luna716
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:42 am

help for the grape vine newbie please!

Hi!
I recently started growing a few fruits/veggies in containers (as my backyard is mostly pretty pavers). I have a large deck which gets tons of sun and so far, so good with the plants (I think).
I am trying to grow grapes in a whisky barrel type of planter and it came with 2 branches (no vines/dying leaves). It is now growing wonderful vines all over the place and I have a large double hoop ring for support/vine growth but now they are growing so much and I feel like the hoop rings are not giving the vines enough space to grow? I have to train them to overlap a bit but as the weather is still hot outside, I'm thinking the growth will continue for at least another month or two before winter weather hits.
I am not sure what to do as I do not have the space to string up wires going across as I'm seeing online. It is on the corner of my patio against my deck (rails).
And I recently cut off a lower stem/vine that was growing on the lower main trunk (which was growing vines like crazy) but I worried that it was just too many vines/leaves on the hoop ring and they'd choke each other. Now I'm thinking I shouldn't have cut anything off until the grape goes dormant =(
From what I can see, it is only vines growing from the 2 branches so I'm not sure what to do next with all the vines. Any ideas or suggestions?
And is it okay to trim off the leaves that are looking a bit brown?
Sorry I am all over the place!! This is my first time growing anything and my plants are quickly becoming my babies but as a complete newbie... I'm in desperate need of some 1:1 advice from an expert.

JONA
Greener Thumb
Posts: 812
Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:11 am
Location: Sussex. England

Hi Luna,
The basic rules to follow on vines is this..
You can have one or more leader vines growing from the main trunk according to how much room you have.
From these main structures you run side shoots for carrying your crop.
If you have just one leader then these side shoots can branch again themselves,
Each branch making a permanent structure.
Forming any shape your supporting wires etc will allow. From these permanent branches the cropping sides shoots will grow.
Whether your growing one or two or more leaders then the side shoots that form must be kept tight. So as soon as a truss has formed the shoot is cut one or two leaves beyond.
If no truss forms after around four leaves the the shoot is cut back to a couple of buds to try again.
If the vine is strong it will keep producing extra growth during the summer and may need two or three further trims to keep the whole thing in check and allow light to fall on the fruit and branches to encourage bud formation.
Hope that helps a little!



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