Topic: Grapes

[goodlife]

Anybody interested getting some grape plants/cuttings and growing your own fruits..I came across this nursery that has BIG selection availabe right now..
http://www.sunnybankvines.co.uk/3201.html

[saddad]

Quite like the look of that...  :)

[sheddie]

hmmm, interesting...

I noticed they said they'll grow anywhere in the UK, but will they fruit I wonder?!

I had a vine for about 4 years up here in the ever-cold North East and it grew like stink, but I never got a single grape!

May well have another look at this though, I'd kind of like to give it another go  ::)

sheddie

[pumkinlover]

Naughty Goodlife! ;D ;D ;D

[goodlife]

 ;D.... ;)

[realfood]

To get the grapes to ripen in the North outside, you will need to choose a very early ripening variety, as well as a sunny, well protected position, say against a wall. They do not give information on early ripening varieties, so you would need to contact them for advice.
I grow 3 different varieties in my greenhouse in Glasgow, and they ripen at different times.

[sheddie]

Thanks Realfood,

I'll do a bit of reading up then!...the one I had was on a south facing wall, but as I say - it never grew a single grape let alone ripen! - must have been a French one and just waved the white flag?! - ha ha - just kidding.

Cheers for the advice, will look about for an early variety
Sheddie

[saddad]

Regent works well here Sheddie... but you are way North! :-\

[Vinlander]

hmmm, interesting...

I noticed they said they'll grow anywhere in the UK, but will they fruit I wonder?!

sheddie

If you want a reliable early grape you need to look at the hybrids with native species from N.America - they grow wild even north of the US/Canada border and are also adapted for humid conditions (unlike traditional grapes which started from Greece through to Georgia).

Sunnybank do a good selection of these.

Himrod is a hybrid white seedless type and is incredibly early and reliable - I have to admit I grow in London but I get good crops on a N.-facing wall.

It's definitely your best bet in the North.

Cheers.

PS. Further south the seedless red hybrids like Reliance perform better than any traditional types I've ever seen - even seeded ones. Reliance has a marked strawberry flavour but if you like a traditional taste Glenora is truly delicious and nearly as early.

 

[saddad]

Would you prefer Himrod over Lakemont Vinlander?  :-\

[sheddie]

Cheers guys,

Yeah Saddad - way North indeed - and feeling it this week!...its freezing!

the Himrod looks good, just googled it and looks like it should do the job. The prices at Sunnybank aren't bad either - there are a couple on Ebay and Sunnybank are cheaper!

 ;D
ta
Sheddie

[Vinlander]

Would you prefer Himrod over Lakemont Vinlander?  :-\

I've read unbiased accounts that say Interlaken is very similar to Himrod and may even be better for drying, but Himrod is everything I want in a white (green) grape so I've never tried any others since I got it. I don't know much about Lakemont.

I'm much more interested in red hybrid grapes now - especially as they can be as different from ordinary grapes as apricots are from peaches.

Cheers.