Are these going to become grapes?

[Zenithtb]

Got vine last year, complete with little bunch of grapes, so never seen them come into existance. Other half sent me a Plant Update photo, and I noticed these. They look Bunch Of Grapes shaped... There appear to be a few of them - so excited! Am I going to be disappointed?

Mark

[PAULW]

Yup they are grapes

[Zenithtb]

Yup they are grapes

Woo-hoo!! Should I 'do' something now? More water? Less? Some sort of fertilizer? Or kick back and enjoy? Many thanks for replying!

Mark

[selfraising]

Hi, I tend to add fertilizer in the spring anyway. As the grapes start to get bigger, you might want to thin them out. I use small nail scissors for the job and just cut out the smallest ones or any that don't look too good. It's a bit fiddly but it gives the other grapes room to get bigger. Give it a bit of a water now and as the grapes start to get bigger, it wil need quite a bit of water as it's in a container. I also tend to give mine a feed with liquid tomato feed once a week when the grapes are about pea sized. I had over 40 bunches last year!

[Zenithtb]

40 bunches! What - from >one vine<??!!

Mark

[selfraising]

Yep, it's about 4-5 years old now but there was a huge amount. Each year I've been getting more and more. I filled 3 tesco carrier bags full!

[Zenithtb]

But yours isn't in a pot, I understand? Mine is about 6.5' tall, how is yours? Any photos?

Mark

[selfraising]

No mine is not in a pot anymore. It was in one for the first two years but then I created this sort of courtyardy area which has a corner post which is about 6 foot tall. It grows up that and then I trained the leaders across wires to some trellis on the other side. It provides good shade in the summer. Not sure you're supposed to let that many bunches grow but I'd already cut several off and didn't have the heart to cut the others off too cos they looked pretty. Can't post any piccies at the moment unfortunately cos had to prune it quite hard this time as the trellis on the other side was fixed to a shed and the shed was dismantled. Once it gets going I'll post some piccies tho. It seems to grow at a ridiculous rate, some of the leaders went across the courtyard bit which is about 7 foot and then along the roof of the shed which was 8 foot long!

[Zenithtb]

Woo! When it was in a pot, can you remember how large it was? Mine is in a pot about 50-60 cm accross, iirc, and about the same deep. When I repotted it into it, I thought at the time it would be OK for years, but hearing your tale I'm not so sure...! I hope mine grows like yours - when I get back to Spain (next Sat) I'm very tempted to make just one hole (rented flat) so I can pass a trailing wire to my trellis. I think it would look beautiful if I could have Henry (my vine) trailing along the underside of upstair's balcony I just imagine the light shining through the leaves... One too many Bacardi's this evening and getting sentimental

ps; did you support the bunches in any way?

Mark

[selfraising]

Hi there, from memory the pot was roughly the same size as yours. I think yours will be okay in there for a little while yet. Could you nail some wire underneath the top balcony?
The grapes themselves don't need any support but the leading stems need to be quite secure because of the weight of the grapes. The year before last, I didn't put strong enough wire up and the whole lot sagged in the middle (bit like me really)! I bought vine eyes which you can screw into wood and their very strong, I then tied the wire through that, which held it better. Also forgot to say, you will get loads of leaves on it, so if there are ones growing around the grapes cut them off. The grapes need lots of light and good air circulation to mature properly. Also, when the grapes start growing cut off any new growth from the main stems so that the goodness can be directed to the grapes. I still can't get my head round the right way to train and prune them. I went on some web sites which suggests different ways but I just don't get it, so they get pruned the SR way.

[Zenithtb]

Sorry for the late reply; I had my Mother's Viewing this morning, so got no sleep last night and crashed out after getting back.

Yes, no (wire). Technically no as 1) Rented flat and 2) the Above Balcony belongs to them not our landlord. Yes, because if it's that or have a floppy vine I'll do it

Vine eyes? I assume that they are for supporting the vine where it doesn't have the grabby-on thingies it produces? I assume the plastic Clip A Plant To A Bamboo Stick thingies will do the same job...?

Remove leaves around bunches; Ooh - good idea - would not have thought about that!
So, at some point Henry will stop producing little bunches of grapes, but will continue trying to grow himself? ("when grapes start growing cut off any new growth").

How hard does SR prune back? After the leaves have dropped this Autumn?

Many, many thanks for your detailed responses!!

Mark

[selfraising]

Hi the vine eyes look like this: Vine Eyes. You fix strong wire to them. Plant clips should be fine. Pruning, well I pruned back hard and only left a couple of feet on 3 main stems this year because of the shed going. Normally I think you remove most of the first years growth and then the next year you leave a bit more on and so on until you get the length that you want. As I said I'm not brill on the pruning and just guess, seems to work tho! You need to prune before the sap rises (pardon the expression!) so January or February otherwise the vine will 'bleed' at the cutting site for quite a while and lose precious sap. It will heal over eventually (I know from experience!) but it leaves it open to infection and you will drain the vine of energy.

I would be tempted to sneakily slip a few wires in the upstairs balcony but do it when their out

[Zenithtb]

All sounds like sound advice, so shall be referring back to this thread I think you're right - soon Meliana will vibrate to the sound of a hammer-drill. Maybe if I do one per week it'll be less noticible

Not sure I'll have to worry about pruning for another 9-10 months then. Phew! Will I need one 'strong wire' per stem then? This is much more complicated than I thought - I only bought a 'stick with some grapes'! lol!

Mark

[selfraising]

All sounds like sound advice, so shall be referring back to this thread I think you're right - soon Meliana will vibrate to the sound of a hammer-drill. Maybe if I do one per week it'll be less noticible

Not sure I'll have to worry about pruning for another 9-10 months then. Phew! Will I need one 'strong wire' per stem then? This is much more complicated than I thought - I only bought a 'stick with some grapes'! lol!

Mark

You could always blame the noise on the local night club Yes, generally one wire per stem but you may be able to get away with just one for now and see how the vine grows as it is still quite a young plant. Good luck, keep us posted on the progress

[Zenithtb]

Many thanks!

Mark