How to Buy Vines for a Vineyard

Buying vines for your vineyard isn't as hard as it sounds. As long as you know what you are looking for, buying vines for your vineyard is fairly easy. If you plan to grow organically you should talk to other organic growers among you about their processes. If you need vine cuttings, visit a garden nursery. They should be able to provide you with the services you need.

1. Check the points where the buds are grafted to the vines. To test its strength, gently pull back on the bud. If it breaks or shows a gap, it is not healthy.

2. Examine the roots. Choose plants with the fullest roots, as they are the healthiest. Do not buy vines with damaged and/or discolored roots.

3. Examine the bark on each vine. If the bark is black, soft and/or spongy, do not buy it. Blackness on the bark of a vine is a sign of a fungal infection.

4. Check the size of the vines. Be sure to purchase vines that will accommodate the space of the vineyard. Vines that are between one and one and a half feet long with at least six buds are the best to buy. If they have less than six buds and are short, they will take longer to grow. The number of bulbs determines the number of flowers the vine will have.