best place for a grape vine?

[janeyo]

I have been given a grape vine as a wedding present (cool!) but am desperate not to kill it. I have heard so many different things as to what to do with it - in the greenhouse, out of the greenhouse but trained inside, up a wall, over an arch... too confusing!

I am hoping to get a wooden seat for the garden with some wedding money (but it won't be open roofed, it will be solid so don't think I can train it up over the top. I was planing to pot it on til I know where to put it.

Not really got any suitable walls or fences that get enough sun either.
Can it be container grown permenantly?

Thanks (it just says red grape on it)

[janeyo]

can it grow over a solid wooden roof or does it have to be slatted?

[chris]

I've read about them (as I would like one too! - did you just get married? Did I miss this? Congratulations!).

Growing them undercover here will obviously be 'better' - and as you've said, roots outside, foliage inside - the roots can go ferreting off for water and nutrients, whilst the foliage and fruit are sheltered inside!

The only thing that concerns me about this, is if it'd shade everything else out in there!

That said, my mother in law has one in an east facing garden and that's growing extremely fast. I don't know the cultivar though... what's yours?

[FB.]

I grow a Black Hamburg up the South-facing side of my house. The aspect is hot and sunny and the house wall stays warm all night in summer. The vine loves it, giving good crops of pleasant fruit (albeit with each grape containing 1-4 rice-grain-sized pips) with little more than a general tidy-up each winter, to remove dead or badly placed stems.

[janeyo]

What size container do I need to start with? Should I go straight for a big one or pot on later?

Thanks

[janeyo]

I've gone for a way cheaper arbour (hardwood) but with a solid roof - the one I wanted in the first place.
This means the vine will not need to go in a pot but can be trained up the fence between me and next door, and I will stand a better chance of getting grapes as it won't be in a pot.

Sorted