grapevine advice

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I looked after my neighbours garden while they were in France, and they kindly brought me back a Merlot grape vine. It is very small, 5 leaves.
I have no idea where to start trying to grow this, but I feel I should at least try. It'll have to be outdoors, have I any chance of it surviving? Advice please!

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[goodlife]

It is perfectly hardy in most of the UK..but getting it to crop decent fruit for eating purposes outdoors may be struggle everywhere else part from southen parts of the country and the right variety is important for particular purposes and site.
But..if you have really sheltered position for it..even better if you have south facing wall that you could stretch few lengths of wire or trellis and train it against that. It is getting bit late on the season for planting grapes..but if you start it off in pot..just big enough so that the roots are covered with compost that would give it better start. Keep in pot and in cold GH or similar over winter and by spring you should have good rootball. This gives you chance to prepare the planting site without  hurry and plant it out in spring.
Here is good site to read more about vine growing.. http://www.viticulture.co.uk/notes.html

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Thanks, Goodlife. You are, as always, a star. I have a cold greenhouse, in it shall go, and I have a south facing wall. Fingers crossed!

[goodlife]

I just had a look at Merlot variety and it is classed as 'indoor black'..so to able to get fruit reliably it need to be grown undercover..cold GH should be enough for it. It is maily for the reason that the crop needs little bit more warmth to ripen up in autumn than our climate outdoors would provide..season is not warm long enough.
So if you have room in your GH..just corner would do and train it along the roof perharps..maybe a just one long 'arm' from which all fruit will hang down.. ;) ;D

[ed dibbles]

Goodlife is correct Merlot generally ripens too late to be reliable outside. It will be far more reliable in your unheated greenhouse - against a wall it will be hit and miss but you may get away with it if you live in the south.

I have a Cabernet Sauvignon grape vine in my unheated greenhouse as that variety ripens even later than Merlot.

Grape vines are tough and even small plants will grow into good fruiting plants if looked after. ;)

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Oooh. Greenhouse 8' x 6' and stuffed full of aubergines, toms and peppers all summer. What about a glass-to-the floor type huge conservatory? Would it do in a giant pot, or does it need cool roots?

[ed dibbles]

You would probably do well to keep it in a pot, gradually potting on etc for now since it is still a small plant. Keep a watch out for vine weevil though - they aren't given that name for nothing ;)

While in theory it could be grown in a large pot, ultimately it would do better planted in the ground as they like to send their roots down.

Yes a large conservatory would be ideal for a grape vine but bear in mind you will need to do a of of cutting back in there to keep it in check while making the conservatory comfortable for you.

So you could keep it in a pot for a year or two then decide what to do with it after that.