# I wanna grow grapes in pots. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086 "2019-04-26T17:14:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/1 "2019-04-26T17:14:48Z")
But I don’t have much of a yard anymore. However, I’ve got a pretty massive deck (which we call Moby Deck–Biggus Deckus having been used for a different project on a previous home). My plan is to just put the grape plants in pots or planter boxes, but I don’t want the roots to be cramped. I can add support for the deck from below so weight isn’t really a problem. How much dirt will a grape plant need in order to make it comfortable? And since I’ll be able to customize the soil, what sort of soil profile will make the little guys happy? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/2 "2019-04-26T17:21:07Z")
Forget about soil, how much trellis are you willing to install? Grapes go up way more than they go down and if you don’t accomodate that you’re just going to have a mess. That being said, I wouldn’t try it in anything smaller or shallower than a half barrel. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/3 "2019-04-26T17:27:14Z")
Grape root systems can be 15 or 20 ft. deep. Unless there’s a dwarf variety I don’t think you can grow them in pots. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/4 "2019-04-26T17:29:44Z")
“Incontinentia Flowerpots”? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/5 "2019-04-26T18:03:53Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > “Incontinentia Flowerpots”? I’ll take it into consideration. As for trellis, I’m adventurous enough to train them into a pergola or gazebo. We had concords when I was a kid, so I’m familiar with how much they like to sprawl. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/6 "2019-04-26T18:10:57Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Grape root systems can be 15 or 20 ft. deep. Unless there’s a dwarf variety I don’t think you can grow them in pots. This. We had grapes growing in our backyard and decided to get rid of them at one point. I’m still occasionally digging up forearm-thick roots many yards away from the original vines. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/7 "2019-04-26T18:16:13Z")
If you want grapes on your deck, plant them in the ground and let them grow up the deck supports. Grapes don’t much care about how good the soil is, they’re very able at finding every bit of nutrition there can possibly be. Sure, they’ll take your deck out eventually but hey, grapes! You’ll still need a shitload of trellis though. I planted a little flame grape vine in an awkward corner formed by a curved path and the edge of a cement patio and that thing eventually completely covered the entire trellis over the patio, which was about 12 feet by 20. Had to get up on the roof every year to hack it back so it didn’t grow right up over the roof. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/8 "2019-04-26T18:41:09Z")
I actually kind of like where this is heading. If I go with ground planting I can prune the vines back to the floor every year leaving about 4-5 feet of trunk. Presumably I’d want to trim new growth in the springtime to ensure it only runs vines above the floor. The trex we have now is old and crumbly and needs to be replaced anyway. I could easily box in the trunk to keep it trained and to keep the dogs from gnawing it into the dirt. So plant it in the ground, not in a pot. Is 5 feet too much for a trunk? ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/9 "2019-04-26T19:04:29Z")
The grape doesn’t really care–look at wine grapes, cut back onto trellises that are basically waist high and that’s how they grow all their lives. Cut it back to where it works best for you and the grape will adapt. ---
**Author:** ![bobmarleykingg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bobmarleykingg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobmarleykingg)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/10 "2019-04-26T19:15:41Z")
Its really not possible because grapes need to grow from 165 to 180 days and required depth of soil for the roots is 15 to 20 feet deep. If you have the big big pot like this than you should try to do it. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/11 "2019-04-26T19:18:29Z")
> [@bobmarleykingg](#): > > If you have the big big pot … Excellent post / username combo. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/12 "2019-04-26T19:29:16Z")
Yep, I like the planting it on the ground beside the deck. Make sure no utilities, like sewer pipes or gas lines, come into the house at that point. Grape roots are pervasive. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/13 "2019-04-26T19:29:59Z")
I have seen grapevines that have been pot grown - in half barrel size pots, that were a good 20+ years old. They’d be a lot smaller, need more pruning, and you wouldn’t get so much crop, but it can be done. Just because they grow a lot of root if they get the chance doesn’t mean they _need_ it, exactly. Loam based growing media’s apparently best. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/14 "2019-04-26T20:11:26Z")
Bonsai grapevines? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2019, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wanna-grow-grapes-in-pots/833086/15 "2019-04-26T20:32:28Z")
With iddybiddy Black Corinths. I could feel like a giant!