Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Thanks,

Pete

Pete Griffiths11/1/04 12:32

Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

It was the old-fashioned way of planting grape vines. They are in natural
soil and receive rain water - unless of course you have to take a hand
during a drought. Sounds a good approach to me.
Of course, where you live depends on whether or not you would need to
protect the roots in winter - I'm sure others can advise you on that.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the 'x' to email me)

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:32:02 -0000, "Pete Griffiths"
wrote:


We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Bob Flowerdew says he now advocates growing vines in big containers
and keeping them inside in summer and outside in winter. Yes that
way round. I forget the reasoning but have heard him say it more than
once on GQT. It is probably in one of his books somewhere.

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:32:02 -0000, "Pete Griffiths"
wrote:


We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Bob Flowerdew says he now advocates growing vines in big containers
and keeping them inside in summer and outside in winter. Yes that
way round. I forget the reasoning but have heard him say it more than
once on GQT. It is probably in one of his books somewhere.

Pam in Bristol

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:32:02 -0000, "Pete Griffiths"
wrote:


We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Bob Flowerdew says he now advocates growing vines in big containers
and keeping them inside in summer and outside in winter. Yes that
way round. I forget the reasoning but have heard him say it more than
once on GQT. It is probably in one of his books somewhere.

Pam in Bristol

In message , Sacha
writes
Pete Griffiths11/1/04 12:32
$akv$1@ne wsg1.svr.pol.co.uk

Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

It was the old-fashioned way of planting grape vines. They are in natural
soil and receive rain water - unless of course you have to take a hand
during a drought. Sounds a good approach to me.
Of course, where you live depends on whether or not you would need to
protect the roots in winter - I'm sure others can advise you on that.

Does one really need to protect grape roots in winter? If so, what
from? I know they grow successfully in the Niagara fruit belt in
Southern Ontario, where winter can be both severe (down to -20C at
times) and sometimes quite wet if the snow thaws. The main reason for
growing grapes here under glass may be to give them more summer warmth
to ripen them, but others may know more than I do about this subject. I
have grown them completely outdoors when I lived in South Yorkshire, and
even managed to ripen them. We only got three bottles of wine from our
one vine :-)
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

In message , Sacha
writes
Pete Griffiths11/1/04 12:32
$akv$1@ne wsg1.svr.pol.co.uk

Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

It was the old-fashioned way of planting grape vines. They are in natural
soil and receive rain water - unless of course you have to take a hand
during a drought. Sounds a good approach to me.
Of course, where you live depends on whether or not you would need to
protect the roots in winter - I'm sure others can advise you on that.

Does one really need to protect grape roots in winter? If so, what
from? I know they grow successfully in the Niagara fruit belt in
Southern Ontario, where winter can be both severe (down to -20C at
times) and sometimes quite wet if the snow thaws. The main reason for
growing grapes here under glass may be to give them more summer warmth
to ripen them, but others may know more than I do about this subject. I
have grown them completely outdoors when I lived in South Yorkshire, and
even managed to ripen them. We only got three bottles of wine from our
one vine :-)
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

In message , Sacha
writes
Pete Griffiths11/1/04 12:32
$akv$1@ne wsg1.svr.pol.co.uk

Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

It was the old-fashioned way of planting grape vines. They are in natural
soil and receive rain water - unless of course you have to take a hand
during a drought. Sounds a good approach to me.
Of course, where you live depends on whether or not you would need to
protect the roots in winter - I'm sure others can advise you on that.

Does one really need to protect grape roots in winter? If so, what
from? I know they grow successfully in the Niagara fruit belt in
Southern Ontario, where winter can be both severe (down to -20C at
times) and sometimes quite wet if the snow thaws. The main reason for
growing grapes here under glass may be to give them more summer warmth
to ripen them, but others may know more than I do about this subject. I
have grown them completely outdoors when I lived in South Yorkshire, and
even managed to ripen them. We only got three bottles of wine from our
one vine :-)
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

"Pete Griffiths" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been
given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured,
and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Thanks,

Pete



When I were a wee lad, my father brought home a young vine and he had been
told the same thing. We had a large Victorian Conservatory which had a gap
of about 2 inches all round the bottom. He dug a hole on the outside, put a
dead rabbit in the bottom, don't ask, that's what he was told to do, covered
that with some soil and then planted the vine, bringing the vine under the
side walls and then trained it up and under the roof. Masses of leaves, and
quite a bit of fruit, nothing special.

Much later I bought a house which also had a Conservatory , this too had a
vine planted in the same way. Tons of leaves, tons of very very small
grapes, many of which went mouldy before being ready to eat.

Hopefully, some more experienced Vine Gardeners will point out what was
wrong with our vines so you don't make the same mistakes. Toooooooooo many
leaves. Tooooooooooo small grapes. Mould.

:-((

Mike

"Pete Griffiths" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been
given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured,
and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Thanks,

Pete



When I were a wee lad, my father brought home a young vine and he had been
told the same thing. We had a large Victorian Conservatory which had a gap
of about 2 inches all round the bottom. He dug a hole on the outside, put a
dead rabbit in the bottom, don't ask, that's what he was told to do, covered
that with some soil and then planted the vine, bringing the vine under the
side walls and then trained it up and under the roof. Masses of leaves, and
quite a bit of fruit, nothing special.

Much later I bought a house which also had a Conservatory , this too had a
vine planted in the same way. Tons of leaves, tons of very very small
grapes, many of which went mouldy before being ready to eat.

Hopefully, some more experienced Vine Gardeners will point out what was
wrong with our vines so you don't make the same mistakes. Toooooooooo many
leaves. Tooooooooooo small grapes. Mould.

:-((

Mike

"Pete Griffiths" wrote in message
...
Hi,

We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been
given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured,
and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Thanks,

Pete



When I were a wee lad, my father brought home a young vine and he had been
told the same thing. We had a large Victorian Conservatory which had a gap
of about 2 inches all round the bottom. He dug a hole on the outside, put a
dead rabbit in the bottom, don't ask, that's what he was told to do, covered
that with some soil and then planted the vine, bringing the vine under the
side walls and then trained it up and under the roof. Masses of leaves, and
quite a bit of fruit, nothing special.

Much later I bought a house which also had a Conservatory , this too had a
vine planted in the same way. Tons of leaves, tons of very very small
grapes, many of which went mouldy before being ready to eat.

Hopefully, some more experienced Vine Gardeners will point out what was
wrong with our vines so you don't make the same mistakes. Toooooooooo many
leaves. Tooooooooooo small grapes. Mould.

:-((

Mike

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 15:58:41 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:32:02 -0000, "Pete Griffiths"
wrote:


We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Bob Flowerdew says he now advocates growing vines in big containers
and keeping them inside in summer and outside in winter. Yes that
way round. I forget the reasoning but have heard him say it more than
once on GQT. It is probably in one of his books somewhere.

Our vines grow in the garden without any protection.
--
Martin

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 15:58:41 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:32:02 -0000, "Pete Griffiths"
wrote:


We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Bob Flowerdew says he now advocates growing vines in big containers
and keeping them inside in summer and outside in winter. Yes that
way round. I forget the reasoning but have heard him say it more than
once on GQT. It is probably in one of his books somewhere.

Our vines grow in the garden without any protection.
--
Martin

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 15:58:41 +0000, Pam Moore
wrote:

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 12:32:02 -0000, "Pete Griffiths"
wrote:


We currently have a new conservatory under construction, and have been given
a vine (no idea what variety!). There are no planting holes in the floor,
but I have heard that a useful alternative is to plant the vine outside
against the wall, and train it through a hole into the conservatory. The
hole would be large enough to accept the girth of the vine when matured, and
would be packed with foam or a similar material in the meantine. Is this a
sensible approach? (One of my concerns is mice!)

Bob Flowerdew says he now advocates growing vines in big containers
and keeping them inside in summer and outside in winter. Yes that
way round. I forget the reasoning but have heard him say it more than
once on GQT. It is probably in one of his books somewhere.

Our vines grow in the garden without any protection.
--
Martin

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 16:01:34 +0000 (UTC), "Mike" wrote:


Much later I bought a house which also had a Conservatory , this too had a
vine planted in the same way. Tons of leaves, tons of very very small
grapes, many of which went mouldy before being ready to eat.

Hopefully, some more experienced Vine Gardeners will point out what was
wrong with our vines so you don't make the same mistakes. Toooooooooo many
leaves. Tooooooooooo small grapes. Mould.

Some types of vine produce small grapes and some types produce big
grapes.
--
Martin