"Pete Griffiths" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been
given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured,
and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Thanks,

Pete



When I were a wee lad, my father brought home a young vine and he had been
told the same thing. We had a large Victorian Conservatory which had a gap
of about 2 inches all round the bottom. He dug a hole on the outside, put a
dead rabbit in the bottom, don't ask, that's what he was told to do, covered
that with some soil and then planted the vine, bringing the vine under the
side walls and then trained it up and under the roof. Masses of leaves, and
quite a bit of fruit, nothing special.

Much later I bought a house which also had a Conservatory , this too had a
vine planted in the same way. Tons of leaves, tons of very very small
grapes, many of which went mouldy before being ready to eat.

Hopefully, some more experienced Vine Gardeners will point out what was
wrong with our vines so you don't make the same mistakes. Toooooooooo many
leaves. Tooooooooooo small grapes. Mould.

:-((

Mike