Grapes .. vines .. and what the heck do you really want from a grape vine ? was the subject.
Kylee was straight forward in saying she likes the aesthetic side of the vine, yet some nice grapes were not going to be turned down either. They went through a lot of scientific research (believe me Kylee .. it was scientific compared to what I did girl !) .. picked the right grapes and lay of the land .. the right types of wiring and support. It is going to look gorgeous on the split rail fencing area ! I can't wait to see pictures of it filled out : )
So now we come to my adventure .. which started about seven years ago.
Number One Husband was fortunate enough to spend his teenage years on a vineyard that his father managed in Kelowna. Ah yes ... the Okanagan Valley .. paradise for grapes that are born for wine : ) .. so NOH (Number One Husband .. I sound like VP now) .. knew a lot about the vines .. the care .. the pruning etc .. there is a clue here for some one that might be paying attention .. So I left the choice of vine up to hubby and let him get on with that bit .. I had an ornate smallish but tallish arbor to show case it with.
Long story short ... vines that do well in Kelowna do not necessarily do well here in Ontario .. we have our own favorites that put up with the cold and the menopausal weather.
So after a few very lean years of a vine that just didn't do it for me .. I finally took over the reins and chose a different vine "Suffolk" a red seedless HARDY character.
But what I did do was listen to NOH about layering the support wires .. plastic coated of course. We had hired help to fix our crooked fence, that job continued on to a cedar arbor against said back fence .. roughly 8 ft. high and 10 ft wide and skinny .. my back garden is small so space is premium .. my goal was privacy with visual appeal .. little did I know how many grapes would be happy to be born .
What else did I have to add to the mix ? cold hardy large "grape" sized kiwi for which I KNOW the tag is in the house somewhere ? .. it is smooth and delicious .. so what better mix than grapes and kiwis ? .. and what better than privacy, beauty and a bit of tasty snacks on the side while working in the garden ? Life is GOOD !
23 comments:
Joy:
Grapes in the garden.... egads you have so much more room than I could ever imagine. My Grandmother grew grapes.... I loved grabbing a bunch and popping them in my mouth.
Hope you are staying warm.... it's been crazy yo-yo like weather today hasn't it?
Joy, Your garden with arbor and kiwi is fantastic! I've enlarged the photos 3 or 4 times to study it and check out the plant combinations. ...and now I want grapes and an arbor and that MR I Don't will learn all these important garden things so we can have grapes! Visiting blogs is certainly stimulating to the garden imagination and then there is all the plant lust and ... plant acquisition. gail
What wonderful photos, Joy! Love them, and what prolific grapes. It seems like we're a long way from fresh grapes, but today we're having a melt so maybe...just maybe...we'll make it through.
wow Joy - that's a lotta grapes! They look beautiful and delicious.
Those grapes look SO yummy. I have a few grapes in mind to grow in my garden. I've also been thinking about some cold hardy kiwi too (among about a billion others....). So they spread out pretty far, huh? I suppose that means I'll need to get bigger trellises than I was planning. Can I wait until next year to put up my trellises or would it be easier to do that before the plants start growing?
Joy, I just love the pictures of your garden. Maybe you will inspire me to clean up my mess.
Beautiful & edible! Yum!
The vines are so wonderful looking.. grapes are just an extra bonus. :-)
Wow! It is gorgeous! I know you just can't wait to see it again! I'd love to take some of that snow off your hands...BUT, sorry, can't help you at all in that area:( You are so silly...I laughed through your whole post! But I knew you weren't being silly about lovin' that vine:)
I love seeing pictures of your garden. It will all be growing again soon!!!(-:
Joy, I so look forward to you posting photos of your yard. Overall photos that show how much thought you have put into design and comfy atmosphere. They just make me relax... Share more please!
Brenda
Wow, Joy, I'm SO impressed! My grape-growing efforts have been enthusiastic but unproductive. Gee, could it be that grapes need regular watering to thrive?!...
I love your grape vines. We had some above our back patio at our old house. The birds used to love them, too. Joy, I wished it was that time of year again where we can see everything you are showing. I am anxiously awaiting spring. / Andrea
Ooh, this is beautiful, Joy! Seeing your patio, too, I think if I were to sit there with a cool drink I would think I was in paradise--in the summer, of course:)
I know nothing about growing grapes, but I do love your vines growing up the tall arbor. And I had no idea kiwi could be grown so far north. You're getting something beautiful to look at and antioxidants to boot!
Beautiful :)
Hi teza .. yes, we love having the arbor and grapes there ..nothing tastes that good on a hot late summer day than your own grapes !
The weather .. absolutely gorgeous clear morning but FREEZING !! When will it make up its mind ??
Gail, thank you girl ! YES ! you must have grapes .. even a little arbor is fine because grapes are actually grown about mid-waist ? not high like we have them .. that was a privacy wish on our part .. and it has worked out very well : )
The HUNT ............. I can hardly wait girl !!!!
Jodi .. something is in the great Canadian air .. I'm sure it is a touch of Spring even where you are : ) It has to come eventually and I think it is testing the ground a bit : )
Thanks Linda .. every year we have more and more .. that vine started in 2005 as a baby .. it is growing up nicely !
Cinj .. It is good to get an idea of the space you need .. we extended ours higher than you normally do for grapes .. Kylee is doing some on fencing and some on a shorter arbor .. you should have a look at her post and it will give you another angle to see them from : )
Debbie .. my god girl .. you have so much on the go I don't know how the heck you do, what you do ,do ?
I have my clean up to face in another 3 to 4 weeks yet .. big sigh !!
PG .. there is something to be said for "fast food" garden style eh ? LOL
Thanks Connie .. yes, the grapes and kiwi are a bonus with the wonderful foliage !
Jan .. I could ship some snow UPS and it might make it there girl ! .. I think cabin fever crazies have run me down and my brain is leaking out of my ears .. my lap top is a mess .. I'm trying to hang on till SPRING !!
Cindee .. I love seeing pictures of my garden too : ) .. it keeps hope alive in me that yet again it will spring to life ? haha
Brenda .. you are too sweet girl, thanks ! .. I really admire what Robert has done in your reno work .. those garden doors and the courtyard atmosphere is something I would love .. total privacy 9other than those pesky birds ? LOL) I would garden in my jammies for sure ! haha
'ben" you have cracked me up ! YES ! grapes need water and TLC to get them through babyhood ? toddler,preteen,teen ? LOL .. eventually they will be less demanding though ; )
Hi Andrea .. Thank you so much girl ! .. yes, a few birds do get to have some grapes .. but I have so many other treats for them here , they don't "pig out" on the grapes too much. I am always in awe when my garden comes back to life myself .. it is an amazes transition and I can't wait either ! : )
Thank you Rose ! .. I mean to do a lot of small changes on the patio .. taking bricks up and planting herbs and low growers .. the table has to go in favour of some comfortable chairs and a smaller table .. to hold the wine glasses ? LOL .. on a quiet early evening it is pretty darn good !
So drinking wine, eating grapes and kiwis should top up my antioxidant values tremendously .. right ?? : )
Hi Marie .. thank you girl !
Wait till I show my grape vine growing friends this picture! Wow! Your yard is really pretty!!
OH MY GOODNESS! Now YOU are getting me super excited about this grape growing bit! Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous, yours! And I have wanted to grow kiwi vines, too. Maybe I'll have to do something about that! I can only hope ours will look as scrumptious as yours. The grapes, too!
Hi Linda .. Thank you girl ! .. it takes time but they finally do fill out well and it does make me smile a lot !
Hi Kylee .. you guys have gone about it so well planned : ) I know yours are going to look super too, just give it a couple of years to feel at home and then look out ! haha
What a lovely place you've got. I want to pick grapes too... Immediately! Can't wait!
Katarina
Katarina .. it will take a good few months yet girl .. but come on over end July and I will save you some ? LOL
Wow! The grapes look amazing, Joy, as does the rest of your garden. Love the way they look with that lantern tucked in. Very inviting!
Hi Nancy .. thank you girl ! .. we have been lucky with the grapes taking to their place in the garden .. and I love to have bits and pieces tucked in here and there : ) just nice little touches you notice but aren't over run by ? LOL
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