The Official Grape thread

[framing fowl]

I'll be the first to admit that I saw grapes on sale last March and thought YUM!!! bought them, plopped them in the ground and had no forethought as to their care. So as an uneducated grape owner, I'm needing help fast! How 'bout you? What do you have and what are you wanting to do with them?


Here's the current situation...

Six vines in a row about 1 1/2 feet apart. All different varieties. I would like to eat them fresh and have some to dry.

I'm thinking of just putting supports in between the 2 4x4's and letting them all ramble about together and have sort of a "cottage garden" look to it. Or I could put more supports out into the grass, mulch underneath and have them fan out from the patio.



Here's a closeup of one of the vines that probably needs clipping back or something...

(volunteer cilantro undergrowth).


Any ideas/advice greatly appreciated!

 

[Wifezilla]

I think your house will be covered in vines in no time. Our grape vine is a MONSTER!

We named her Audrey.

 

[ScottSD]

I am no expert by any means.

But I think you could spread them out some as 1.5 feet apart seems pretty close.

They will climb about anything.

 

[framing fowl]

Wife, I love that you named her! (Do you have pictures you could share?)

Scott, do you mean to spread the vining parts out by bringing them further into the yard or do you mean to dig up everyother rootball and move them?

 

[ducks4you]

They Do need to be planted further apart. My (established) grapes were planted 3-4 feet from each other, in a straight line. I have 5 (in the ground)--one died, and the replacement is happily growing in a pot under the faucet, protected by the bushes next to the house. Somebody in the past put in fenceposts and 2 rows of horizontal, thick fencing wire for their climbing--you'll want to do that, too. On a good note, I've seen grape vines make a nice fence!!

 

[Wifezilla]

Audrey is on the right. Seymore is on the left. There was an entire seating area under the vine, but I had to turn that space over to the ducks after the hawks attack

Audrey's grapes.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

WOW! now thats a vine...and i loved that you went up up up and not just across.. hum....

 

[farmerlor]

I've tried for seven years to grow grapes here in Colorado and I cannot get them to grow to save my soul. Remember that I have a green thumb and used to buy plants that the grocery store floral department lady had killed and I would bring them back to life. But Grapes? I just can't get them to grow here. All I want is some concord grapes to make jelly, how hard could that be?

 

[Damummis]

Planted 5 different types. When I planted them I clipped them down quite a bit, stuck the clippings in some Olivia's rooting juice and have 5 more now. Only problem is I forgot to mark which is which. Other than that I have NO IDEA what the heck I am doing with the grapes. New experience for me. I hope I don't kill them.

 

[framing fowl]

Wow Wife! How old would you guess Audrey and Seymour are? And did I read somewhere that you got 80 lbs of grapes or something?

So I can just see my yard turning into a grape covered monster. Like kudzu or something. I've never been around grapes at all so I didn't know that 2 plants could turn into that.

So next questions because I am overwhelmed with just the thought... can I dig 3 of them up and move them or should I just cut them off at the ground? Seriously, I don't think I can handle 6.