When should I buy/plant a grape vine?
--
Pete C
London UK

On 2009-08-03 17:00:37 +0100, "Pete C" said:

When should I buy/plant a grape vine?

In theory the answer is 'any time'. However, there's little point in
planting things in January when the soil is cold and wet and they
either won't get started or might rot off in wet earth. Now is fine.
The soil is still warm and it can get its feet down and get settled in
before winter, thus getting a good start on next spring. In the
unlikely event of a dry spell, keep it watered but don't waterlog it,
either. It needs full sun on a warm wall if it's outside and good
drainage, too.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Sacha wrote:
On 2009-08-03 17:00:37 +0100, "Pete C" said:

When should I buy/plant a grape vine?

In theory the answer is 'any time'. However, there's little point in
planting things in January when the soil is cold and wet and they
either won't get started or might rot off in wet earth. Now is fine.
The soil is still warm and it can get its feet down and get settled in
before winter, thus getting a good start on next spring. In the
unlikely event of a dry spell, keep it watered but don't waterlog it,
either. It needs full sun on a warm wall if it's outside and good
drainage, too.
Thanks. I'm looki
--
Pete C
London UKng at a red variety in Dobies catalogue. I intend to plant it on my
allotment, trained up wires between posts......sound ok? It will get full
sun all day. However, soil is clay-ish, would that be a problem?

Pete C wrote:
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-08-03 17:00:37 +0100, "Pete C" said:

When should I buy/plant a grape vine?

In theory the answer is 'any time'. However, there's little point in
planting things in January when the soil is cold and wet and they
either won't get started or might rot off in wet earth. Now is fine.
The soil is still warm and it can get its feet down and get settled
in before winter, thus getting a good start on next spring. In the
unlikely event of a dry spell, keep it watered but don't waterlog it,
either. It needs full sun on a warm wall if it's outside and good
drainage, too.
Thanks. I'm looki

Ooops, what happened there?
I'm looking a a red variety in the Dobies catalogue (Dornfelder) It's for my
allotment, and I'm thinking if training it up wires between posts....sound
ok?
It will get full sun all day. Soil is clay-ish.......any problem?
--
Pete C
London UK

On 3 Aug, 17:24, "Pete C" wrote:
Pete C wrote:
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-08-03 17:00:37 +0100, "Pete C" said:

When should I buy/plant a grape vine?

In theory the answer is 'any time'. However, there's little point in
planting things in January when the soil is cold and wet and they
either won't get started or might rot off in wet earth. *Now is fine..
The soil is still warm and it can get its feet down and get settled
in before winter, thus getting a good start on next spring. *In the
unlikely event of a dry spell, keep it watered but don't waterlog it,
either. *It needs full sun on a warm wall if it's outside and good
drainage, too.
Thanks. I'm looki

Ooops, what happened there?
I'm looking a a red variety in the Dobies catalogue (Dornfelder) It's for my
allotment, and I'm thinking if training it up wires between posts....sound
ok?
It will get full sun all day. Soil is clay-ish.......any problem? *
--
Pete C
London UK

Have a look at Aldi they have grape vines on offer amongst other fruit
this Thursday
David Hill

Dave Hill wrote:
On 3 Aug, 17:24, "Pete C" wrote:
Pete C wrote:
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-08-03 17:00:37 +0100, "Pete C" said:

When should I buy/plant a grape vine?

In theory the answer is 'any time'. However, there's little point
in planting things in January when the soil is cold and wet and
they either won't get started or might rot off in wet earth. Now
is fine. The soil is still warm and it can get its feet down and
get settled in before winter, thus getting a good start on next
spring. In the unlikely event of a dry spell, keep it watered but
don't waterlog it, either. It needs full sun on a warm wall if
it's outside and good drainage, too.
Thanks. I'm looki

Ooops, what happened there?
I'm looking a a red variety in the Dobies catalogue (Dornfelder)
It's for my allotment, and I'm thinking if training it up wires
between posts....sound ok?
It will get full sun all day. Soil is clay-ish.......any problem?
--
Pete C
London UK

Have a look at Aldi they have grape vines on offer amongst other fruit
this Thursday
David Hill
Mmm, How did I miss that....thanks David
--
Pete C
London UK

Specialists such as Silk Tree at Wheatley sell bare-root, which are only available late winter/early spring, same as specialist apple nurseries.

I would carefully research the variety you plant, because growing something that more often than not fails to ripens its fruit, or only gives you a few very small grapes, is rather disappointing. That's likely what you get if you buy whatever it is your local garden centre has for sale. Is the vine Aldi are selling even labelled with a variety?

echinosum wrote:
'Pete C[_2_ Wrote:
;859330']When should I buy/plant a grape vine?
Specialists such as Silk Tree at Wheatley sell bare-root, which are
only available late winter/early spring, same as specialist apple
nurseries.

I would carefully research the variety you plant, because growing
something that more often than not fails to ripens its fruit, or only
gives you a few very small grapes, is rather disappointing. That's
likely what you get if you buy whatever it is your local garden centre
has for sale. Is the vine Aldi are selling even labelled with a
variety?
Not in the shop till Thursday. At 2 quid a throw, I'll get some anyway.
Thanks for the comment though
--
Pete C
London UK

Horizontal wires between posts is how vineyards grow them, in a sunny site, so why should that be a problem? Two parallel sets of wires between two sets of posts is a common technique. Of course, up a south facing wall is best in our climate.

Wine regions are all on well-drained soils, encouraging the grapes to grow deep roots. Research shows that drainage structure affects grape quality more than soil type. But if you are growing it to eat, well the Dutch grow excellent greenhouse grapes on their claggy clay soils. But if you are tempted to make wine from it, you'll probably find it is pretty pale and tasteless grown on such a soil, unless you are very punctilious about restricting the yield, and pruning off leaves to expose the grapes to the sun to ripen.

Dornfelder is grown as an eating grape - it has large berries. It is also grown as a wine grape in Germany, but I've seen it mainly from areas such as Rheinpfalz which have rather warmer summers than England, and it is a pretty light wine even coming from there. I've seen Dornfelder wine for sale from some English vineyards, and their version is practically rose. So presumably it does reliably produce grapes in this country in a suitable site. I've not tasted a wine I liked from this variety, though presumably some people like it.

I have a south facing wall I intend to grow a grape up, once the builder has come back and finished something off that may involve digging where I want to plant it. I intend to grow a Boskoop or Regent, which are two varieties noted as being especially suitable for getting edible red grapes in Britain. Although there are vineyards near me, I don't seem to have the best local microclimate for ripening fruit - on the windswept plain rather than a suntrap in a valley.

echinosum wrote:
'Pete C[_2_ Wrote:
;859330']When should I buy/plant a grape vine?
Specialists such as Silk Tree at Wheatley sell bare-root, which are
only available late winter/early spring, same as specialist apple
nurseries.

I would carefully research the variety you plant, because growing
something that more often than not fails to ripens its fruit, or only
gives you a few very small grapes, is rather disappointing. That's
likely what you get if you buy whatever it is your local garden centre
has for sale. Is the vine Aldi are selling even labelled with a
variety?
They only had berries of the Cran and Goose
--
Pete C
London UK