Growing grapes in a dome greenhouse will provide delicious fruit, shade for other plants, and beauty in your dome.

• Family: Vitaceae
• Botanical Name: Vitis vinifera
• Common Name: Common grape, European grape, wine grape
• Type: Perennial vine
• Light: Full sun
• Soil pH: Acidic
• Zone: 6-9 (USDA) – Can be extended in a dome
• Size: 40-60 feet long

Growing Grapes in A Dome

We heard through the grapevine that you’re interested in growing grapes in your dome. That’s grape! Grapes are fairly easy to grow. With all plants, it is important to know what they need to help them thrive. Provide your vine with the right soil, light, water and trellising and they will be “berry grapeful”. Note: Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs and cats.

Now for the tough decision…what type of grapes to plant! Here’s a guide to help you choose the best variety of greenhouse grapes to fit your needs or taste buds. A few of the recommended varieties for greenhouse growing are Muscat of Alexandria, Black Muscat or Muscat Hamburg and Golden Muscat. Dome owners have grown Concord, Lakemont Grape and Tickled Pink.

Best Location in a Dome for Growing Grapes in a Dome

Where should you plant your grapevine? Grapevines will thrive with 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Some shade is fine for your vine. The prime location within the dome is the west or south side for the most sunlight.

Planting Grapevines

Vintners place grapevines 6-10 feet apart. Depending upon the size of your dome, one plant should be enough. Grapevines can grow to be 40-60 feet long so provide trellises for them to climb both up and across.

In an unheated dome, plant your grapevine after all danger of frost has passed. Grapevines need a warm, dry, well-ventilated location.

There are typically two types of plants available for purchase, bare root or potted. 

Soak bare root plants in water for 3-4 hours prior to planting. Remove all of the canes except for the most vigorous cane. Place the bare root plant in the soil with the roots fanned out and cover with soil using the soil mark on the stem as your planting guide. Give your grapevine 2-3 feet of room from other plants.

Potted grapevines should be planted at the same depth as they were in the container. As mentioned above they need 2-3 feet of space from other plants.

Growing Grapes in a Dome – Care and Feeding

Light

Grapes need between 6-8 hours of full sunlight each day with temperatures around 70 degrees F.

Temperature

Grapevines need temperatures of around 70 degrees F during the day. They are fine with night time temperatures dropping a bit below that. Temperatures between 79-90 degrees F is the best temperature for the fruit to develop.

Growing grapes in a dome means you need to have a support system or a trellis system in place before planting. Have you ever wondered why? Trellising grapes gives them more exposure to sunlight which means better tasting grapes. Trellising promotes air circulation, which helps prevent disease and makes the vines much easier to prune.

Some dome owners use cattle panels as trellises and others have used a variety of items to trellis vines and other plants. In a dome greenhouse it is beneficial to trellis vertically and horizontally. This allows your vine to grow even farther while providing shade for plants below.

Another important aspect of trellising is to help with pollination. Although grapes are self-pollinating, air movement is critical to pollination.

Watering

Watering grapevines regularly is particularly important for the first year. Regular watering will help the root system to grow strong. After the grapevines are established they are drought tolerant, but it is best to water them during the growing season. Many vintners actually use periods of drought to enhance the taste of their wines. This is strategic related to the harvest window.

A good rule of thumb is to provide new vines with ½ to 1 inch of water per week for the first two growing seasons. Saturating the root system of young vines is important. Pro Tip: Applying 5 gallons of water in a 3×3 area is equal to about 1 inch of water.

Once established, water your grapevines at least once every 10 days during hot weather. We always recommend checking your soil for moisture. Do this by hand or use a moisture probe. Get to know your soil and what its needs are throughout the seasons.

It typically takes around two years from planting to harvesting grapes. The benefits of shade for your other plants will happen sooner.

Soil

Test your soil in spring prior to planting. If the soil your grape vine or vines are planted in is rich in organic matter, just supplement it each year with about a ½ cup of balanced fertilizer. Pro Tip: Follow the recommendations on the fertilizer label.

It’s best to apply fertilizer at least one foot away from the base of the plant. However, a better method is to apply it evenly over an area four to five feet in diameter.

Pruning

The art of pruning your plants is more important with some plants than others. With grapes, it is very important, especially in the early seasons of the vine’s growth. 

Although we mentioned that grapevines can grow to be 60 feet long, most vines are trained and pruned to 3-9 feet tall with the same spread. Providing your grapevines with permanent support is important. Here are some links about two methods of training grapevines: rod and spur and Guyot. Rod and spur (cordon) is a versatile method and works well in gardens and greenhouses. The Guyot method, developed in France in the late 1800s by Dr. Jules Guyot, is a system used in vineyards, large gardens and allotments.

Prune your grapevine in early to mid-winter while the vines are dormant. Avoid pruning after mid-winter as it will lead to sap bleeding. Light pruning may be needed in spring and summer.

Growing Grapes in a Dome – Best Companion Plants

Use companion plants in your greenhouse and garden as a natural way to practice integrated pest management. Companion planting helps create a balanced ecosystem within your greenhouse.

So what plants work best with grapes? There are actually quite a few herbs and plants! Herbs that benefit grapevines are basil, chives, hyssop, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Other plants such as blackberry, clover, geranium, marigolds, mustard and peas are beneficial. 

Basil and hyssop are great at deterring pests and may help enhance the flavor of the grapes.

Nasturtium can act as a trap crop and lure aphids away from your grapevine.

Surprise! Once again we recommend marigolds. They are superheroes in the garden! Marigolds are lovely and they help keep those bad bugs away.

Another pest repellent is geranium. Blackberries are great shelter for parasitic wasps and they kill leafhopper eggs. Clover benefits the soil as well as being a great groundcover and nitrogen fixer.

Learn more about companion plants here.

Now what should you avoid planting to keep your grapes happy? Plants to avoid near grapes are cabbage and radishes. Cabbage and radishes both take a lot of space that may impact the roots of grapevines. They are also heavy feeders that deplete the soil of the nutrients that grapes need.

Growing Grapes – Managing Pests and Diseases

One of the most important aspects of growing grapes in a dome is air circulation. Making sure your greenhouse has proper ventilation and air circulation will help prevent diseases and insect problems. Be sure to properly prune your grapevine each year so the canopy does not become too dense.

Avoid overcrowding in your greenhouse. Promote air circulation and adequate plant spacing to help your grapes avoid diseases. As gardeners we sometimes don’t want to thin seedlings, but then pay the price with diseases. Be bold and brave, thin your plants!

Some of the diseases that can plague grapes and other plants are Anthracnose, Black rot, Botrytis bunch rot and powdery mildew.

And why wouldn’t pests head on to our greenhouses? Greenhouses tend to be predator free as well as being warm and inviting for both plants and pests. Companion planting will help to attract beneficial insects. Grapevines are attractive to flea beetles, Japanese beetles and mealybugs just to name a few.

Keeping your greenhouse free of debris from fallen leaves or fruit will help prevent diseases. If any portion of your grapevine shows disease, prune it immediately and discard it away from your greenhouse.

Monitor your greenhouse environment for humidity. While some plants will thrive in high humidity, grapes will not. High humidity also promotes powdery mildew. Consider adding extra fans or dehumidifiers if you are in an area with high humidity.

Harvesting Your Growing Grapes

Is it harvest time? Ask your grapes! Grapes that are rich in color, juicy, and plump might be ready. Sample a few to see how they taste before harvesting the whole bunch.

Grapevines grow thick foliage. While foliage is great for shading the plants below, too much foliage can prevent your grapes from ripening. In that case, pinch back some of the foliage to let in more sunlight.

Grapes that are ready to harvest will be attached to the stem tightly. Pro Tip: Grapes will not ripen after being harvested so don’t pick them too early!

Did you know you can store grapes for up to six weeks in a cellar? Store them away from other fruits and vegetables so they are less likely to absorb odors. Use crates or cardboard boxes that are lined with clean, dry straw to store your grapes. Separate the bunches and check them often to ensure they are not spoiling.

Don’t forget that you can freeze grapes for a delicious frozen treat!

The History of Growing Grapes

The Middle East is considered the homeland of grape cultivation, which began 6,000 – 8,000 years ago. The first archaeological evidence of wine-making dates from the European country of Georgia around 8,000 years ago.

Grapes are actually a berry that grow on deciduous woody vines with the berries or grapes growing in clusters. They can be eaten fresh or dried as raisins, currants and sultanas. Grapes are probably best known for their role as wine. However, they are also made into jam, juice, vinegar and oil.

As far as wineries go, the oldest known winery, Areni-1, was found in Armenia and dated around 4000 BC. There are ancient hieroglyphics in Egypt that recorded the cultivation of purple grapes. History has proven the ancient Greeks, Romans and other cultures were growing purple grapes to eat and for wine making.

The practice of growing grapes later spread to regions in Europe and North Africa. Eventually growing grapes came to North America. However, there are native grapes that belong to species of the genus Vitus proliferating in the wild across the North American continent. These were consumed by many Native American tribes. Early Europeans considered America’s wild grapes to be unsuitable for wine.

Grape Trivia

• Did you know there are over 10,000 varieties of grapes? All that from about 60 species. Only a small variety of grapes actually make it to the market. 
• Table grapes range in size from less than ½ inch to oblong grapes that are two inches long. Have you ever seen tear drop or funny finger grapes?
• To make a bottle of wine takes about two and a half pounds of grapes.
• Did you know that grapes are actually berries? The Old English word berry actually means grapes.
• Table grapes and wine grapes are different. Table grapes have a thinner skin and farmers have been growing them to be seedless or have small seeds. Wine grapes tend to be smaller, have thicker skin and many seeds.
• “Grape expectations lead to grape results.” We’d be grapeful if you would give us a courtesy laugh here…
• In Spain there’s a tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight on New Years Eve, one grape for every chime of the clock. This is thought to bring good luck and prosperity. It certainly can’t hurt.
• The oldest grapevine in America is over 400 years old!
• California produces 99% of the table grapes consumed in the US.

Growing Grapes in a Dome – Health Benefits

Grapes are a delicious superfood! Those little fruits are packed full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B-1, B-2 and B-6. Grapes also contain copper, manganese and potassium. Did you know that ½ cup of raisins has more potassium than a banana? Just remember that grapes also contain a lot of sugar so eat them with healthy fats such as almonds or cheese to keep the sugar from spiking.

Here are some of the benefits of eating grapes. Research shows the grapes can help lower cholesterol, are helpful for eyesight and liver function. They also contain resveratrol, which is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

More studies are being done on the benefits of eating grapes in the cardiovascular system, the brain, bladder and colon according to Dr. John Pezzuto at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Dr. Pezzuto’s work focuses on phytochemicals, which help ward off disease and the microbiome, bacteria and fungi found inside and on the human body. Grapes are amazing and have more than 1,600 phytochemicals! The idea behind his work is to show that consuming grapes changes the microbiome with the effects making humans more robust. Dr. Pezzuto says “There is a famous saying that you are what you eat. What we have found is that what you eat actually changes you genetically,” he said. “I think we are just starting to recognize the power of diet, and, for me, all of this started by looking at grapes.”

We hope you enjoyed reading our article about growing grapes in your greenhouse. Happy gardening!

Tina Jones Marketing Assistant

I joined Growing Spaces in 2021 as a gardener and now work with the Marketing and Social Media department. Formerly I was a kindergarten teacher and then worked as a Gardener and Volunteer Coordinator at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens in Hawaii. Since moving to Colorado I worked in the veterinary field and have been involved in therapy dog work visiting hospitals, schools and libraries with a national therapy group. My previous dog and I also worked as a crisis response team helping those affected by crises or disasters and were deployed through Hope Animal-Assisted Crisis Response. Muppet and I are now a crisis response canine-handler team! Outside of working and volunteering, I love growing native plants and flowers at home, hiking, photography and hanging out with my husband and our dogs. I like to garden and volunteer with my therapy dogs in the community. My husband and I enjoying skiing and horseback riding. He helps build gardening beds so I can dig in the dirt and grow things.

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