On 23 Apr, 17:06, Martin wrote:
On 23 Apr 2007 07:10:49 -0700, La Puce wrote:





On 23 Apr, 14:29, hazchem wrote:
Grapes for wine are not usually good to eat. I have several vines on
my allotment and I am increasing the number. I would be interested to
know how other people solve the problems of vine growing. Vines don't
like waterlogged soils in winter (not many plants do) and I solve this
problem by growing my vines on ridges. I would like to know how other
people solve the problem, or if they see it as a problem. Books don't
seem to have much to say on the subject.
When I go to Brighton on the train from East Croydon I look out for 2
allotment sites near the tracks. The second of the 2 has a plot
seeming to be completely covered in vines.
I have had some criticism from the organisers of my allotment site
about my plot, and I am concerned that they may not feel that my plot
is up to their standards. If they do criticise again, I would like to
be able to tell them that many people have mostly vines on their plot
and have done so for years with no problems.

New Kent Allotment - there's this chap who's growing grapes since
1982. Check that link.

http://www.timeout.com/london/bars/features/2444.html

My father in law growns a stranger grape in his greenhouse
(Birmingham) - a delicious white dessert grape, sweet and full of
flavour, compact small transluscent raisins. Amazing. It's in it's
green house, straight from the ground, well protected and deep rooted,
a light sandy soil and a very old specimen, but with a fantastic
yield. My in laws have beein in this house perhaps 10 years now and
found the grape but didn't asked what it was.

Interesting you've asked these questions because I want to grow grapes
and the lotty is out of the question. The requirements now to plant
fruit trees, new sheds, hedge etc. is so laborious, I don't even want
to go there. So I thought against my house which is a perfect place,
16m of south facing wall. I will need to start working on the soil
very soon for next year - I'm looking at totally changing the soil
since I've got tarmac, followed by rubble, then sand etc. It is going
to be quite a project but we've started working on the trellis, which
will form part of a pergola running all along the side of the house
where I want the grapes to grow. I thought 2 grapes would do, ideally
a white one and a red one.

Now how/what soil would you start with? What type of layers? I live in
Manchester (and no it doesn't rain all the time ;o)

We have grape vines growing against our house wall. The one that grew best was
planted where there was builder's rubble in the ground. The vine reached the
eves of our house before a gale blew it over. The vine started life in the
monastery at Maria Lach in Germany, was moved to a flower box on a 3rd floor
balcony, and then 27 years ago, to our house. it is 34 years old this year.
You need a hardy type of vine than can withstand frost.

Rubble? Marvelous - I've got lots of that! I'm wondering about a vitis
vinefera Golden Champion which does very well outside in the UK or a
Muscat for the white and a Black Hamburg (Frankenthaler). Do you know
what you have? This summer I'll have a closer look at some vine
growing around my home town. I've approached the subject last year
with a friend of my uncle and the man laughed so much we ended up
talking about something else but took with us a big bunch of vine
wood, Serment, to cook meat on the barbecue. Those French, they still
think we boil all our meats and eat it with jam .... ;o)