I think it quite safe to say that more has been written about the cultivation of grapes than has - or ever will be - written about any other fruit. This is not surprising, considering that the grape is probably the oldest of known fruits.

Surprisingly, grapes do not need loads of manures and fertilizers; they grow well on quite poor soils and need little after-attention. The roots will search out and find what they want; all we have to concern ourselves with is where to put the top-growth - the vine itself.

If one wall of your house faces south, south-west or even west, that problem is solved very easily. If you cannot plant the vine under that particular wall, plant it round the corner and train the vine round to the sunny side of the house. Grapes may be grown in the open garden in similar fashion to loganberries, or they may be trained over sheds, garages, out-houses and such-like.

Vines are not expensive, and if two are planted, the yield may be regarded as fantastic when considering the value of the wine that may be made for many years.

Planting is best carried out in autumn and in any case before Christmas. If planting against a wall, take out a hole about two feet each way and plant so that the stem of the vine is about fifteen inches away from the wall itself. Dig deeply and work in any compost that may be available and some builders' rubble if you can get some. A dusting of lime forked in will be helpful. Spread out the roots well and plant as recommended for fruit trees.

Having planted the vine, spread a little manure above the roots: this will not be necessary in subsequent seasons, but the vine will benefit from a mulch each spring if you can give it one.

Vines must not be allowed to fruit the first season; therefore they must be cut back to about four buds.

Having planted the vine and cut it back, we must decide how to train it to cover the wall. The best plan is to use special wall nails, run wires to and from these and train the vine to the wires.

The four long growths that come from the four buds you left when cutting back are stopped at the bud nearest the growing point. These four leaders are the basis from which the vine will be built up to cover the wall. If flower buds form during the first season, they should be nipped off so that the vine uses its energy producing wood for subsequent fruiting. First-season fruiting often permanently weakens a vine.

When pruning, remember that next year's fruit will be borne on the wood made this year. But we do not want masses of long, straggling growths hanging about all over the place, so during the summer it is best to cut some of them out. Those left to bear next year's fruit should be cut back to five or six buds in autumn or early winter. Only new growth should be cut during the summer; never cut old wood during summer - indeed old wood must never be cut after Christmas, as this can cause profuse bleeding which may be quite impossible to stop. By all means cut away some of the old growth to make way for new wood, but if this has not been done before Christmas leave it until the next winter.

Many varieties ripen in September - or earlier if the summer has been good. This is especially advantageous because the weather is still warm enough for a satisfactory ferment when you come to make the wine. This is not so important to those who carry out their fermentation in the house, but where it has to be carried on in a shed or outhouse the warm weather is a great help.

About the Author

Brian Cook is a freelance writer whose articles on home wine making have appeared in print and on many websites. You can find more of these at: www.makinggreatwine.com

Homemade Wine and More

How to Grow Grapes for Excellent Wine


I think it quite safe to say that more has been written about the cultivation of grapes than has - or ever will be - written about any other fruit. Th...


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Featured Homemade Wine Items

Intrivigne Antica Vigna


The "Antica Vigna" is a blend of 80% Cabernet sauvignon and 20% Raboso, a red variety native to the Veneto region, Italy. The name stems from the "rabbioso" (angry) nature of its very astringent character, due to the thick dark skins of the grape. Blended with ripe Cabernet, the combination provides a dry red wine with extra complexity and longevity. Lush blackberry, currant and plum fruit on the palate with a touch of vanilla from aging in oak barrique. Perfect gift! AVIW00 AVIW00


Price: 29.99 USD



Current Homemade Wine News

Author Interview: Douglas W. Jacobson, Author of Night of Flames and Book Giveaway

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:00:52 PDT
I recently had the pleasure of reading Night of Flames, Douglas W. Jacobson's compelling and enlightening debut novel about the Belgian resistance during World War Two. (If you missed my review, it is HERE.) Now, I have the honor of sharing a recent interview I conducted with Doug via email. Doug, welcome to Literarily! ***** Literarily: Night of Flames is set in Poland and Belgium and tells the story of the Belgian resistance movement. Why did you decide to set your novel in those tw

Ask The Bartender: Slivovitz

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:03:05 PDT
Ask The Bartender: Slivovitz Posted yesterday at 9:03 am by Maggie Dutton Each week we answer all those burning questions that you've always wanted to know the answer to, but then get too drunk (or shy) and forget to ask. From Stephanie: My grandfather used to drink something called Slivovitch which he called plum brandy, but I've tried a few fruit brandies and can't ever get anything like it. It's not sweet enough. Can I make an infusion at home with ripe plums, and I was thinking of adding

Indulge in flavor of rich homemade mayo (Knoxville News Sentinel)

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:16:09 PDT
A range of flavors can jazz up classic homemade mayonnaise. Add fresh tarragon and stone-ground mustard, top; sprinkle in a pinch of saffron, middle; or spice things up with a puree of roasted piquillo peppers.

L’shana Tova ~ Apples + Honey

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:05:40 PDT
We’re a mixed faith family here at FoodieTots, and as the non-Jewish spouse I’ve had a lot of fun over the past years learning about Jewish culinary traditions. Rosh Hashana, which falls right in the peak of the fall harvest, brings honey-dipped apples and other sweet treats to start the new year. Wishing those of you who celebrate a peaceful respite from the daily grind … and a happy harvest to the rest of you! Tonight’s dinner menu: apples, pears, challah + honey* matzo ball soup gelfite


Wine Bar
Organic Wine | People Wine

Labels: Cellar Master

&type=page">