Dee Finney's blog

start date July 20, 2011

today's date September 12, 2012

page 265

TOPIC:  HOW TO GROW AND PRUNE GRAPES

The reasons I'm doing this is for myself to be honest.  I had three grape vines and they weren't doing anything.  Then I went blind from cataracts for two years and all I could do was water what little I could see.  I had cataract surgery two weeks ago and now that I can see I had to get back to gardening.  What a mess.  So much of my garden was dead.  I cried.

It was so sad to see all those dead plants even though I had watered them the best I could. The sun was hotter than I thought it was.

So, the last thing I looked at was my grape vines.  Two of them were deader than doornails if you know what I mean, but the third one was so viney, it was actually growing up the pear tree nearest to it.  Oops. 

So I went on line to find out what to do with this last green grape vine.

I started out on youtube.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vk-Fj0pnP8

I learned a lot just from the first video.  I went to the website it was from and signed up for their free mini-course too.   http://totalwinesystem.com/

HOW TO PLANT GRAPES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHa06vrlmYg&feature=relmfu

To plant grapes, start with a root graft, dig a large hole for the deep roots, provide composted soil, and make sure the plant has lots of humidity. Use a trellis or fence to grow grapes with tips from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening.

PRUNING THE GRAPE VINE THE FIRST YEAR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCF26dtRaDc

During the first year of growth, grape vines require training in order to develop a full capacity of new growth, so pruning back most of the new growth from that year is crucial to make room for the lush growth of the following season. Trim back grape vines each dormant season with instructions from a sustainable gardener in this free video on gardening

Now I'm excited again.  I'll need to buy a couple replacement grape vines, but within three years, I should have grapes.  That's what the man said. 

The vine I have now hasn't bloomed or given me grapes yet, but it wasn't in a place that looked like the man's grape vineyard either.  Mine was growing up a pear tree.  :-)

Grapes and pears go good together, right?  Say yes!  :-)