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Posted by Shirley99 (U14978693) on Friday, 16th September 2011
My husband and I moved into our new home, which includes a conservatory that we share with a beautiful and very old grapevine (30yrs +). It has given us 4 or 5 bunches of lovely sweet red eating grapes. But we have no idea how to look after it. Can anyone advise us? Do we water it regularly? Or does it take enough water from the ground it's planted in? What and when do we feed it? We vaguely know it needs soft pruned in summer and hard pruned in winter, but beyond that, we know nothing and would dearly love to look after this to the best of our ability.
As it is so old, you can probably assume that it has found a supply of water from outside the conservatory.
There is some info hear on grape vines :-
, in reply to message 1.
Posted by ageing_hippie (U6742113) on Saturday, 17th September 2011
I have some vines, variety "Phoenix" growing over a pergola. They set lots of fruit every year and need rigorous thinning. I have read that vines should be pruned before Christmas to avoid bleeding, so that is what I do and have never had a problem.
thank you very much, that is very reassuring.
You don't actually need to prune them at all.
The more branch and foliage they have, the more grapes they will produce.
You may have other priorities for the grape vine, than a huge crop of grapes!
I produced 60lbs off one vine one year by doing that.
Last year I had 30lbs from one vine and pruned a little, to keep it from blowing over the autumn before that..
I split the roots of that vine, last autumn, from previous layering propagation,replanted and I am now looking forward to production from 5 vines next year.
May I suggest you get hold of 'Growing Fruit' by Harry Baker a RHS handbook which will give you all the information you require. It is much better to have the book rather than relying on random advice which may be misleading.
From the book it seems to be a labour of love, but if it produces good eating grapes ot will be worth it.
From my experience, it is remarkably simple to get a good crop of grapes, with very little effort. Far easier than growing tomatoes for instance.
, in reply to message 7.
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Tuesday, 20th September 2011
Bara knows her stuff on the score of grapes, but to coin a witty epithet for the moment
"Realfood has said a mouthful "
about the ease of growing grapes compared with tomatoes
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