Billy wrote:
In article ,
Jeff wrote:

I think now I'll plant it back it a bit where it can root
well and grow into the sunniest.

I see lots of grape plants for sale and had decided to try it
without realizing what a science it is to raise and prune grapes. My
neighbor across the street was an old Frenchman who used to have a
number overhead "trellises" under his walkways with grapes. I wish he
was around now... Table grapes is all I want...

I don't know why I'm responding to this, except my introduction to grape
arbors started with an ol "Frog" too.

I was fond of my "Frog" also, although he had been here for decades,
English was still a second language. I think all French must have a
particularly high high regard for good dining and good living.

Thanks for the considered and detailed response.

We spent many a happy hour there,
cheating each other and our wives at canasta, and eating many a
delicious meal. But that is another story.

Forget wire or cable, these things can get serious.
See:
http://www.amazon.com/General-Viticu...025911/ref=sr_
1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241374941&sr=1-1
Click on "Look Inside"
Click on "First Pages" and then go to page 4
That is a grape arbor.

Absolutely unbelievable.

(Thirty years ago, I saw 10' X 6' arbors used for growing commercial
grapes in the Asti region of Italy.)

When the arbor is up, I recommend that you pour a slab for the dining
area underneath with an extension off to side to place your barbecue on.

Best picture I could find of an arbor was
http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/a-gr...bor/index.html
This arbor is a little too close to the house for my taste, but what
ever spins your wheels. I like the stonework in the slab.

Oddly, I have good shade. It's sun that is at a premium.

For construction see:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07202...=lifestyle.xml
or
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/e...pearbors/grape.
html

For growing grapes in Atlanta see:
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/phpBB...pic.php?t=8577
and
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B807/B807.htm

The UGA doc is quite comprehensive. I'm disappointed that I won't be
eating Perlette, but it does get quite humid here. I do notice that the
boundary between their Upper Piedmont Area and the Lower Piedmont,
Middle and South Georgia Area runs right through my house, in addition,
I'm right at 1000'. Perhaps Fredonia and Conquistador, to cover all
bases... or miss them all...

It appears to me that I should use the American Varieties as I'll
have a high arbor, that mirrors what the French neighbor did.

I've always envisioned civilization as having started with
dining (conversation + food). Bon appétit.

Thanks to you and Billy for the thoughtful answers. It appears that
I'll need to do more thinking about what to buy and how to build the
arbors. I have a slab on the southern sunnier end of my yard where my
garage used to be (~ 8' * 16'). That looks to me like two vines max.

Jeff