GREENGOLD GARDEN CONCEPTS
CARE AND MAINTENANCE NOTES

GRAPES

The grapevine is one of the oldest known fruit plants to be cultivated by man. It is a deciduous vine that has attractive light green foliage in spring changing to dark green in summer. The vine is easy to grow and very reliable in its fruit production. It makes an ideal pergola cover giving cool shade in summer, but letting the sun through in winter.

Where can I grow a Grape? - A trellis or any above ground structure is essential for the vine. Grapes will grow happily in a wide range of soil types from sandy through loamy to moderately clayey soils. They will also tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions from sub- tropical to cold winter - hot summer conditions. They are native to a low humidity climate, so humidity can be a limiting factor with some varieties. Plant in a position that receives summer sun. Winter sun is not essential

Do Grapes take long to bear? - No, your vine should bear bunches of grapes 2 to 3 years after planting.

What time of year do Grapes bear? January - February - Mid-Summer (in the Southern Hemisphere).

Do Grapevines need spraying? Generally no. If suitable varieties for your climate are selected, home garden growing of grapes requires little or no spraying. If you experience fungal problems in the foliage, you can spray with Bordeaux Mixture in winter and/or Copper Oxy chloride or Wettable Sulfur in early summer.

Do they need Pruning? - Not essential, but Grapes will bear better bunches and the vines will be more manageable and attractive if pruned back hard each winter when dormant. Basic pruning is simple:

• Follow the growing tip back to the older wood from the year before. You will recognize the older wood because it has much coarser bark.
• Now come forward about 4 to 5 bud onto the younger wood and cut with secateurs most of the vine that h grown in the past season.
• Do this to all the growth on your vine.

This pruning method is by no means the only one. If you wish to keep a pergola covered for instance you will probably leave a lot more growth on. Remember this: The harder you prune back the stronger and more robust the spring growth will be.

Frost? - Yes, grapes tolerate frost but it is not necessary for fruiting.

Do I need 2 varieties for Pollination? - No - not for Grapes.

How do I Plant a Grapevine ? -

• First ensure that you have a trellis or some structure for the vine to run on.
• 2. Ensure that root ball in the pot is fully saturated.
• 3. Dig a hole much wider than pot diameter at top but only slightly deeper than pot depth
• 4.Remove plant from pot and place in hole so that pot soil level is about 3 cm below ground level.
• 5. Fill hole so that a depression is left to catch water.
• 6. Saturate hole with one or two l0-litre buckets of water. This is the most important step and must be done as a flood to re-establish capillary action with surrounding soil.
• 7. Manure and lime can be added when filling hole, or spread on top.
• 8. If planting in hot months follow up water once or twice a week !depending on heaviness of soil) for 4 to 6 weeks.