Saturday, November 21, 2009

Growing Grapes

I grow grapes in both of my gardens. Maybe I should correct that statement and say I grow grape vines in both my gardens as I can't remember ever eating a grape I have grown. There are just too many birds to compete with and I have never cared enough to go to the trouble of draping the vines with bird netting. In fact it would be almost impossible because the vines scramble up everything they can find. I cut them back in Laguna every year to try to contain their exuberance and the ones in SJC are still young. Why do I grow them if not for the fruit? The foliage is just so lovely I can't get enough of it. There is a beautiful mission in SJC (remember the swallows?) and I love to visit it just to walk under the arbor of grape leaves in the summer. They are so classic and romantic, who needs grapes?

6 comments:

Nell Jean said...

I grow a different grape, scuppernong grape, which has a different leave but makes a lovely arbor. We eat the grapes, as long as they last.

mark at willgardenforfood.com said...

i've wanted to grow grapes but have a dog and heard they can have a bad reaction to them. I might try next year and box them in from the dog and maybe birds while I'm at it then

Growing Grapes said...

Why don't you 'donate' any grape clusters that you have left after the birds have finished with them to someone who makes their own wine? I'm sure if you put a post on your blog for someone who is growing grapes to come and collect them you will be overwhelmed with people only too happy to do something with your grapes if you are not eating any of them.

Sheila said...

Growing Grapes, I would certainly eat my grapes if there were any left after the birds got to them.

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