Growing grapes in or out?

[DaveJ]

I've always fancied growing grapes myself but have never took the plunge. Maybe its about time.

[mrscorpio]

Hi Bigmally
I have 3 grapes growing outdoors.
Im afraid I dont know the varieties as the labels have long fallen off.
one is a black seeded, the others are white, one seeded and the other seedless.
They are all edible varieties.
2 grow on the pagoda and give wonderful shade over the full 16'x14' expanse.
On a good dry hot year I can get 100 bunches of grapes hanging down from the roof beams. The grapes are always small but are sweet.

The 3rd is on a rose arch, I have been abusing it for 2 years now - secretly trying to kill it, I have to hack loads off every year - twice a year to enable me to keep a walkway through the arch. They are so strong and grow so fast that it is constantly pulling the arch apart.

As stated by FB the roots will grow very deep, I read this is how they find a water source deep in the ground. So if it is very hot and dry the grape is getting its water.

I only planted the grapes for the nice leaf shape, and to get shade on my pergoda. It was a bonus when I found I hade grapes every year.

[VanWin]

Grapevines

Just a quick mention to anyone disappointed by having lots of leaves but little fruit - it's not all bad, the leaves are lovely stuffed with a sort of bolognese and rice mixture and the half boiled leaves then rolled up into little parcels and put in a casserole in oven.
Very similar to Dolmas you get in Greece and Greek restaurants. Plenty of similar recipes online.
Use youngish leaves, believe they can be kept in sealed bags of salted water.