Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Dopey113 on May 29, 2012, 14:19
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I have an ugly fence at the back of my plot
(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk272/Dopey_113/003-14.jpg)
thinking I could make it more attractive, and productive by putting some Outside dessert grapes there and climb all over it, any recommendations, I have enough room there for at least 5 or 6 different varieties
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Not sure if it's available in the UK but I'd recommend at least one Concord grape for juice and jellies. Very productive once it's got good roots in.
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I don't know how well outside dessert grapes do in the UK. Is the fence south facing?
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Yes it get the sun all day
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If you can get hold of Concord, it will cope very easily with anything UK weather throws at it, and more.
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Theres one on ebay, and some seed as well
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I grew a black Hamburg Grape vine in my garden for ten years, (grew it in a 200ltr barrel in my old house for three years then transplanted it in to the garden when we moved ) cut it down three years ago as it was taking over, and am still trying to stop it re-sprouting from the stump I left (can’t remove it or poison it as I have agapanthus growing all around it.
It is fast growing and quite prolific with fruit. I cut off all the flowers it produced for the first 5 years, and then left only one bunch per rod for three more. After that, even after the birds and the snails and slug had their share, I’d get 30lbs plus of grapes some years you could eat them other years fit only for wine. It’s a lot of work for not a lot of reward for the first years. If you have space I’d say go for it. Only problem I had with it other than taking over the garden, was from the birds eating the grapes and then leaving their dropping which will stain everything purple.
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Hmm Purple Rain? (Prince) :D
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I've got a black grape called Rembrandt growing on my south facing kitchen wall. It made loads of grapes last year, but I ran out of time and didn't thin them, so they were small. Tasted OK - not massively sweet, but it was a poor summer.
The chickens picked all the ones they could reach ::) Got enough for 2 demijohns of wine and just started sampling it in the last couple of weeks. Not bad if I say so myself. The best homemade wine I have managed so far. It could pass as a spanish red - soft and fruity with quite a punch :)
I think with more sun and a bit of thinning I could get some decent dessert grapes. It a seeded variety though.
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I planted a Grape 'Madeleine Sylvaner' in my garden over a pergola about 6 years ago.
I always wanted to have a seating area under my pergola with grapes hanging down - reminds me of my youth holidaying in Crete!
After two years it fruited prolifically and has been ever since. Very sweet tasting grapes. My only complaint is that the pips are huge but if that doesn't bother you, then I would definitely recommend. It is reasonably cheap too (£7 from jparkers).