The Red Flame Grapes are ripening up. Farmer MacGregor comes for grape stock – growers/sellers. He likes Red Flames so bare root stock was planted in early 2009. Last year there were a few grapes produced. This year, he consulted the How to Prune Fruit Trees guidebook. He also consulted the Sunset Western Garden Book to determine the best way to prune the vine. Eventually, he kept the longest vine and pruned out the other to concentrate the growing energy to one vine.
When pyrethrum and copper was applied to the dormant fruit trees, Farmer MacGregor included the grapevine in this preventative exercise.
Note: the copper spray will leave a blue stain on white paint due to the oxidation of the copper.
The vine started to form buds in early March.
Baby grapes showed up a month later in April.
In May, these little spikey bits developed amongst the fruit. This is the part that stumps me. Why do the spikey bits develop AFTER the berries? I swear this is the proper order the photos were taken.
That vine has now grown over the top of the arbor and is working its way down the other side.
Farmer MacGregor has attached scare tape to the arbor to shoo away any birds that my be eyeing the ripening fruit. We plan to be selfish and enjoy the entire crop.
5 comments:
Growing grapes scares me :) pruning directions that is ... I need someone to show me how .. then it won't seem too big a project. Lovely arbor!
*Mrs. - You scare too easily. Find out what grows in your area and grow them. Arm yourself with the "How to Prune Fruit Tree" guide (around $5) and enjoy some grapes.
Magnificent! I need to purchase that book... grape pruning seems intimidating and I just don't know how to do it properly. Thanks for sharing! (Yes, my mouth is watering!) : ) Melissa
I have grapes too - a vitis vinifera "purpurea" that I got because in the Pacific Northwest it's a wonderful ornamental with red-flushed leaves. Well, in SoCal it's a bearing grape. It's growing in an ornamental location, but I am trying to save just enough fruit from the birds to enjoy - maybe enough for a pie or a couple of jars of preserves.
I don't prune them with any design - right now they just burgeon and I cut off what's in the way. (although I should find your book to tackle my apricot tree).
Pie?!
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