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Endpost advice for backyard (50') table grape trellis.

Posted by hungryfrozencanuck 4a (My Page) on
Sat, Sep 27, 14 at 16:36

Hello,

I have 2 rows of table grapes. 5 plants each row spaced 8 feet apart. 4 x 8 foot metal t-posts are driven 3 feet into the ground every 8 feet (midpoint between plants). Wolverine geneva double curtain (http://www.agritek.com/wolverine_grape) cap on the t-posts places wires at 6 feet above ground. I was planning to use 8 gauge monofilament for the fruiting wires because it gets REALLY cold here.

My question is what to use for the end posts? I am doing this myself and only need 4 end posts. Using railway ties or large diameter posts seems like overkill for 50' rows and would be a lot of work for me to install by myself. I was planning on using a motorized post driver that can handle 3' posts to place the t posts so was hoping to get by using the same driver with 2.875" galvanized fence end posts (10 feet, driven 4 feet into the ground). These end posts would be driven in at 60 degrees with a gripple earth anchor holding it in place.

I think my main issue is with the potential problems of lateral bending force. The T posts have negligible strength in this area so the end posts and wire have to keep it all stable. 4" pressure treated pine has a lateral breaking force of 970 lb, 5" 1893lb. 6" 3268 lb. I could not find breaking force of 2.875" galvanized posts. But then again each plant should only yield 10-20 lbs of fruit so max 100 lbs fruit + the same in branches so only 200lbs?

Any advice or feedback? If I had to do it again I would buy the Wolverine geneva double curtain that goes on round posts instead of t posts. See attached diagram for visual interpretation of layout.


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Endpost advice for backyard (50') table grape trellis.

For my corner posts I used hedge posts 1 foot or so in diameter and used a sharpy shovel to get them about 4 feet in the ground on a 20' run. The grapes get so heavy they break / bend woven wire fencing I used and I frequently mend it back together. I would cut another peace of hedge that looks like a Y to hold the posts in place on each end buried sideways at an angle or use a steel braded cable with a stake driven in the ground or both. Like you I used T posts in the middle and a hedge post in the middle as well. Believe it or not the weight depends on the type of grapes with seedless concord being my heaviest variety. I made a mistake and planted them 6' apart instead of 8' as recommended and they grow thick fast because of that. Seedless concord are a very aggressive variety in Kansas and they put out lots of foliage. They grow so long in some years the ends start to root where they touch the ground. Red canadice for example have nice small canes and are not overly thick or difficult to support. I planted them 6' apart and they never grow any larger than that for the most part. I aggressively trim my grapes every year. Because we do not have lots of water the idea was I trim the grapes to 6' instead of 8' so they don't have as much plant needing water. I've killed grapes back to the ground here by letting them grow out to long. I still plant new varieties close together but I will allow 8' for seedless concord next time.


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