Those who follow this blog will know that I grow grapes in the polytunnel, very successfully.
This recent experiment is about growing a fruitful grapevine outside, in Ireland.
The first thing is to try to emulate the conditions most favourable for grapes and a recent visitor to Bealtaine cottage spent some time giving me lots of good advice to this end…thanks Sigi!
Sigi grows lots of vines in Austria and is very knowledgeable indeed on this subject.
First, the vine detests wet feet…so ensure that the soil is very well drained.
Well in this case I replanted the vine onto the gravel at the back of the cottage, which faces south, banking it up well.
Stone collects the heat of the sun and holds it well…thermal mass! I added lots of stone around the plant.
Sigi advised me to keep to one main stem, so I cut it back and will cut some more too.
Recycling tins…this one has been serving the Sedum for about 3 years now!
Just punch a few holes in the bottom using a hammer and nail!
The experiment with the tomatoes outdoors as opposed to the tunnel is good so far.
This one is cropping earlier than the several in the tunnel!
Everything in the raised bed is growing fast and furious…less than a month after the first stone was set in place!
Plenty of time yet for sowing seeds…I started these off on Saturday.
The Rudbeckia on the left were transplanted from a small pot.
Harvesting seed from Parsley…save seed, it’s our independence and our future!
Borage flowers adorn the water in the tunnel…ensuring lots of bees visit the plants in here, there’s lots of Borage!
Grapevines in the west of Ireland…one imagines interesting possibilities for wine production; a Bealtaine vintage in the years to come perhaps? Will it be a smooth Merlot, a rich Cabernet Sauvignon, or maybe (my personal favourite) a cool, crisp Chardonnay! Anyway all the best with this new venture. In the meantime one wonders if Missy’s unusually shaped tail and legs could be a genetic inheritance from her ancestors in ancient Eygpt – where a particular breed of Royal cat was revered and worshipped for its auburn fur and short stature!!
Really? I had never heard of this…but it sounds plausible enough when regarding Missy and her high-pawed approach to everyone, not least of all, Che! As for the wine, I will have some white grapes from the tunnel to add to this year’s vintage fruit and veg concoctions…some of which are excellent and…potent!
Colx
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Grapevines in the west of Ireland…one imagines interesting possibilities for wine production; a Bealtaine vintage in the years to come perhaps? Will it be a smooth Merlot, a rich Cabernet Sauvignon, or maybe (my personal favourite) a cool, crisp Chardonnay! Anyway all the best with this new venture. In the meantime one wonders if Missy’s unusually shaped tail and legs could be a genetic inheritance from her ancestors in ancient Eygpt – where a particular breed of Royal cat was revered and worshipped for its auburn fur and short stature!!
Really? I had never heard of this…but it sounds plausible enough when regarding Missy and her high-pawed approach to everyone, not least of all, Che! As for the wine, I will have some white grapes from the tunnel to add to this year’s vintage fruit and veg concoctions…some of which are excellent and…potent!
Colx