UrbanFarmerJon
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Grapes or Rasberries in Area with Full Sun?

I'm debating between growing grapes or rasberries this year, but wanted to see what everyones experience is with both of these crops. I have a spot on the south side of my house that gets full sun from 7am until just after 6-7 pm. The bed area is roughly 4 ft by 6 ft. My thoughts were do an arbor or two for the grapes or just a bed of rasberries. I know it will take a year or so to get good production, but that is okay.

I have no experience with growing grapes at all.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

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applestar
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If you are building an overhead arbor, the grapes will provide shade for that side of the house, which will help keep cool in the summer. But the permanent structure depending on material as well as the main scaffold vines will create a certain amount of shade in the winter when you want maximum sun. If you are going with fence-like grape support, similar to raspberry trellis, then this would not be an issue.

Raspberries are prickly and will create an area that will need to be avoided and fenced off if you have young children. You will also need to keep pet dogs away from the grapes. So similar issues.

These were my first thoughts. :wink:

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rainbowgardener
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I've never grown grapes, but I had raspberries at my last place and I ended up ripping them out and trying to get rid of them. They spread aggressively from the roots and they also pop up other places in the yard (I presume from where birds poop out raspberry seeds). One whole side of my yard was turning into a big raspberry bramble/ thicket.

I will never plant them again. I think blueberries are much better behaved.

AnnaIkona
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Grapes need a lot more than 2 hours of sun each day. So I would suggest raspberries, but as someone mentioned, they are quite prickly.

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rainbowgardener
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two hours of sun? " I have a spot on the south side of my house that gets full sun from 7am until just after 6-7 pm. " I read that as 11-12 hrs of sun, plenty for anything.....

JONA
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Just a quick thought. If you have a 4x6ft space and you are going to train a grape as an arbor..then why not have rasps as well.
Once the grape has established and is into the overhead stage there would be plenty of space for a few canes of raspberry.
Planting a vine at one end of the bed would leave all the rest of the area for the canes.
If you do try this I would suggest one thing.
On planting the vine you also put in the ground a couple feet from the vine roots, some sort of root barrier on the bed side. A sheet of thick plastic etc. this would stop the rasp roots from getting tangled in the roots of the vine. Rasps are very invasive if left to their own devises.

ButterflyLady29
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I would say blackberries but that's because I like blackberries better than grapes or raspberries. Plus blackberries come in thornless varieties.

But which would you prefer?

Any grapes you grow will not be the same kind you buy in the grocery store. Those need a warmer climate than you have. But there are several good varieties available.

What is your purpose in growing either? Jelly, wine, juice, fresh eating, etc?

HoneyBerry
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I would try to do both if I you.
Raspberries taste so good. So do grapes. It hard to choose one or the other. I think that grape plants are nicer looking than rasoberry plants. Raspberry canes look barren during the winter.

UrbanFarmerJon
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Thank you for the input! I am looking at doing fruit that my 3 boys can help plant, pick and eat. We go through a ton of grapes and rasberries throughout the year. They also love blackberries and blueberries as well. I have enough space thay I could do the grapes on an arbor, with something below in a separate bed. Could probably do this 2 or even 3 times with smaller beds below.

Looks like I need to make some decisions, looks like I will have to ask the boys what they would like to be able to pick and eat anytime they are in the backyard!

JONA
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If you decide on those rasps...plant a primo cane variety. These give a steady crop through the season until the autumn frosts, instead of the great one off flush of the ' normal' varieties.
Also as they can be cut down to the ground each winter they need don't need such a strong support system.

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sweetiepie
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garden 2015 021.JPG
I have grapes on the south side of my garage. Last summer was their third summer in that place. Produced will. That is only two plants. This is what they were pruned to last spring.
Logan's Graduation 017.JPG
Not the best picture but you can see they were pruned way back.

JONA
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Although they look as if they were pruned quite tightly I think they are still overcrowded for that area. One plant would have been more than enough.
If it was mine I would try to run a couple of vine wires along that wall and train the vine on the right side along those wires. Or.......make a far higher arbor. So that once the vines are in leaf they are much more open and not so dense in leaf covor. Vines need good light to fruit well.



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