Grapes in Newcastle

[haza1981]

Wow I never thought there would be a time when I would garden never mind join a forum about it. My father is a gardener and I never thought I would ever be interested. Plants where just there and provided no use for me. Apparently I come a certain age now and I have not only became a back yard herb and veg grower but now i'm about to purchase my first allotment on saturday. So many questions to think about. should I get 2 plots or one as they are rare and the chance to get 2 side by side is golden but i'm just a newbie? , what will I grow and when?, organic or not? where to pillage fance and shed material?, will a greenhouse get smashed if i get one?...the list goes on. wow my head is filled with gardening and I never expected that. Will I start to think Alan Titchmarsh is my hero and Charlie Dimmock is sexy?? god so many scary thoughts. Well rant over my main reason for this thread(if anyone is still reading) is that I want to grow grape vines and I live in Newcastle. I saw that Snadger on here does it and was really wanting to know how and if anyone else does it?? I'm a home brewer and would really liek to grow a grape to make into wine. As well as some veg for the same reason. I will also be growing veg for eating too so dont worry.

Thanks

[OllieMartin]

Welcome to the Vine

Check out this website:
The Urban Wine Company

Apparently, "There is a popular misconception that vines do not grow well in the UK. This is not the case. However, realistically, vines produce the best results south of an approximate line from the wash to the Bristol channel. Any further north and you must cultivate in a glasshouse"

So it sounds to me like you'll need that greenhouse if you want to grow grapes. urbanwineco will help you plant, cultivate and crop your own vine, supply the vine if you do not already have one (or even provide you a second one if you want to grow another variety).

I hope that's of some use to you.

[haza1981]

sounds great. some excellent advise. im planning to use a poly tunnel to grow in but I have heard that the pots should be outside and plants trained inside/

[singleseeder]

Hi Haza, I'm in Newcastle. Have only been up here for a few years and am loving it. Well, apart from the weather this summer

Great news about you getting your allotment, where is it? Amazing that you could get two side by side aswell, I thought there were waiting lists all over the place.

Welcome on to the Grapevine too, I'm quite new and have learnt loads.

Keep us in the loop with what you decide to do and post loads of photos ........ we all love photos!!

[haza1981]

A new site. I'm not going to release the details until I have secured my plots. Le me know if your intrested though and I will spill the beans after as I knowalso about the big waiting lists else where. The plot has no fences and only 15 established plots out of around 50 so lots of workbut its better then being on a list for 10 years

[singleseeder]

A new site. I'm not going to release the details until I have secured my plots. Le me know if your intrested though and I will spill the beans after as I knowalso about the big waiting lists else where. The plot has no fences and only 15 established plots out of around 50 so lots of workbut its better then being on a list for 10 years

Sounds a bit of a project to take one or even two of those on. Good luck.

Regarding greenhouses, I'm not sure about them being smashed up. I've heard of half a dozen being dismantled and taken overnight from alloments with a boundary fence. Amazing isn't it?

[solway cropper]

Twenty or so years ago I grew very good grapes in Teesdale which is a bit further south than Newcastle but higher up so you should manage OK. Plus it's supposed to be warmer now than it was then. I had a south facing lean-to greenhouse and the vine tried to burst its way out every year unless i trimmed it back mercilessly.

[binley100]

I live in the midlands and was wondering if I could grow a vine up a verandah type thing that had a clear plastic roof on it and cos I would like it to grow across the roof like in Greece do I just let it grow without any pruning.

As to pillaging materials why don't you go out skip diving. On our allotment site there are fences and sheds made from pallets.

[ginger ninger]

We're in South Yorkshire and my O's dad has had his grape vine for years, it produces pounds of grapes every year, there a small round, red grape and very sweet. I'm having a go this next season with a vine that "too many weeds" sent me in a swap.
P.S Welcome to the vine.

[zazen999]

My grape vine here in the Midlands.....the grapes are just turning at the moment.

[ginger ninger]

Are you going to make wine with them zazen ?

[haza1981]

Thanks guys,

Its gonna be a while before I get any grapes growing I think. So far I have strimmed down the 6ft weeds and covered most of the plot. Now I'm working on erecting a fence. Should be fun.

[nomad]

good luck
hope all grows well