Grape-growers: Can I train my grapes thusly?

I planted 4 table grape vines about 7 feet apart on my property line. I’ve studied and studied the various (and somewhat complicated) methods of trellising, training, and arboring my grapes. I’m thinking easy would be good.
Can I just put in a 2 rail fence (the sort of decorative fence you see around some yards) and train them to those? Wild grapevines grow all over here, and they don’t seem to need a 6 ft tall trellis…I don’t know if I’m missing something or not.

fences and fence like structures work fine for me and in cases i’ve seen.

A fence will work quite well, but you will need to prune & train the grapes to fit it. Probably the best way is to establish a single or double trunk reaching to the top rail, then grow two cordons (arms) horizontally along the rail. At this point you can locate “budding shoots” at intervals along the cordons and take each year’s fruiting canes from these. If you direct them upward, you may need a wire about 16 inches above the cordons to support the canes and protect them from breaking off. If you orient them to grow downward, you probably should have the cordons about 6 feet high to keep the canes from dragging on the ground.

You might find the following article useful*, although it is directed more toward wine growers than table grapes:
Viticultural Practices

With apologies for promoting my own content

Two foot high is workable for the fence. You do need good air circulation and sun to have healthy and good tasting grapes. You will have to work at it harder with such a low fence to make sure the plants don’t drop so low to the ground the air doesn’t circulate.

Remember the vine would have to be at the very top and the grapes will be hanging down giving you little clearance to a weed free ground less alone if you have weeds.

I see it’s not a two foot high fence, but the advice given is still relevant.

That’s helpful, thank you all. If I have this right: I can use the two rail fence (which I’m partial to mainly because I can install it myself and it’ll look nice at the edge of the yard), as long as the grapes actually vine along the top rail, and I keep them clear of the ground.
I could see if I can find a slightly taller fence, I guess. I’m just trying to avoid having to install something that requires a 6 foot clearance…I can’t see myself planting a post that big!

… three rail fence? :smiley:

Yeah, yeah…a THREE rail fence! Or a really tall two rail fence.
(I’m sure there’s a more official name for that kind of fence, but I don’t know what it is…I’ve heard it called a split-rail, but it’s not the split rail fence I picture when I hear that term. So I don’t know…)