Metal Conduit or PVC pipe for a 15 foot high arbor?

Agnantoo. How many vines are planted there to give me an idea of the scope and size of the vines? I have never seen a "tame" vine, only the wild tree top ones though I have planted two in my yard this year.

chickenista
You need to get domesticated vines as they are much more productive and the varied varieties offer different levels of sweetness. The fruits are also much larger, the diameter of a quarter or larger. The plants can be obtained here http://www.isons.com/fruit.htm .

There are only two vines. The vine with the fruit pictured is the early producer. On the other side is a vine whose fruit matures a couple of weeks later. With the two different ripening times I have fresh grapes for a much longer time. The size of the larger vine is misleading in the photo as it is as large as a muscular mans arm. That pipe in the center of the picture is 6 inch diameter! The vine is approximately 14 years old. I have a third picture if you want to see it.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!

I got two domesticated vines this spring.. one is a self pollinator and one is not, but they said it would be pollinated by the self pollinator... Wow.. I have to show these pics of the size of the vines to DH.. he didn't believe me

Oh, these pictures are just beautiful! Would so love to be able to grow something like these.... I will have to remember to come to this thread when it is January here in Fairbanks!

I can imagine all the weight that would be on the trellis and supports, though. All those vines, leaves and fruit can sure add up and one sure would not want it to come crashing down when the grapes are starting to ripen.

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Lori

Agmantoo: I just love, love, love your trellis and would really like something very similar. If I may ask: there looks to be ?8? uprights. What do you have stretched over the top between the uprights, to support the vines, and how is it held on? Are the vines planted at the two front corners or are they planted kitty corner to each other? Do they go all the way across the arbor or just around the outer perimeter? Sorry for all the questions. Did I mention I love that arbor? LOL

No problem with the questions. I have the trellis to where I can dismantle it should the need arise. The center upright pipe has multiple holes cut perpendicular near the top end in a hexagon arrangement. I patiently used a hole saw to do this in the schedule 40 6 inch diameter pipe. Then I used pipe to make the spokes of the "wheel". These spoke pipes are 12 plus feet long and the ends of the pipe that go into the "hub" of the wheel have a 1/2 inch hole drilled cross ways in each horizontal pipe. The outer sections of the "spokes" are supported by vertical pipes that have a short length of square tubing with a 2 inch ID welded on top of the upright pipes. The openings of the square tubing are 90 degrees to the vertical pipes. After digging holes for the outer uprights, I simply slide the horizontal pipes through the hole in the square tubing and feed the horizontal pipe on to the center upright. At the center upright I inserted the horizontal pipe into the hole drilled with the hole saw. Then From the top opening of the center upright I dropped a 1/2inch bolt into the 1/2 inch hole previously drilled into the horizontal pipe. This bolt holds the horizontal pipe in place. If I want to dismantle the trellis I just reach into the top of the 6 inch center pipe and withdraw the bolt and then pull the horizontal pipe out. It is much simpler to do than to describe! To create more support for the vines I got 6 each short pieces of pipe about 6 inches long that would slip over the ends of the "spokes" and I drilled a small hole cross ways about an inch from one end. I stuck those short pieces on the horizontal "spokes" with the drilled hole to the outside of the trellis. I then threaded high tensile fence wire around the outer edges with the wire going through the small holes of the short lengths of pipe. This created the beginning of a "spider web". Then I just strung the high tensile wire to where I made more "spider web" , the wires were kept taut with the tensioners used with the high tensile fence wire. The vines run the "spider webs". There are 2 main vines and they are nearly opposite each other, initially I had 3 vines 120 degrees apart, on died early on. They have grown to intertwine with each other and they cross the full 24 feet of the trellis, there are no areas not covered. I actually have to prune the vine to keep it on the trellis. I would like to have made the trellis a little taller but children could not reach the grapes. They have to stand on a bucket as it is. I invite anyone that wants to enjoy the crop to come and eat all they want but I do not give permission to pick them into a container so that the grapes will go around for everyone. The entire trellis including the bolts was from recycled material. Nothing was bought. If I am unclear just ask for more input.

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Agmantoo
If they can do it,
you know you can!