Grape tree

Grape vines from what I have read do best growing in the ground so whatever type of soil you have in your garden would be the best one to go with in my opinion. I think they are fairly adaptable. Grapes generally grow on vines that climb up supports rather than as free standing trees. My one is in a poly-tunnel as they benefit from some extra heat but I also read the roots need to get a good amount of cold in the winter so the ideal arrangement is planted outside but allowed grow into the greenhouse in a country with mild summers like here. Mine is very close to the edge of the tunnel and almost outside and is doing well. It is possible in very warm areas to grow them outside in the UK but even they often get slightly warmer summers than we do.

Here is a video clip of the one I have in its second year after planting. It is now after spreading even more and will need a good pruning this winter to try stop it from taking over the poly-tunnel even more than it already has. Some of the new shoots this year have stretched over three metres since I last cut it back at the start of the year. Maybe slightly less grapes this year than usual but maybe it has put more energy into new shoots since I'm not really pruning it to get the optimum yield as I get plenty for what I want anyway.

Reckless Abandonment wrote: »

Just curious how big your grape vine is. Homebase were selling them nearly 6 ft tall and very mature. Nearly bought one, but was worried it would take over the greenhouse.

Got mine around 2013 as a 30cm plant for about 5euro from a budget supermarket chain. I've pruned it back a bit over the winter most years but it now stretches over 3metres in each direction from the main stem with the bulk of it growing through a small section of trellis I put across one end of the poly-tunnel. I think some of the longer stems in the tunnel reached 4 to 5 metres long this year which is much longer than previous years. These will be cut back in the winter again. I think you can prune them more severely than I have and what I was reading about professional growers involved the vines being kept much smaller. I decided to leave mine grow bigger since I just have the one vine.

asgaard wrote: »

It's about 2.20 meters. Hurry up as it's a half price right now. Which Homebase have u seen them?

Nutgrove in south Dublin had 3 at the weekend. Got a lovely 5ft maple osakazuki for 40 euro. Needs a bit of TLC but well worth it