We have a 30-year-old grapevine that climbs around the dining-room
window. In all those 30 years it has never produced anything edible, but
we like the shape of the leaves, so have left it. This year, for the
first time ever, we had a huge harvest of grapes. We picked most, but
left those hanging prettily from above the window - and for the last
three weeks or so the we have had red admirals almost non-stop on the
grapes. They seem to be licking them.... I am glad they are finding
something before their awesome journey across the Channel, and maybe
across the Mediterranean - I just hope they aren't leaving it too late!

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In message , Klara
writes

We have a 30-year-old grapevine that climbs around the dining-room
window. In all those 30 years it has never produced anything edible,
but we like the shape of the leaves, so have left it. This year, for
the first time ever, we had a huge harvest of grapes. We picked most,
but left those hanging prettily from above the window - and for the
last three weeks or so the we have had red admirals almost non-stop on
the grapes. They seem to be licking them.... I am glad they are finding
something before their awesome journey across the Channel, and maybe
across the Mediterranean - I just hope they aren't leaving it too late!


The leaves are edible as stuffed vine leaves, quite easy to make and
there are lots of recipes on the Web.

If the fruit aren't edible it's probably a wine grape, my parents had
one and made wine most years but it was really only good for cooking.

Enjoy your butterflies!

--
Sue ]

On 14/10/06 11:29, in article , "MadCow"
wrote:

In message , Klara
writes

We have a 30-year-old grapevine that climbs around the dining-room
window. In all those 30 years it has never produced anything edible,
but we like the shape of the leaves, so have left it. This year, for
the first time ever, we had a huge harvest of grapes. We picked most,
but left those hanging prettily from above the window - and for the
last three weeks or so the we have had red admirals almost non-stop on
the grapes. They seem to be licking them.... I am glad they are finding
something before their awesome journey across the Channel, and maybe
across the Mediterranean - I just hope they aren't leaving it too late!


The leaves are edible as stuffed vine leaves, quite easy to make and
there are lots of recipes on the Web.

If the fruit aren't edible it's probably a wine grape, my parents had
one and made wine most years but it was really only good for cooking.

Enjoy your butterflies!

We have a Muscat Alexandre and a Canon Hall but the former has given the
best grapes this year. We've had masses of them and they're extremely sweet
and delicious. I haven't noticed butterflies on them, perhaps because
they're both in greenhouses but I'll have to keep an eye open. There are
still plenty around the garden, though.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

In message , Klara
writes

If the fruit aren't edible it's probably a wine grape, my parents had
one and made wine most years but it was really only good for cooking.

Wine grapes *are* edible. They must be very sweet in order to produce
alcohol.

On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 Sacha wrote:

We have a Muscat Alexandre and a Canon Hall but the former has given the
best grapes this year. We've had masses of them and they're extremely sweet
and delicious. I haven't noticed butterflies on them, perhaps because
they're both in greenhouses but I'll have to keep an eye open. There are
still plenty around the garden, though.

I had many, many red admirals on all of my fruit in Normandy this year,
not just the grapes. On the other hand, hardly any wasps.

David

--
David Rance http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk
Fido Address: 2:252/110 writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

In message , MadCow
writes
The leaves are edible as stuffed vine leaves, quite easy to make and
there are lots of recipes on the Web.

That's a good idea. I make stuffed cabbage leaves sometimes, this would
be a nice change.

If the fruit aren't edible it's probably a wine grape, my parents had
one and made wine most years but it was really only good for cooking.

I think that's quite possible, but they are still quite
pleasant, as we discovered this year. The other years they weren't
edible because they seemed to turn into raisins without ever going
through the grape stage.

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

In message , Sacha
writes
We have a Muscat Alexandre and a Canon Hall but the former has given
the best grapes this year. We've had masses of them and they're
extremely sweet and delicious. I haven't noticed butterflies on them,
perhaps because they're both in greenhouses but I'll have to keep an
eye open. There are still plenty around the garden, though.


It's wonderful - there is always at least one red admiral fluttering
around the window!

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 Klara wrote:

I think that's quite possible, but they are still quite
pleasant, as we discovered this year. The other years they weren't
edible because they seemed to turn into raisins without ever going
through the grape stage.


Sounds like mildew. There's a lot of it about most years.

David

--
David Rance http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk
Fido Address: 2:252/110 writing from Caversham, Reading, UK

On 14/10/06 17:17, in article , "David
Rance" wrote:

On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 Klara wrote:

I think that's quite possible, but they are still quite
pleasant, as we discovered this year. The other years they weren't
edible because they seemed to turn into raisins without ever going
through the grape stage.


Sounds like mildew. There's a lot of it about most years.

Our Canon Hall have gone swiftly for the 'noble rot' stage!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/

David Rance writes
they seemed to turn into raisins without ever going through the grape
stage.

David Rance writes
Sounds like mildew. There's a lot of it about most years.

David

That, sadly, is only too likely - this low-lying area is really terrible
for mildew :-(((

--
Klara, Gatwick basin

On Sat, 14 Oct 2006 Sacha wrote:

I think that's quite possible, but they are still quite
pleasant, as we discovered this year. The other years they weren't
edible because they seemed to turn into raisins without ever going
through the grape stage.

Sounds like mildew. There's a lot of it about most years.

Our Canon Hall have gone swiftly for the 'noble rot' stage!

You're lucky! More often than not it's the grey rot!

David

--
David Rance http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk
Fido Address: 2:252/110 writing from Caversham, Reading, UK