Growing hops and grapes is a terrific way to connect back with the raw products that make our beer and wine so delectable. We covered hop growing in a previous article, and plan to cover home vineyards soon, but wanted to share some inspiration first. You can spend a fortune in time and money on a vineyard, even a small one, but you can also do it on a shoe-string budget. The entry level into growing grapes is what you want to make it, some of the awesome home vineyards below are done cheap and quick. So don't feel intimated to dig open the dirt, install some trellises, and get started!
This sixteen vine Vancouver Island backyard vineyard is a great example of a fairly inexpensive yet productive true backyard vineyard. It uses a VSP (vertical shoot position) trellis design. They planted Marechal Foch and Himrod seedless grapes.
Here is another terrific and true backyard vineyard. This New Zealand based home vineyard is a straight forward store bought wood post and DIY wiring, that uses a rock base for irrigation control. There are a total of 41 Carmenere and Syrah vines planted.
Moving towards a little less modest setup is this roadside backyard vineyard. Nestled in suburban Washington, this Lyre shaped cordon spur trellis system houses 26 different vines of Cabernet, Petiite Verdow, Cab Franc, and Viognier. In addition to the clean trellis setup, they have landscaped in two rustic rock walls with a thick layer of mulch for soil and water control.
Getting even more fancy is this 60 vine setup, but still a backyard though! It's Another VSP trellis system, these 60 vines are a mix of Syrah and Petite Verdot. They're planted on a little over a tenth of an acre in Simi Valley, California.
Rounding out the backyard vineyards is the largest of the bunch. It's another variable trellis system, and is a motley mix of varieties. Valiant, Frontenac, Marquette, Niagara, Jupiter, Cabernet Sauvignon, Baco Noir, Mars, and Reliance are all grown. While still under an acre, it nets over 700 pounds in a solid year. Have you started planning your own yet? Backyard vineyards are not as impossible as they may seem when first doing research, and they can be any size you can manage. While one or two vines may not provide enough for a batch of wine, you can always use them to make unique meads and beers.
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