my son's GF bought me a grape plant now what?

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tcs1366 Leesburg, FL(Zone 9b) May 15, 2007

I didn't even know they would grow here in the mid-west til i googled it.

I really do not have room for any sort of trellis -- can i pop it in a large container and just see what happens?

any advice or tips would be great.

TIA,

Terese

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BackyardZoo Poquoson, VA(Zone 7b) May 15, 2007

I would think a large container would work, as long as you kept it watered, especially during the fruiting times - being mostly water themselves, grapes need a steady supply while growing. Your next problem is how to support the vine. If you look at pictures of a winery's vineyards, you can see that they prune back their grapes (over time, I'm sure) to form a fairly think 'trunk' and the vines grow out from there. I would assume you could do the same, and run the vines along a porch rail or something.

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PatriciaS Mendo. County, CA(Zone 8b) May 21, 2007

In Rosalind Creasy's "The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping," she describes how to train a weeping grape. The result is a plant 5-6 feet tall, with four or five branches that weep down.

I'm sorry, I can't really describe the technique other than to say that she uses two tall posts to hold a metal hoop 18-24" in diameter (high up and and parallel to the ground), through which the main stem grows and over which the five branches hang. I hope you can locate the book through your local library or sneak a peek at your bookstore. She has drawings that illustrate her method better than words can describe it. (In my book, it is on pages 244 and 245.)

I'd like to try this method. Our summers can be a little humid, however, and I don't know if this method is suited for hot, moist weather.

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tcs1366 Leesburg, FL(Zone 9b) May 21, 2007

Thanks Patricia,

I actually called Home Depot to see if i could return it... but nope, not without a recpt.

my son, he just said,"stick'em in the ground and see what happens"

I may ask DH if I could plant next to our shed... which will give it a western exp... not sure if that is enough sun though.

Thanks for the name of the book... i'll see if my library has it.

Terese

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Yuska San Antonio, TX(Zone 8b) May 23, 2007

Grapes should do well for you. Here's some information for your general area:

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1707.pdf

Planting in a big pot and training the branches to a short trellis is an option, but remember that plants in pots are subject to more chilling than those in the ground.

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tcs1366 Leesburg, FL(Zone 9b) May 23, 2007

Thanks- I have read up a bit more on them (can't believe i still dont have them in the ground yet)
and it does say that the roots need to go deep. I just have to figure out where to stick them.

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