Building a canopy for grapes with your own hands
The creation of conditions for the growth and development of grape culture begins with the organization of the planting site. Most varieties are vigorous and require a garter. You need to build a canopy for grapes or a gazebo where the plant will feel comfortable.
Building a canopy for grapes with your own hands
Types of canopies for grape culture
An arch or canopy is a good way to add flavor to your landscaping.
In addition to the aesthetic appearance, there are other advantages of such designs. They make it easier to care for the planted crop: it becomes more convenient for bushes to water, cut and harvest from them.
The designs themselves are different. In the courtyards of residential buildings or in summer cottages, they are erecting:
- Welded types. The most difficult to manufacture, but have a lot of advantages. They are reliable and durable.
- Arches. A classic grape trellis with a curved roof. It is made from a profile pipe, metal arcs and other materials.
- Constructions made of metal and wire. The simplest version of a canopy for grapes. You will need to install supports between which the wire is pulled.
- Gazebos. The most profitable option for decorative purposes and in the arrangement of a resting place.
Each type of structure lends itself to making it yourself. The main thing is to find the right material.
Place for the construction of the arch
Before starting work, it is important to decide on the place where the vineyard will be erected. The dimensions of the structure are taken into account. Vine sheds are often made with a height of 2 to 3 m. Width and length are also different. The location of the structure should not violate the general composition of the land plot.
The place itself should be well lit by the sun's rays. Even if it is planned to grow frost-resistant grape varieties, it is important to avoid drafts, which are most dangerous in winter, so they are often erected behind houses or other private buildings.
Metal and wire option
Having decided on the location for the construction of the future resting place, they move on to choosing its type. Most often they are guided by the materials available on the farm. The most budgetary type is made from metal supports and wire.
The amount of materials depends on the size of the structure. The most simple canopy for grapes with their own hands is erected as follows:
- Install supports. Profile pipes of 3-3.5 m in length are suitable. They are dug into the ground or concreted parallel to each other. The distance between the supports is 2 m.
- Through holes are drilled in the supports for the wire in increments of 30 cm.
- Pull on the wire.
- The roof is made from the same profile.
Such constructions are simple. Their construction does not require specific skills. The vine, while developing, will braid the wire, scattering shoots over the entire space of metal supports and wire.
Welded construction
The arch can be a decoration of the site
If the farm has a welding machine, a welded structure would be the best option for the planted crop.
Its advantages are reliability and durability. With correct calculations and work performed, such a building will stand in the yard for up to 40-50 years. The grower will be deprived of the need to tighten the wire every season. The only condition for durability is only painting the metal supports and lintels every 3-4 years.
The welded type is erected, starting with the concreting of metal supports. They dig holes with a depth of 60-70 cm, erect pillars, fix them with pieces of brick and stones. The distance between the supports is maintained at 2-2.5 m. The pits are poured with concrete at a level with the ground, rammed and allowed to dry completely. After 3-4 days, work continues:
- Jumpers are welded to the posts, forming a grid with squares or rectangles. For the normal development of grapes, the size of such cells is made 15x15 or 15x20 cm.
- The roof is welded to the tops of the concrete pillars. Making a wire mesh is optional. It is better to weld several jumpers at a distance of 30 cm from each other.
- The structure is painted or coated with special anti-corrosion compounds.
If it is important to get reliable protection from the sun and rain, the building is equipped with polycarbonate sheets. So plants will not suffer from a lack of lighting, and human needs will be met.
Classic arch
Do-it-yourself arch construction is not much different from previous options for a resting place. Also, metal supports are dug in or concreted at a distance of 2 m from each other. It is important to place them parallel to each other in order to avoid skewing the structure.
The only difference between an arch and a canopy is the installation of a curved roof. It is necessary to prepare curved arcs that are welded to the supports.
Alcove
The vineyard also looks aesthetically pleasing on arbors made of wooden beams or metal pipes. As in the case with other design options, they prepare and clean the place for installing the gazebo. In the corners of the future structure, pillars are dug in and concreted, between which jumpers are later made, forming the outline of the future resting place. Here, the sizes of the netting made of twigs or wooden planks, which are favorable for the growth of the culture, also stand.
The roof is made of any shape. Conical, pitched or domed types are suitable. They also do without this element of the gazebo. An economical option is wire pulling. The vine itself will twine around it, creating a shadow.
What variety to plant
An arch or a gazebo built in the courtyard is suitable for non-sheltering grape varieties.
The best varieties of culture will be "Concord", "Lydia", "Alpha", etc. These varieties do not require complex care. They take root well in temperate climates and tolerate frosts from -15 ° C to -20 ° C. If the vineyard will perform a decorative function, Japanese and wedge-leaved crops are suitable for planting.
If the area allocated for the construction of a shed for grapes is small, it is better to give preference to varieties of different ripening periods. So the grower will be able to be content with delicious ripe fruits all season. Under a canopy or arch you can plant:
- "Elegant". An early medium-sized variety with green-white fruits. The mass of one bunch reaches 700 g.
- "Muscat Pleven". An early hardy variety with white fruits. The mass of the bunch is up to 600 g. The variety is rarely exposed to pests.
- "Super-Extra". The fruits of the variety ripen in July. The average weight of a bunch is 700 g. It is a high-yielding, disease-resistant variety.
- "Isabel". Late grade. Its advantages are frost resistance, disease resistance, high yield (up to 60 kg of grapes are removed from an adult vine).
Each grower selects varieties according to his wishes and taste. Planted bushes, with proper care, will perfectly take root in a new place of detention.The vine is spread over an arch or a gazebo, which gives a person the desired shade, and culture - all the conditions for development.
Conclusion
When choosing a type of canopy for a grape crop, they take into account their own desires for the size of the structure, as well as those materials that are on the farm. The cheapest and easiest option is to build an arch from wooden or metal pillars and wire. For construction for centuries, they make a choice in favor of the welded option.