Growing grapes in or out?

[Bigmallly]

Searching for Grapes or Vines is a nightmare.........I bought a grape plant from one of my fav shops, it has branches approx 12"-15" at the mo. I'm waiting for a response mail as to the variety....yes, you've guessed the shop, anyhows I don't know whether to grow it on a south facing wall over the pergola or drill a hole in one of the greenhouse panels & grow it in a container outside & feed it through into the greenhouse........I'm swaying towards growing it in the GH but need convincing I suppose. From what I have read, they prefer cool roots but warmth for the fruit to ripen.

[starloc]

In a book i have `growing fruit in your greenhouse` it says the best way is to grow in the floor outside but the plant inside
But , in germany they often have them growing outside all over the house like a weed so the cold cant be a problem they have loads of fruit on them

[Bigmallly]

That's handy to know, cheers starloc.

[jackyspratty]

HI BM, might be worth asking barleysugar? I think she is a dab hand at the grapes. Before mine was demolished by what I assume were the squirrels, I grew mine in a large pot trained against a fence, which i think is east facing? Got grapes, but small. still tasty tho, and beautiful leaves. Didnt really know what I was doing tho, so think I cocked up a bit? Am hoping to have better luck with the cuttings that barleysugar kindly sent me! Fingers crossed they take!

[realfood]

I would plant it in the ground outside and train it to fruit inside the greenhouse. This way you do not have to worry so much about keeping it watered. Lack of water causes a lot of problems with fruiting.

[FB.]

Don't restrict its roots in a container; grapes like to grow a very deep tap root.
I've been round a few old Victorian vine houses and the grapes are planted outside the glasshouse, with a brick removed for the vine to be threaded through and into the glasshouse.
The grape can then draw water and nutrients from outside, while the fruit benefits from a greenhouse climate.
But a single grape vine can easily fill a greenhouse in just a couple of seasons - they are abnormally vigorous. My Black Hamburg grew from a 2ft "twig" into a 10ft height and spread monster in just two seasons after planting - and it was planted in poor, shallow, dry soil, with no feeding or watering.

[Bigmallly]

Thanks guys, as I don't have access to soil outside the greenhouse, the container I had in mind was a dustbin with drainage holes in the bottom, 1 foot or so of polystyrene in the bottom then the compost. Would that be big enough?

[FB.]

Grapes like to grow *really* deep roots. When mature, we're talking a taproot depth best measured in yards, not feet.

Although it might grow in a dustbin (especailly for a few years), it will not be entirely happy.

[bobleponge]

BM, if it was me I would wait till I was sure of the variety before deciding where to grow it. There are several grape varieties that grow well outdoors in the UK, even in Scotland.
If you are going to grow it in the G/H I agree with FB that the roots dont like to be contained, although a dustbin/water butt may do the trick. Also, they do tend to produce lots of bunches of grapes and foliage, which can easily get in the way of stuff if your G/H isnt overly large.
A south facing wall is what mine is on, and tbh for a few years I did nothing to it at all, but it grows fine, and whilst my summers may be a degree or 2 warmer than yours, I would doubt the average winter temperatures differ too much at all. Frost again tonight here!

[Bigmallly]

Thanks for the info........I'm snookered either way as it's gonna have to go into a container whether I grow it in or out. I'm still waiting for a reply from Wilkos, I did get one saying it was a Black Hamburg but as it's a white seedless, I find that hard to believe, unless of course you can get a white Black Hamburg..........

[Bigmallly]

I put the plant in the GH for safe keepings but sadly it didn't make it.

[SueA]

That's a shame Bigmally, are you positive it's dead? It could just be dormant, stick it in a bigger pot & give it a chance.
I've got a grapevine growing outdoors over an arch in our south facing garden. It's called 'Rembrandt' & produces lots of small black grapes which you can eat but they're a bit 'pippy' & sharp or they would make good wine. I think you would be able to grow some grapes in a container as long as you pruned it properly & fed & watered it regularly but I do think you need to buy one where you know the variety so that you can give it the right treatment.

[Bigmallly]

Thanks Sue, I think there must be a couple of threads running together about grapes & it was suggested that it may not be dead so I have re-potted it & put in in heated GH, fingers crossed it picks up

[pigletwillie]

We have several vines inside and out. Dont worrit about putting the roots outside of a greenhouse, just p[lant it by the frame and the roots will spread outside anyway looking for moisture.

The only difference I have found between inside and out is that the inside ones are about six weeks earlier and bigger than the outside ones.

There are piccies on my blog if you want to see the difference.

[Alison]

We have a vine outside which is very vigorous, produces load of smallish, sweet but rather pippy red grapes. I'm not very good at pruning it properly and it just gets hacked back rather but comes back like nothing on earth. At the moment it just looks dead but will spring into life shortly again. If it was in the greenhouse it would totally fill it every year so there is no way I'd be willing to give up that space