Growing grapes

Mad Scientist · August 1, 2008

We got the keys to our new house this week, which is very exiting. We also have a garden. A good stretch of the garden is covered in grape vines (no, this is not in the UK!). This seemed like a very attractive idea when we looked at the house - we can grow our own grapes and make our own wine

When I say 'we'... the wife has just announced that gardening in the "mans job" and the grapes are now entirely my responsibility.

There are a few minor 'issues':

I've never had a garden of my own before
I've never grown anything before, never mind grapes
I've never made made wine before
I can kill plants simply by watering them correctly according to strict instructions. I'm not sure if there's an opposite to 'having green fingers', but if there is, I'm it
I'm allergic to just about everything that's green and grows
Mad Scientist = yes, Mad Botanist = no

On the plus side, both my parents are keen gardeners, so there's a small chance that's there's a gardening gene in my make-up somewhere. I just haven't activated it yet.

I basically have no idea where to start. We move in tomorrow, and it looks like the previous owner has left the vines in pretty good shape (to my completely untutored, amateur eye at least). It may be that I only have the harvesting and wine making to worry about this year, next year will be the big test.

If anyone has grown grapes before, and/or made wine I'd really appreciate any pointers, tips or links to sites that might be able to help.

Edited August 1, 2008 by Mad Scientist

Tosh · August 1, 2008

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