Grape Growing Guide
Grape At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Vine Fruit
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -18°C
Plant Family
Vitaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Push pencil-thick dormant cuttings into gritty mix in winter — grapes root very easily and fruit in 2–3 years.
A long-lived, self-fertile vine that's easy to grow but needs annual winter pruning to fruit well — grapes fruit on the current year's growth from last year's wood, so each winter you cut HARD back to a framework. Wants full sun, warmth and free drainage. Table and wine types both grow the same way.
When To Start
Grape needs warmth. Wait until your last frost has passed and the soil has warmed before sowing.
We do not have exact sowing dates for this one yet.
When should you plant Grape?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Grape Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Grape Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Plant your grape vine (dormant, full sun)
3 weeks before your last frost
Winter-prune grape HARD to its framework (key job!)
45 days before your last frost· every year
Taste-test grapes (pick only when fully sweet)
150 days after your last frost· every year
The Journey Ahead
Grape's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1The single most important job is winter pruning: every dormant season, cut the vine hard back to a permanent framework, leaving just a few buds — that's what drives good fruit.
- 2Give grapes full sun, airflow (to dodge mildew), and don't over-feed.
- 3Thin congested bunches for bigger, sweeter grapes.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
300 cm
Mature Height
400 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Pick only when fully coloured AND sweet to taste — grapes don't ripen off the vine
How to Harvest
- 1Colour alone lies — grapes can look ripe but stay sour.
- 2Taste a few from the bottom of a bunch (the last to sweeten); when they're fully sweet, cut the whole bunch with snips.
- 3They won't ripen further once picked, so don't rush it.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
Ready to grow this?
Grow grape with us.
This page is free and stays free. An account adds the one thing a guide cannot do on its own: your own frost dates, so it tells you the weeks to sow grape where you live.
