[barney rubble]

I've always used a general feed, but does anyone know of a more specific specific one for vines please?

[Trillium]

What vines are you talking about so we know what to recommend?

[barney rubble]

Had them a long time, but the last crops I had were red desert grapes. I think I bought them just as vines with no particular variety attached. They please themselves whether they flower, but always have produced leaves. Thought they may need some different nutrition, they are in a sunny spot (when it shines) for half of the day. They are definitely not over watered. Thanks

[Trillium]

Okay, grape vines. They are rarely ever fed as such. To do so makes them get soft and fleshy with little fruit but lots of leaves. Basic rule for grapes is: you must be cruel to be kind. They must delve deep into the soil to secure nutrients and water which makes the grapes sweeter. Don't worry that there's not a lot of leaves because the energy is going into producing fruit. The fruit buds should be along soon if not already on the vine. On really really dry spells, you can spare some deep watering, but not often.

[Babstreefern]

When I visited St Emelion near Bordeaux I was told by the vineyard workers (this is the place of expensive wines), they said not to either water or feed them as this will go into producing lovely foilage, and very little fruit.  You let the vine search out its own water and nutrients.  I planted my vine back in March, and I've already got fruit.  I planted it at the back of greenhouse straight into the ground, and its certainly not suffering.  So my advice is, don't water and don't feed.

[barney rubble]

Thanks Trillium & Babstreefern

I should have said that mine as with everything else is potted, as the ground is just not good enough to plant in

[Babstreefern]

Doesn't matter whether your ground is good or not, it won't do your vine any harm.  To plant mine, I had to lift up a flag stone (a small one mine), and I just about fitted it in.  It was a tight squeeze.  When you see some of the soil that the French put their vines in, we have it pretty nice hear.  Remember, when they plant the vines over there, whether in France, Italy or wherever, they plant them on the sides of hills, so they never get water logged.  Just keep any weeds out.