to Grow Grapes in Pots? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Growing Methods

Potted grape growing methods. Potted grapes are actually a general term for growing grapes in containers. Any grapes grown in pots, boxes, barrels, and planting troughs and other containers can be called potted grapes. Potted grapes bear fruit early; with proper cultivation and management, they can bear fruit in two years, with each pot producing 1-3 kg of fruit, and some up to 4-5 kg. Below, the editor will introduce the potted grape growing methods for everyone!

Pot Soil Preparation

1. Container selection: Available containers include clay pots, ceramic pots, purple clay pots, wooden pots, plastic flower pots, etc., which can be chosen according to conditions. In the first year of potted grapes, a container with a mouth diameter of about 20-25 cm can be used, and after 2-3 years, a container with a mouth diameter of 30-40 cm can be used. This can be determined according to production volume and site space.

2. Pot soil requirements: Loamy soil that is loose, fertile, and rich in organic matter and calcium is required. You can also use local materials according to the specific conditions of each region, choosing cultivation materials that are widely available, low in cost, free of pests and diseases, and pollution-free. Commonly used materials include leaf mold, peat soil, garden soil, sand and gravel, bone meal, puffed chicken manure, etc.

3. Pot soil preparation: Commonly used formulas include ① 4 parts leaf mold, 3 parts garden soil, 3 parts coarse sand, 0.5 part bone meal. ② 7 parts garden soil, 2 parts coarse sand (or furnace slag), 1 part puffed chicken manure, 0.5 part bone meal.

4. Pot soil disinfection: After the pot soil is mixed evenly, spray it evenly with a 0.1% formalin solution (500 ml of solution per cubic meter of pot soil). Then seal it with plastic film. After fumigating for one full day and night, remove the film and air-dry for 3-4 days before using it to fill pots. 

Variety Selection

Grape varieties suitable for potting include Kyoho, Jingya, Jingchao, Izu, Black Olympia, Jingyu, Phoenix No. 51, Delawarer, 8611, 8612, Zizhenxiang, American Black Tit, etc.

Potting and Soil Changing

After the flower pot is selected, it is best to soak it in 1% bleaching powder water for 5 minutes, take it out and dry it, then fill it with disinfected cultivation soil. The seedlings used for potted grapes can be directly cuttings inserted in the flower pot to grow into seedlings.

When taking cuttings, it is best to insert 2 cuttings per pot so that the best can be selected and retained, and keep the pot soil moist at all times. You can also use 1-3 year old grape plants and transplant them with a soil ball before budding.

When transplanting, the plant branches and vines should be heavily pruned, generally retaining 1-3 strong branches and vines. In the year of transplanting, the focus is on restoring tree vigor, cultivating the tree shape, and laying a good foundation; do not let it bear fruit first.

After the plant grows in the pot for 1-2 years, the original container space can no longer meet the requirements of root growth and development, and the nutrients in the pot soil gradually decrease. Therefore, the container needs to be changed from small to large, or the pot soil needs to be replaced. This work is generally carried out when the dormant period is about to end and before growth begins. When changing pots or soil, some dead roots should be trimmed off, and water should be applied immediately after changing to help the plant recover growth.

Shaping and Pruning

1. Single-trunk form

Suitable for small and medium-sized potted plants. In the year of planting, set up a bamboo pole or No. 8 iron wire in the center of the pot, about 1 m high. After new shoots sprout, select and retain one strong shoot as the main vine, tie it to the bamboo pole, and pinch the tip when it grows to 80-90 cm. For secondary shoots that later emerge, except for the top one which is allowed to grow, all others are repeatedly pinched after retaining 1-2 leaves.

During winter pruning, well-matured branches and vines can be cut back to 50 cm. After sprouting in the second year, retain 3-5 strong new shoots on the main vine, and remove the remaining buds in time. During winter pruning, each new shoot is pruned retaining 2-3 buds as a fruiting mother branch. After sprouting in the third year, retain 1-2 new shoots on each fruiting mother branch, and thereafter perform short pruning every year. 

2. Fan form

In the winter of the planting year, new shoots above 60 cm are cut short and retained as the trunk. In the following year, a new shoot is retained every 10-15 cm and tied obliquely. During winter pruning, they are cut short into fruiting mother branches with 1-3 buds. In the third year, 1-2 fruiting shoots are retained on each fruiting mother branch to bear fruit. New shoots and fruit clusters are evenly distributed on one plane. As the tree body grows larger, the flower pot is increased and the fan surface is expanded. 

Fertilizer and Water Management

1. Fertilization

The principle of fertilizing potted grapes is to apply less but frequently. For potted seedlings that have not yet borne fruit, generally start when the seedling height is about 20 cm (that is, 6-7 leaves), applying cake fertilizer water once every 7-10 days until the end of September.

For potted grapes that have already borne fruit, in order to ensure fruit development requirements, it is best to apply once every 5 days, and after the fruit is harvested, apply according to the potted seedling schedule. Note that after each application of liquid fertilizer, water immediately.

Potted grapes can also be foliar-fed. The method is: in the early growth stage of potted grapes, spray 0.1%-0.3% urea solution 2-3 times; starting from the fruit expansion stage, spray 0.3% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution 3-4 times every 7-10 days.

2. Watering

When watering, the water temperature is best close to the pot soil temperature. It is advisable to water before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. The water quality should be good. The frequency of watering should depend on the season. Generally, in early spring when the temperature is low, water once every 2-3 days. As the temperature rises and evaporation increases, water once every 1-2 days. After the temperature gradually decreases in autumn, the frequency of watering gradually decreases again, and keeping the pot soil moist is advisable.

Pest and Disease Control

Potted grapes have fewer insect pests, with the focus on diseases. Common diseases include downy mildew, white rot, anthracnose, black pox, etc. During the dormant period of grapes, spray 3-5 degrees Baume lime sulfur mixture. After germination, spray 1:0.5:200 Bordeaux mixture or 500 times compound carbendazim solution once every 10-15 days, and general diseases can be controlled.

Overwintering Management

Overwintering management is mainly to prevent potted grapes from freezing damage and drying out. Protective measures can be selected according to local conditions. After potted grapes undergo winter pruning, remove the pot rack, water thoroughly, dig a trench or pit and bury them. The burial depth can be 30-50 cm from the ground surface. They can also be placed in a corridor or on a balcony and covered for overwintering. No matter where they are placed, pay attention to checking the pot soil, keep it moist, and the temperature is best at 0-5°C.