Anybody know anything about grape vines?

[Thallow]

I have a rather large one growing in my garden, I hate gardening but I have dozens of bunches of grapes this year, the whole thing has gone wild :shock:
are there any kinda rough rules of thumb :-k

ie cut in winter, pull off rusty leaves etc? Ive looked online but there is just so much information that I do not know where to start ](*,) and basically would like a few pointers so that i get grapes without having to do a lot, or kill the thing

Thanks J

 

[ike]

J,

I have several vines (25 bottles of Chateau Brimscombe last year - shame I overcooked it a bit with the oak chips but hey, I'll know better on this years brew!). I'm a bit constrained for space where they are. Having let the laterals spread as far as I want them I keep them pruned to length. On each lateral after the fruit has set I cut the spurs back to leave a maximum of 2 bunches per spur. The bloody things still go wild so I just keep cutting back any new growth throughout the summer. This will help the grapes to swell rather than too much energy going into green growth. My semi-outdoor vine has a lot of red brown leaves this year. I think it is either the cool summer weather or it might have struggled for water at some stage (they do like a lot of water and feed). The greenhouse vine is however doing OK albeit is resting a little this year after last years massive crop.

cheers,

Ike

 

[DomValente]

Hi J, don't know enough to advise you on care of vines, but, if when the wine is bottled you can give me a call I'll tell you if you did it right

Dom

 

[White House Workshop]

Our vines have gone nuts this year, too. We have four of them growing on a 'structure' which is rather nice to sit in on a hot day - bit like being on holiday again in the Med....

Anyway, they are big enough for me so the main thing I do is to keep cutting out the laterals. You want all the nourishment to go into the grapes, not into green growth. The big vineyards in France are set up for special tractors to run down the rows and trim them all off, but we have to make do with secateurs.

The wood pigeons take too many grapes so we have to cover them with netting (the vines!)... :evil:

 

[Thallow]

So basically cut off any green bits that do not have grapes on? leave the wooden bits; and are 'laterals' new shoots? :?

See my garden knowledge is zip thanks for the info though guys, at least now I can happily cut off some of the mad excess safe in the knowledge that I wont kill it!

Dom, if I ever convert these little buds in my garden to something that is drinkable then I will send you a bottle but dont hold your breath!

Cheers J

 

[ike]

I can happily cut off some of the mad excess safe in the knowledge that I wont kill it!

Only if you can kill a grapevine can you truly use the title 'blackfingers'. :lol:

 

[White House Workshop]

So basically cut off any green bits that do not have grapes on? leave the wooden bits; and are 'laterals' new shoots? :?

J

Yup, hic!

 

[newt]

I have been told that you should only prune them on Xmas day in the UK, honest.

 

[White House Workshop]

Vines should be pruned right back when they are dormant. That could be Christmas day if you like!

 

[Thallow]

:lol:

White House Workshop
PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:52 am Post subject:
Vines should be pruned right back when they are dormant. That could be Christmas day if you like!

:ho2 Yes but I will be very dormant also on this day..... ccasion5: