To keep grapes under control and ensure the best harvest, you'll need to spend time training the vines throughout their first three years and then follow up with yearly pruning (see Pruning Grapes) over the rest of the plant's life. While time-consuming, the results are worth it.

Along a wire or rail fence. Wire guides and fence rails provide a framework for shaping a grapevine's growth as well as providing support. Start by letting the vine grow by itself throughout the first spring and summer. The first winter, choose the sturdiest vertical shoot as the trunk. Tie this to the support (you may need to add a temporary support if it can't reach the permanent support). Cut this shoot back to three or four buds, and remove all other shoots.

In the second spring, let the buds grow out to between 6 and 8 inches long. Choose the strongest upright one as the trunk. If you'll be growing the vine along a single wire or rail, cut off all the other shoots. If you're growing the vine on a double wire or rail, choose two more shoots and tie them to the lower wire or rail.

In the second summer, once the trunk reaches the first or top horizontal support, cut the tip to encourage the vine to grow sideways. Choose the two strongest arms that develop, and remove the others. If shoots develop from these arms, remove them as well. If you have a lower wire or rail, tie the lower arms along the support. Pinch back any lateral shoots on those arms so they are about 10 inches long.

In the second winter, prune off all of the growth on both the trunk and the arms. In the third summer, let the vine grow, pruning any growth from the trunk. Tie the arms to the supports as needed.

In the third winter, begin pruning, using either spur pruning or cane pruning as described in Pruning Grapes.

If you're growing on a support that has more than two horizontal supports, follow the general outline above, but choose shoots close to each arm to develop.

On an arbor or pergola. Left unchecked, a strong vine will grow up and over an arbor or pergola, but it won't necessarily grow exactly where you want it to or produce great fruit. To be sure the vine grows where you want and the fruit production is optimal, you'll need to train it after it's planted. If you have room, consider growing several varieties of grapes, setting a different one at each post.

In the first spring and summer, let the plant grow without any training. In the first winter, choose the sturdiest vertical shoot as a trunk and tie it to the post. Cut it back to three or four buds, and remove the other shoots.

In the second spring, let the buds grow out to 6- to 8-inch-long shoots. Choose the strongest upright one as the trunk, and then remove all the other shoots. During the second summer, let the vine reach the top of the arbor or pergola and then bend it and tie it to the top in the direction you want it to grow. Remove any side shoots to encourage growth at the tip.

In the second winter, cut back the main stem to a point just past where you want the last set of branches to be. Remove all the side shoots.

In the third spring, thin the shoots as they grow so they are 1 foot apart. In the third winter, begin either spur pruning or cane pruning (as described in Pruning Grapes), depending on the variety. See more about Vines.