One or three trunks, either will work. The vine isn't too big to cut out two. Just your preference. Nice looking setup.

Very nice looking trellis. I think I may use your idea. I am going to plant some grapes this year and my question is will one plant fill that whole trellis or if I wanted a few different varieties could I plant a different variety in each corner.

Dale

I'm doing the same thing. I have Suffolk Red, California Concord, and Himrod in raised planters at 3 of the post bases.

Pod, if you build a pergola I would go to one of those "custom pergola" kit sites and put your dimensions in. When it shows you the model build it based on that. I'm not an expert but from what I've read from the experts you shouldn't use Stimpson strong ties on the posts/cross braces. The most secure way is using thru/carriage bolts.

Here's what I did.

{{gwi:62781}}

{{gwi:62782}}

melikeeatplants, do you have pics of the grape vines.

well...if you look in that box in the foreground there is a Concord grape I just put in bare root. Cut it down to two nodes so nothing to see really. I have a drip line in there so I think it should grow well. Will update it as the season goes along.

With the way I designed the Pergola I could not use carriage Bolts, but either way, if I want to at sometime the strong-ties actually have a carriage bolt slot, I just didn't want to take the chance of drilling through and missing it. I plan on actually covering the strong ties with some redwood so the hardware disappears and it looks a bit nicer, also it has 24 5" lag bolts in the 2x4 roof (it's roughly 64 square feet of space, so it's really not that big, just big enough to stick a picnic table underneath). So based on what you've guys see cut it back to just one vine at the root base would be okay? Would it negatively affect my grape production this coming season? Leaving the Flame Seedless as is - would that affect grape production? Cause I kinda like the three vines as it's already tied up and looks nice imo.

Here is the other 3 grape's I will be planting
Seedless Pink Reliance - http://gurneys.com/product.asp?splid=SPLID01&pn=08499

Seedless Glenora - http://gurneys.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_13130

Himrod - http://www.honeyflowfarm.com/grapepages/himrod/himrodinfo.php

BTW My pergola all together probably cost $250 (if I had to purchase the 4x4's which I used as reclaimed wood cleaned them up/sanded etc, but basically it cost me $180). It's probably one of the cheapest pergola's. Also I've built it pretty tough, I was trying to move it the other day and it's pretty stiff.

Also here is what it would look like once finished (this is my plans so far (don't mind the pergola so much as it's facing the wrong way lol):
http://i42.tinypic.com/2nhp95e.jpg

Nice job refinished the 4x4's. They looked new from the pics. Looks like your neighbor has plenty of citrus to share.

Yeah, we share back and forth on the produce, hooked them up with tomatoes and corn last season. This season I got a more complete crop planned.