Grapes!!!!!!!!!

[Greensage45]

So this could be the answer to my grapes, Pruning! I will do this, my vines are over 5 years so they have taken a large area up, and rather than trying to get more fruit over a distance I should pull it all in, just being sure to have enough arms to support the new growth and not just a nub LOL.

I say nub, because the thought of 90% of a plant, the mind immediately thinks a nub. :/

I was thinking trunk to main branches, ...which is typically 3 or four, and then just to an 'eye', then everything past that is taken out.

At any rate, I wanted to say that if your vines are like mine and are quite a distance along the supports, that this is a great opportunity in harvesting these vines for making grapevine wreaths. The vines would be perfectly flexible for wrapping, and then just hang them out to dry.

Also, although most of us compost, this is another opportunity for another type of harvest, and that is the leaves themselves. These make great bunny treats green or dry. I call them 'bunnychips' because they eat them and it sounds like someone eating extra crunchy potato chips. LOL , my bun-buns think they are scrumptious and I never have enough. This is partly why I never spray my grape leaves, because the residual chemicals could be dried into my BunnyChips.

OK, well, I was thinking of doing some wreaths myself, and once Christmas rolls around I am sure I will have some to show off.

Thanks for all the Wonderful advice Greenthumb18, I really appreciate it.

Ron

 

[Greenthumb18]

Thanks for all the Wonderful advice Greenthumb18, I really appreciate it.

Ron

Your very welcome Greensage !!!! No problem, Any time. I do hope you'll get a nice crop of grapes next year, as long as you prune properly you should be ok for next year.

Maybe we can all have a wine making contest next year like HiDelight said..... that would be fun!!!!!!

 

[wifezilla]

I gave a bunch of grapes to my neighbor. She made me some jelly out of it but it didn't set. No worries....I just added a bunch of chia seeds. Chia makes its own gel

 

[HiDelight]

ok so the leaves are starting to turn

if I have time and motivation this week can I start just cutting them off?

also I have never made a vine wreath I should google it and see ..anything else you can make from the vines I have a LOT this year

I also had 3 bunches of grapes that have given me a taste of what is to come ..they will be wonderful grapes for winemaking ..juice making and also jelly ..they are pefect concord flavor...obvious to some I am sure but these are my first


I am going to pick some of the vine leaves now and put them in the freezer ..I read somewhere (maybe on this board!) that if you bag and freeze them for 6 weeks it tenderizes them and you can use them like the spring leaves for stuffed vine leaves ..

so it is worth a shot I am going to just freeze some and in six weeks cook a meatball inside one and see how it works out ..then if they are tender I will do a pan of them

I am going to use three of the grapes to start a batch of sourdough ...they have that nice powder on them so I might just as well enjoy the natural yeast

what are all of you doing with your grapes besides sticking chia in them! I love chia I bet it is awesome jelled up in grape juice!

 

[wifezilla]

I was just thinking about using the vines somehow. Wreath? Baskets? Not sure. I need to research. Mine is going to need some serious trimming and I hate to see the vines go to waste.

Here are some of the grapes I picked this morning.

 

[Southern Gardener]

Those are absolutely beautiful!!! Yes! I'd make grapevine wreaths!

 

[HiDelight]

I was just thinking about using the vines somehow. Wreath? Baskets? Not sure. I need to research. Mine is going to need some serious trimming and I hate to see the vines go to waste.

Here are some of the grapes I picked this morning.
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/58/1003520b.jpg

sigh this may seem petty but I am very jealous of that box of grapes ...good for you however!

 

[wifezilla]

Sorry to make everyone green with envy. If it makes you feel any better, I only got 3 carrots from my raised bed, my radishes bolted and the broccoli and cauliflower were a complete bust.

I have frozen 25 lbs of the grapes so far. I also gave away another 10# to my girl friend who I community garden with. In return, I got a bunch of squash, some hot peppers and tomatoes.

Those were the seedless. My other vine has seeded grapes that taste better when cooked. They should be ready in a couple of weeks.

 

[HiDelight]

I do understand while I got amazing tomatoes I had a pumpkin the size of a golf ball and four tiny eggplants the size of two cherry tomatoes..not to mention the corn crop ..that is way to embarassing to talk about not doing corn again toooo humiliating!

 

[wifezilla]

Grapevine craft sites

http://thegardenersrake.com/make-your-own-grapevine-crafts-garden-crafting-3-projects

http://www.practicalprimitive.com/melonbasket.html

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/crafts/msg041153306298.html

http://crafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/grapevine_wreaths

http://www.sunshinecrafts.com/body_projects_vine_tulle_angel.php