I had a bunch grape vine in my yard for a number of years (more than
10 lees than 15) and although each year it had some fruit we never got
anything edible (raccoons, bird, etc.) Also it really did produce well, so I dug it
this past winter. I have two plants. The larger one is in a 12 inch bulb pan
and has a 3-4 inch diameter at the soil, the smaller one is in an 8 inch bulb
pan and is less than one inch at the soil line.
Today I took them in to my potting area to weed, fertilize (Osmocote)
and add fungicide (Subdue granular). I also stripped a lot of dead bark from
the larger one and found a few webs under the old bark. I stripped a small
amount of bark from the smaller and also found the home of an insect.

I pruned the larger some, the smaller not at all.

Both seem to be well established.

How long should I wait to begin drastic design work? (jin, shari,
maybe grinding).

Repotting? Time/season January?

Can I defoliate to get smaller leaves?

Billy on the Florida Space Coast
BSF Annual Convention July 1 - 4, 2005 Radisson Hotel, Cape Canaveral,
Florida
Workshops with Jerry Meislik of Whitefish, Montana, Chase Rosade of New Hope,
PA, and Ben Oki of California.

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I had a bunch grape vine in my yard for a number of
years (more than

snip

Both seem to be well established.

How long should I wait to begin drastic design work?
(jin, shari,
maybe grinding).

Wiring may be the best you can hope for in the way of "design."
Grape wood is a bit fibrous, and tends to flake when old and dry.
I've tried jin/shari on mine and it hasn't been successful.

Repotting? Time/season January?

Same as all else temperate.


Can I defoliate to get smaller leaves?


Yes . . . but you may not get them. I just moved mine into a
much larger pot, so roots are growing freely and I haven't seen
anything in the way of significant leaf reduction. When the tree
gets to the showable stage you probably would be better off
snipping leaves about 2 weeks ahead, then showing while the new
leaves are still small. Grape may make a better large bonsai
than small.

My grape (a large semi-cascade) is the native muscadine, V.
rotundifolia, dug from the woods 5-6 years ago, and I have no
experience with other species.

Maybe Don Z. will chime in.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by John Quinn++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++