Grapes

[Seaweed]

Does anyone here grow grapes? I do know of someone near me with an outdoor grapevine that fruits so I know it is possible. It's just I got some of THE grapes from my organic fruit man & would love to try growing some. What conditions do they need? Do the birds get them? What about possums or horses, which are my main predators when it comes to non native vegetation.

[Paper Cut]

Grow like weeds once established... yes to the birds (if they are a sweet type) old stockings over the bunches can fix that thou... yes to the possums, wild rabbits and the horses will give them a go as well, ear wigs can take out a whole crop if they are bad in your area... every house we have had with a vine has basically looked after it self.

[Seaweed]

No earwigs & thankfully the rabbits are only in the paddocks. Altho there are a heck of a lot of them these days. I will get a grape vine & experiment a I am in a marginal area so to speak. In fact I would not have bothered if I had not seen evidence they grow here.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

You've seen my grapevine in photos. We have it along wires, and keep all growing tips to no more than 18 inches. To get the best crop you need to look after the vines.

You're probably not in a good area, becuase you're wanting heat and dry in the summer. Wind can cause a lot of damage. So chose your microclimate well.

[Seaweed]

I would not even have thought of grapes if I had not seen my neighbour's grapes. They live over the lip of the hill from us so are way more protected from the southerly but they would get way more north easterlies than us. Northeasterlies are generally the predominant summer wind. There is an area of bush out the back that I could put them in which is quite protected so much warmer than my garden. It has been pretty dry this summer as well.