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Fruit
Grapevine
Vitis vinifera
A long-lived deciduous vine that thrives in Adelaide's Mediterranean climate and can shade a pergola in summer while giving fruit in late summer and autumn. Plant in full sun in winter. The one thing to get right is winter pruning: grapes fruit on this season's shoots from last year's wood.
- SunFull sun
- Spacing200 cm apart
- FrostFrost hardy
- HeatHandles heat well
When to plant where you live
Checking your area…
Add grapevine to my gardenTake care with pets and children
Pets: Seriously toxic. Children: Not known to be toxic. Parts: fruit. Grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs.
Varieties (4)
- Crimson SeedlessLate, crisp red seedless table grape; stores well on the vine
- Flame SeedlessEarly red seedless grape; ripens before autumn rain
- Muscat HamburgBlack seeded grape with rich muscat flavour; good on pergolas
- Thompson Seedless (Sultana)Sweet green seedless grapes for eating and drying; vigorous
Neighbours
Grows well with
From seed to plate
Plant
200 cm apart. Full sun.
Water
Deep, infrequent.
Feed
Light feed in spring.
Pick
Pick bunches when sweet.
Good to know
- Prune in winter, cutting last season's canes back to 2 bud spurs (or keep a few long canes for seedless types)
- Water deeply but infrequently; established vines are drought tolerant
- Thin bunches on young vines so they don't overcrop
Common problems
- Powdery mildew (grey dust on leaves and berries)prune for an open canopy, remove excess leaves around bunches; use sulfur or a registered fungicide following label directions
- Downy mildew (oily spots, white down beneath) after warm rain: improve airflow, water at the base; use a registered fungicide following label directions
- Birds, wasps and possumsnet or bag bunches as they colour
- Light brown apple moth caterpillars in bunchesthin leaves around bunches; use a Bt-based registered product following label directions
If you use a garden chemical, follow the label exactly. Try organic options first, and ask the community or Plant Doctor if you're unsure.
Where this information comes from
- Vinehealth Australia: SA Plant Quarantine Standard condition 7 (phylloxera entry rules) (biosecurity, medium confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
- ABC Gardening Australia fact sheets (growing, low confidence)
- Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) (planting time, low confidence)
- Poisons information centre plant guidance (Australia) (toxicity, low confidence)
- Pet Poison Helpline: Are grapes and raisins poisonous to dogs? (acute kidney failure) (toxicity, high confidence, checked 27 Oct 2026)
Reviewed by AI cross-check (Claude), not a horticulturist on 27 Oct 2026. Version 2.