Which grape vine?

Hi all, after a recent trip to a garden centre hubby wants to try growing grapes. He is a chef so always keen to try edible plants. We have a small unheated greenhouse so my question is which vine is right for us? It will be grown in a large pot and we are in the West Midlands any suggestions or advice gratefully received

 

We used to have a Hamburg which is often recommended but it never seem to fully ripen for us. The grapes were a bit tasteless to be honest athough I have wondered if it wasn’t as labelled. It cropped well but despite OH studioulsy researching and pruning the flavour was always bland.

It grew really well and we did enjoy using the vine leaves, we enjoyed those far more than the grapes.

We dug it outa few years ago but we are tempted to try again.

 

I've got flame, lakemont and muscat bleu, mine are on the allotment but are not really doing well.
Of the three lakemont is good as its seedless and a decent flavour.

I have grown black hamburg in the past and never thought it very tasty and lots of pips.
I did have a muscat of alexandria some years ago, very good flavour but also very late ripening even though I had that one in a greenhouse.
Muscat types have a more grapey flavour in my opinion if you want a dessert grape.

 

Is there any way of planting the root in the ground and training the trunk/stem into the greenhouse via a hole or small pane removal? Growing a vine in a pot really isn't ideal. Growing the fruiting part inside is, as the greenhouse protects the leaves and buds from all sorts of fungal diseases and frost damage to young growth and flowers. The greenhouse will still need good ventilation in summer, tthough. The RHS site may have more detailed info. My dad grew a Muscat d'Alexandria vine like this in Northants and had superb fruit most years, despite it being late to ripen.

 

My mucat of alexandria didn't ripen until late Oct or Nov, I found it was too damp most years even with the greenhouse vents and doors open to stop botrytis .

 

I did think of that but it would mean leaving the greenhouse door open permanently or removing a pane of glass. The tub is huge about 3 foot in diameter and deep, it’s a horse feed tub.

 

Grapes do a lot better in the ground, they need lot of water and that is easier for them to get if in the ground, preferably outside. Traditionally they were grown in glasshouses with the plant outside. You could remove a pane of glass, low down, feed the vine through and then cut some plastic to fill most of the gap. They develop large root systems.
For varieties this will give you some information Grape Vines Online UK Grown - Chris Bowers
Some varieties you can grow outside in a sunny spot, the dessert grapes such as Muscat of Alexandria do benefit from glasshouse protection.

 

It really doesn't matter what the container is, as NigelJ says, they develop large and above all deep roots that need good drainage. It's difficult to judge the watering and feeding requirements in a container.

 

I missed that it was going in a pot. We have open beds on tenth and simply planted it inside, right against the frame. When we removed it the roots were mostly outside of the greenhouse. But very deep. I’m not sure I would want to keep up with its watering needs if it was in a pot. We rarely had to water ours but as said most of the roots were outside.

 

Mine are outside and I've never watered them, its not something you need to do with a grapevine.
Another one that thinks pot growing is a recipe for failure I'm afraid.

 

We have muscat of hamburg and cardinal in the greenhouse but with the roots outside. I simple dug the hole under the greenhouse frame.
M of h is quite good outside as well if we have a decent summer, as is cardinal. I rooted cutting for these extra plants and they do ok in pots for a couple of years but I agree they are far better in the ground.

I've seen what is termed as pixie grapes, becoming available recently which are supposed to stay small and are therefore good for pots. I don't know if it's a gimmick or viable solution.

 

I had a black hamburgh grown in the soil into the greenhouse and always got botyritis too. I had one good year and made a crap wine from it, which I still have a couple of bottles of. I got rid of the vine about five years or more ago

I did plant two "supaga" vines a year ago in my allotments along a fence and another in my back garden that will grow up a south facing wall. Too soon to report on it but it is supposed to be early and from one of the Baltic countries. Maybe overoptimistic that I'll get anything from them on the west coast of scotland

I'd definitely do a bit of research and buy as early a ripening variety as possible and also grow it in the ground as others have mentioned

 

Thanks for all the advice I think it’s a no from me there are no garden beds near to the greenhouse so it won’t work. I have seen vines advertised as suitable for pots but that’s obviously just a ploy to increase sales. Thanks anyway everyone.

 

Hi everyone.

We've had a grapevine given to us we want to put it in the polytunnel , I was going to put it in a pot but I've read this post and see it's always best in the ground. I've managed to get through the hard core and the soil below seems to be quite wet so will it be best add some gravel or broken crocks to the bottom of the hole? I know the graft has to be above the ground and should I add compost to the hole?

Thanks

 

If it were mine I wouldn't add gravel or crocks - they won't change the water table level. Personally I'd use soil rather than compost.