How to Keep Young Grape Vines Alive

Irrigate the young grape vine with 1 to 2 inches of water every week during the growing season. In the winter, provide water only when the top 2 inches of soil feels dry. Irrigate the young plants with a soaker hose that provides water at soil level instead of watering overhead, which increases chances of fungal diseases and pest infestations.

Mulch the soil around the grape vines to retain moisture and prevent weeds that compete for soil moisture and nutrients. Maintain a 2-inch layer of organic mulch.

Spread 1/4 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer in a 1 1/2-foot-wide circle around the base of each grape vine two to four weeks after planting. Repeat the application every five to six weeks until midsummer. Increase the fertilizer application to 1/2 pound the following year, applied in mid-spring, early summer and late summer.

Push a 6-foot wood post or bamboo training pole behind each grape vine when it begins new growth. Select the most vigorous shoot on each plant, cutting away the others with clippers. Loosely secure the growing shoot to the training pole with elastic cord or plant ties that do not girdle the plant.

Continue to tie the growing vine to the pole and removing side shoots every week, until the vine reaches the top of the pole. Installing a single-wire trellis during the second year provides room for the older grape vine to grow and spread.

Treat pests such as beetles, grape berry moths and grape fleas with horticultural oil or use a registered insecticide for heavy infestations.