Garden Care Guide

Grapevine Care

Vitis vinifera

A deciduous vine grown for its fruit (grapes). It likes plenty of sun and deep, well-drained soil. Annual pruning, spraying and care are critical for good, abundant yields. Izmir is an ideal region for growing grapevines.

Hardy · -20 °C / -4 °F

Monthly care calendar

Timings are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate. In warmer areas tasks start earlier, in colder areas later; in the Southern Hemisphere shift them by six months.

January
  • Watering: Not needed. The vine is dormant.
  • Pruning: This is the ideal time for the main pruning that determines next year's crop and the vine's shape. Last year's shoots are pruned according to the variety.
  • Plant protection: After pruning, apply a 2-strength Bordeaux mixture (bluestone) to destroy overwintering disease spores.
  • General care: Remove pruning debris from the vineyard to guard against disease. Root cuttings can be taken.
  • Frost risk: It is fully hardy against winter frosts.
February
  • Fertilizing: Just before it wakes from dormancy, compound fertilizers containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) can be applied to the soil according to the soil analysis results. Do not overapply.
  • Pruning: While dormant, remove dry, broken, crossing and inward-growing branches so that air and light reach the inside of the crown. Heavy pruning during dormancy is standard; flowers and fruit form on 1-year-old shoots. Late pruning causes sap bleeding. Complete pruning before the winter frosts.
  • Plant protection: Just before the buds wake up, Bordeaux mixture can be repeated.
  • General care: The buds begin to swell.
  • Frost risk: Swelling buds become sensitive to frost.
March
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Apply a balanced fertilizer when it wakes from dormancy. Because yield and fruit quality depend on nutrient balance, having a soil analysis done is especially useful for this plant.
  • Pruning: When the shoots start to grow, unwanted basal shoots (suckers) are removed.
  • Plant protection: When the shoots reach 15-20 cm, start a preventive spray program against powdery mildew and downy mildew (usually with sulfur- and copper-based products).
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: The most critical period for powdery mildew and downy mildew begins.
  • Frost risk: Newly emerging buds are very sensitive to late frosts.
April
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
  • Pruning: Carry out green pruning operations such as shoot thinning and tip removal.
  • Plant protection: Continue the regular spray program against diseases (powdery mildew, downy mildew) and pests (grape berry moth).
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
  • Pests & diseases: The flowering period is one of the most sensitive periods for diseases.
May
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Pruning: Increase air circulation and sun exposure by removing the leaves around the clusters (leaf thinning).
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering begins. Spread mulch 5-7 cm thick over the root zone; it conserves soil moisture and suppresses weeds. Do not pile mulch against the trunk. Drainage is vital for this plant. In heavy soil that holds water, plant it on a raised mound or berm 20-30 cm high, so the root collar stays above the surrounding soil level.
  • Pests & diseases: If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves.
June
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The area around the roots should be wetted to a depth of 20-30 cm.
  • Fertilizing: Apply the second fertilizer dose during the growing season. Do not fertilize after August; late growth will not survive winter.
  • Pruning: Green pruning operations continue.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Flowering continues.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for white, powdery spots on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread. If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves. Check the undersides of the leaves for whitefly clusters. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor density.
July
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The area around the roots should be wetted to a depth of 20-30 cm.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: Harvest begins for table grapes.
  • Pests & diseases: In hot and dry weather, look on the undersides of the leaves for fine webbing and speckled yellowing (spider mites). Washing the leaves during the cool hours reduces their numbers. Look for white, powdery patches on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread. Check the undersides of the leaves for clusters of whiteflies. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor their numbers.
August
  • Watering: Water deeply twice a week; prefer infrequent and generous watering over small and frequent. The area around the roots should be wetted to a depth of 20-30 cm.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: It is the main harvest period for wine and drying grapes.
  • Pests & diseases: In hot and dry weather, look on the undersides of the leaves for fine webbing and speckled yellowing (spider mites). Washing the leaves during the cool hours reduces their numbers. Look for white, powdery patches on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread. Check the undersides of the leaves for clusters of whiteflies. A yellow sticky trap is the easiest way to monitor their numbers.
September
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water once a week.
  • Plant protection: If symptoms spread and treatment is needed, consult a licensed plant-protection supplier or an agronomist. Plant protection products are regulated; follow local rules.
  • General care: This is the main HARVEST period for table and wine grapes in the region. The most important task is to pick the grapes at the right ripeness. In vineyards that have been harvested, maintenance work generally stops.
  • Pests & diseases: Look for white, powdery spots on the leaves (powdery mildew). Thinning dense branches to increase airflow slows its spread. If you see black spots with yellow halos on the leaves (black spot), collect the diseased leaves and remove them from the garden; the disease overwinters in fallen leaves.
October
  • Watering: If there is no rainfall, water every 15 days. Water newly planted plants more often than established plants during the first year; the root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: This is the most suitable time to take a soil sample for soil analysis to plan next year's fertilization.
  • General care: Good time for planting and transplanting.
November
  • Watering: Water a newly planted specimen more often than established plants during its first year, as its root system is still shallow.
  • Fertilizing: Based on the soil analysis result, farmyard manure can be applied to the soil and worked in this month.
  • General care: Suitable period for planting and transplanting. Make sure water does not pool in the root zone during winter rains; for this plant, drainage is more critical than irrigation.
  • Frost risk: It is hardy against winter frosts.
December
  • Pruning: The pruning period begins.
  • General care: The vine is fully dormant. Preparations for pruning are underway.
  • Frost risk: It is hardy against winter frosts.

The care advice on this page is general and for information only; it is not professional advice. Plant age, soil and your garden’s microclimate can change the outcome. Plant protection products are mentioned only as general information; they are regulated, and the choice, dose and timing must be decided by a qualified professional under local rules. Consult a landscape architect or agronomist before applying.

Want reminders for every plant in your garden? Our garden-care app with monthly task lists and frost alerts is currently available in Turkish; the English version is on the way.

Browse all plant guides