How to Install a Grape Vine

Choose a well-draining area that receives full sunlight for a minimum of eight hours each day. Grapes grow best when the trellis runs from north to south.

Loosen the soil with a shovel and dig a hole 8 to 10 inches deep for each grapevine. Add 1 to 2 inches of organic compost to the bottom of the hole and set the grapevine into the hole with the roots spread.

Backfill the hole with topsoil. Use caution when packing the soil around the vine to prevent damage.

Prune each vine---using a clean hand pruner---to a height at which two buds remain. This will stimulate new, strong growth on the vine.

Water each vine after planting, saturating the soil. Continue to provide water to the vines each day for the first month of growth when there is no rainfall. Place a 4-inch layer of organic gardening mulch around each vine to assist with moisture retention.

Apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer approximately two weeks after planting. Follow the package application rate.

Build a trellis to support the vines as they grow. Install poles sufficiently long to ensure a height of 6 feet. Place them approximately 6 feet apart. String two rows of support wire between the poles at heights of 36 inches and 60 inches.

Train the vines along the support trellis and wires as they grow taller. Prune and remove any shoots that grow off the main stem below the first support wire or between the wires to keep the vine growth structured.