Grape Vine Question

15 years ago

I was reading a book about container gardening by Reader's Digest. They showed a container with a grapevine growing in it. They also had miniature fruit trees in some containers.

Do you think a grapevine in a SWC is doable? What type would you grow?

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Comments (6)

redneck_grower
15 years ago
I have been growing grapes in containers for a long time. And, there are even those who grow grapes as bonsai. Realize that grapes are rampant growers, and want to 'roam'. I usually include a trellis of some sort in or on the container to give the plants a place to go. Being so rampant, they will of course need to be pruned; but, learn to prune appropriately if you wish your vines to produce much fruit; there are specific ways to prune grapes to ensure optimum fruit production. To maintain them for long periods in the container, you'll also need to root prune periodically.

I moved recently, and planted all of my containerized grapes in the ground. My motive is to speed up the growth of their trunks; at a later date, when the trunks are large, I will severely prune the vines, and transplant them back to containers as interesting specimens.

Look near the bottom of this article; there is a section on container-growing grapes: Growing Grapes

Also, you might Google "grape bonsai" to see some cool examples.

Cheers
engineeredgarden
15 years ago
Hmm.....interesting.What about muscadine grapes? Ever tried that?
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lime_coke
Original Author
15 years ago
Do your container grapes bear fruit? I read that grapes in containers won't have fruit. They are grown only for decorative purposes.
redneck_grower
15 years ago
Never tried muscadine. There's a guy in Lodi, CA, that has taken some really old winegrape vines (75+ year old vines!) and planted them as large-scale bonsai. There's a website somewhere (can't find the link right now) that explains how and what he is doing. Neat stuff!

I'm sure muscadine would be just as vigorous/aggressive as any other grape.

I have some wild, California native grapes that have 5" trunks, and have reached the top of 40+ foot oak trees; the vines are absolutely smothering a few of the trees. I am maintaining some of this species in containers right now; birdies pick up the grape seeds, and poop them all over my yard. I have wild grapes coming up everywhere.
redneck_grower
15 years ago
"Do your container grapes bear fruit?"

Yes, they bear fruit, but not as well as a ground-grown vine, in my experience. Just this spring I had a containerized Thompson seedless with nice clusters of baby grapes; a late April freeze wiped out all of the little grape-babies.

:-(
redneck_grower
15 years ago
I found a link to the Lodi guy growing grape bonsai. Check out the grape clusters on these cool plants! I've seen 'how-to' articles by this guy somewhere, but I can't seem to find them now.

Grape Bonsai

Cheers!