How to Grow Grape Vine Cuttings

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If you have grape vines producing healthy fruit, you can take cuttings from them and grow them into exact copies of the old plant. While there are a few other ways to grow grapes, propagating cuttings is one of the easiest and most common ways to start. We'll walk you through everything you need to know so you can grow some healthy vines in about a year!

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Taking Cuttings from Grape Vines

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  1. Grapes grow throughout the summer, but they stop and go dormant through the fall and winter. Since the vines could dry out after you cut them, wait until the late winter so they’re in storage for a shorter time before you plant them. [1]
    • Greenwood cuttings are when you take vines from the current growing season during the summer. Varieties like muscadine grapes only grow from cuttings taken in the summer.
  2. Since older vines produce less fruit, always pick the newest vines from the season for your cuttings. Check that they’re about 1 ⁄ 4 – 3 ⁄ 8 inch (0.64–0.95 cm) in diameter since anything smaller or larger may not grow as easily.
    • If a vine has any damage or disease, pick a healthier-looking vine instead.
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  3. Once you find a vine, pick a node, which is the raised area on the vine with a bud, close to the stem. Use pruning shears to make your cut just below the node. Measure 14–16 in (36–41 cm) down the vine and make your second cut so it's 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) past a node. [2]
    • It’s okay if your vine has more than 3 buds, but stay away from vines where the nodes are spaced further apart.
  4. Grape vine cuttings will only grow roots from the bottom and new vines from the top. To make it easier to tell which ends of the cuttings are the top and bottom, use your shears to cut a 45-degree angle on the end above the top node. [3]
    • The angled cut also helps water run off the stem so it’s less likely to develop rot while it’s growing.
  5. Wet some peat moss and squeeze all the excess moisture out. Lay plastic wrap down and spread half of the peat moss on it. Then, put your cuttings on the peat moss. Completely cover the vines with another layer of moss. Roll the plastic up and tie it shut to keep the vines moist. Keep the vines in your fridge up until the late spring. [4]
    • Your peat moss is dry enough when your hand feels damp after you squeeze it. If your hand is still soaking wet, then the moss has too much moisture.
    • If you’re collecting stems from multiple varieties of grapes, bundle each group of cuttings separately and label them.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Planting Grape Vine Cuttings

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  1. Grape vines won’t survive temperatures that drop below −15 °F (−26 °C), so check the weather and your local frost dates. In the late spring as the soil and weather start to warm up, you can take your cuttings out and get them ready for the next growing season. [5]
  2. Fill a bath or bowl with water that’s around 115–125 °F (46–52 °C) and drop in your cuttings. Leave them in the water for around 5–10 minutes to fully disinfect them from any potential diseases.
    • While many people recommend using rooting hormones, grape vines grow just fine after soaking them in water. Rooting hormones could actually prevent your vines from forming healthy roots. [6]
  3. Make sure the pots you get have drainage holes at the bottom so excess water leaks out. Grapes grow best in sandy loam soils, but you can use any well-draining potting mix. [7] Leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between the top of the soil and the lip of the pot so you can water your cuttings without spilling. [8]
    • Grape vines grow best in loose soil, so be careful not to press it down or compact it too much.
  4. Stick to 1 cutting per pot so the roots get enough nutrients without any competition. Push the bottom of the cutting straight into the soil so it covers up the buds on the bottom. Leave about 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of the cutting above the soil so 2 buds are showing. Press the soil firmly around the cutting to help support it. [9]
    • This helps your vines establish more roots instead of growing new shoots.
  5. Use a watering can to lightly water the soil around your cutting. After adding a bit of water, wait to see if any drains out from the bottom of the pot. If not, add a little more water until you see the excess run out. When the soil feels dry about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the surface, water the soil again. [10]
    • Your plants need around 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water every week.
    • Too much water could cause your vines to develop rot.
  6. Grape vines grow best in warm, sunny locations, so set your pots outside or in a greenhouse where they get enough light. If there isn’t a spot that gets sunlight all day, then make sure the area is at least sunny in the morning. [11]
    • It’s alright if there’s a bit of shade covering your plant during the afternoon hours.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Transplanting Grape Vines

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  1. Leave your cutting to grow in a pot for its first year so it has a chance to develop healthy roots. After the cutting reaches 12 inches (30 cm) tall, you can plant it in the following spring while it’s still dormant.
    • If you plant your grape vines too late in the spring, your vines won't grow as large or they may even die out.
  2. Look for a spot in your yard that gets at least 6 hours of sun throughout the entire day. If you have trouble finding a spot with consistent sunlight, pick a place that at least gets good sunlight in the morning since grapes can tolerate a little bit of shade in the afternoon. [12]
    • Your grapes are less likely to grow healthy vines or fruits if they’re grown somewhere without sunlight.
  3. Run a soil test to check if your soil will work for your vines before you start planting. You can always amend the soil to raise or lower the pH, or you can find a different planting spot with better nutrients. [13] To check the soil drainage, dig a 1 ft (30 cm) hole and fill it with water. After the hole drains, fill it again and measure the depth in 1 hour. If the water level goes down by 1–6 inches (2.5–15.2 cm), then your soil drains well. [14]
    • If you need to increase the pH, add lime or wood ash. If you need to lower the pH, add aluminum sulfate or sulfur. [15]
    • If you need to improve your soil drainage, try mixing in compost or manure to help. [16]
  4. Once you find the perfect planting area, use a shovel to make a hole that’s the same diameter and depth as the pot with your cutting. That way, you won’t have to bend or break any of the roots to make them fit. [17]
    • If you’re planting multiple cuttings in the ground, space them so they’re around 8–10 feet (2.4–3.0 m) apart.
  5. Gently loosen the soil in the pot and slowly pull your plant out. Break away any loose soil around the roots and look for any spots that are broken, soft, or diseased. Use your pruning shears to snip the damaged roots back down to the base.
    • Soaking the roots in water may help break apart more soil and help you find damaged roots.
    • Be sure to disinfect your shears with rubbing alcohol after cutting off the roots to prevent them from spreading diseases.
  6. Carefully place your grape vine into the hole so it’s the same depth as it was in the pot. Fill the hole in with 6 inches (15 cm) of soil and tamp it down so it makes good contact with the roots. Then, fill in the hole so it’s level with the rest of the soil. [18]
    • Adding soil amendments to the hole, like compost or manure, can prevent the roots from expanding and growing strong, so only use regular topsoil.
  7. Use your pruning shears on the weaker stems branching off of the cutting. Trim them back down to the base of the plant to help the roots develop more. [19]
    • The strongest stem becomes the new main trunk for the rest of your vines.
  8. Push a wooden or metal stake into the ground just next to the remaining stem. Use some garden twine or string to loosely tie the vine to the stake for support. This keeps your stem from bending and breaking while it grows. [20]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Caring for Grape Vines

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  1. Grapes easily get stressed when they’re over- or under-watered, so check the soil frequently. If it feels dry 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the surface, water the soil with a sprinkler or watering can until it feels damp. [21]
  2. Some of the most common pests for grape vines are wasps and birds feeding on the fruit. You can use commercial wasp traps or make your own . If you’re worried about birds getting to underripe fruit, cover your entire vine with bird netting to keep them from landing or pecking at your plants. [22]
    • You can buy netting and traps from your local garden center.
  3. Weeds steal the nutrients from your plants, so it’s really important to remove them. Check around the base of your vines for new weed growth at least once a week. If you notice any, pull the entire plant up along with its roots so it’s less likely to grow back. [23]
    • Try covering the area around your plants with 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) of mulch to keep weeds from coming back.
  4. A 10-10-10 fertilizer contains equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Only apply ½ cup (113 g) of fertilizer for every grape vine during the first growing year. Spread the fertilizer in the summer in a thin band about 1 1 ⁄ 2  ft (0.46 m) away from the vine so the roots can easily absorb the nutrients. [24]
    • During the second and third growing years, use 1 cup (227 g) of fertilizer instead. After the fourth year, you can use up to 2 cups (454 g).
  5. After the plant stops growing at the end of summer, look for any vines that look broken or thin. Use your pruning shears to cut the vines back down to the base of the stem. Trim the remaining vines growing from the stem so they only have about 3 buds on them during the first year. [25]
    • For the second growing year and each year after, prune the healthy vines so they have 6–10 buds on them. Choose 2 other healthy vines and cut them back to 2–3 buds.
  6. Train your vines onto a trellis to help support your vines. Training your plants is when you cut or position the vines so they grow away from the main trunk. As your vines continue to grow, bend them down and tie them to horizontal wires to help them spread out and grow even more. From there, you can train the vines to keep growing horizontally or grow back down vertically.
    • Training and trellising your grape vines help air flow through the vines so they don’t get too crowded.
  7. Growing grapes takes a lot of patience, and you won’t have any ripe fruits for a few years. Once your vines produce some healthy grapes, just use your pruning shears to cut the entire cluster off of the stem. [26]
    • Grapes are ready to harvest when they’re plump and juicy with rich colors.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    Are grape vines seasonal products, and if so, does that affect the price that you get from one month to the other?
    Jeanne Walker
    Florist
    Jeanne Walker is a Florist and the Owner of Fringe Flower Company, a floral design shop that specializes in weddings, special events, and daily deliveries. Fringe Flower Company, based in Walnut Creek, California, provides customized hand-tied and vase bouquets along with potted plants, succulent gardens, tulip french buckets, and wreaths. Jeanne also conducts floral design workshops and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
    Jeanne Walker
    Florist
    Expert Answer
    You can purchase them all year, but they're more usable at a particular time of year when they're malleable. Otherwise, they can dry out and become stiff. Whenever something's in season, my experience has been they cost less. When you get them outside their season, they cost more because they're usually imported and harder to find.
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      Warnings

      • When grape vines get stressed from too much or too little water, they’re more susceptible to diseases. [27]
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        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • Grapes will not survive temperatures that drop below −15 °F (−26 °C). [28]
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      Things You’ll Need

      Taking Cuttings from Grape Vines

      • Pruning shears
      • Peat moss
      • Plastic bag
      • Refrigerator

      Planting Your Cuttings

      • 1 US gal (3.8 L) pots with drainage holes
      • Potting soil
      • Watering can

      Transplanting Your Grape Vines

      • Shovel
      • Pruning shears
      • Wooden stake

      Caring for Your Grape Vines

      • Watering can
      • Bird netting
      • Insect traps
      • Trellis
      • 10-10-10 fertilizer
      • Pruning shears

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      References

      1. ↑ https://barron.extension.wisc.edu/files/2021/09/Growing-Grapes-in-WI-A1656.pdf
      2. ↑ https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/H322.pdf
      3. ↑ https://cagardenweb.ucanr.edu/Growing_Grapes_in_the_California_Garden/
      4. ↑ https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/H322.pdf
      5. ↑ https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF635.pdf
      6. ↑ https://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/H322.pdf
      7. ↑ https://extension.unh.edu/resource/growing-grapes-new-hampshire-fact-sheet
      8. ↑ https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1639/html
      9. ↑ https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1639/html
      1. ↑ https://barron.extension.wisc.edu/files/2021/09/Growing-Grapes-in-WI-A1656.pdf
      2. ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/grapes
      3. ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/grapes
      4. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/growing_grapes_in_the_backyard
      5. ↑ https://marinmg.ucanr.edu/BASICS/SOIL_813/evaluate/
      6. ↑ https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/changing-the-ph-of-your-soil/
      7. ↑ https://extension.umd.edu/resource/soil-health-drainage-and-improving-soil
      8. ↑ https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF635.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/grapes
      10. ↑ https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1639/html
      11. ↑ https://barron.extension.wisc.edu/files/2021/09/Growing-Grapes-in-WI-A1656.pdf
      12. ↑ https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF635.pdf
      13. ↑ https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1639/html
      14. ↑ https://barron.extension.wisc.edu/files/2021/09/Growing-Grapes-in-WI-A1656.pdf
      15. ↑ https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/MF635.pdf
      16. ↑ https://www.almanac.com/plant/grapes
      17. ↑ https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1639/html
      18. ↑ https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/ec1639/html
      19. ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/growing_grapes_in_the_backyard

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