For some reason our Mars grapevine has grown like crazy this spring. It has set on grapes all along its length, and I'm afraid it will be stressed and we'll lose our grapes. I looked up fertilizing grapes and found to my surprise that a high-nitrogen fertilizer is recommended. Whoopee, we have chickens who put out a lot of high nitrogen, as well as nice eggs. I have a 5-gal bucket of composted chicken output. If I put the whole bucket on the vine, will I be overdoing it? It isn't pure output--it's been in the compost pile so there is green and brown stuff mixed in. It is really important that we get grapes. We have a neighbor who swears you can't grow grapes in Texas. He also tells me every year we can't grow roses, or asparagus, or . . . .
I can only say, Jane---that if you choose to use the chook output, then do it in a measured way (even if it is composted). This type of fertilizer is infamous for being much stronger than it looks. Obviously the fresher it is, the stronger it is. Just be careful.
I think I remember being told last year (by a pub owner who grew grapes down south) that you use around 5 - 10 lbs of manure for every vine Jane. It can be either cow, rabbit or chicken. It should be applied after the vine flowers or when your grapes are approx. 1/4 inch in size. I hope you get lots of fruit to prove that neighbour of yours wrong!!
What does your neighbor think about all the wild grape vines on almost every fence along Texas highways? Muscadine grapes grow quite well in Texas.
Jane, we spray our grapes with a liquid calcium spray. please do yourself a favor and do this also. we got the nicest grapes I have ever had this past year when kevin sprayed this AFTER we had a frost that killed the first flower buds of grapes that came out.
Thank you all for the advice! I will judiciously use 5 lbs. of our compost (about 8 months old) now since the vine has flowered, and I'll do a calcium spray as soon as I can. Eileen, what are you doing hanging out at a pub and chatting up the barkeep? I have no idea why our neighbor thinks you can't grow grapes here, but then, thinking isn't his strong point.
Jane we were having a meal outside at the pub (in Cornwall) and I noticed that overhead he had lots of grapes growing. Being me I just had to have a chat about them didn't I? Here's a couple of photographs of the vine. Just double click on the link to see them. https://photos.app.goo.gl/KFTU7fMmukRHEHRk9
Eileen, we went to a winery here in Texas last year, and the porch was shaded by grapevines loaded with grapes. Dumb me, I didn't think to ask how the vines were cared for. The vines at the Cornwall pub look so healthy and so "grapey"--I'm so glad you asked about their care.
Those are beauties Eileen !! MG just tell your neighbor to come visit me about mid July !! Then he will have someone to ague with him and show him the grapes on my vine. My asparagus is done for the season,,shucks! Tell him its all in knowing how to grow them. But do not volunteer information,,make him ask for it !!
Mart, our asparagus is done for the season, too. I fed it compost and if the weather cooperates, we'll have a smaller cutting in the fall. Neighbor came over, asking for some dill. I said sure, and headed for the dill patch while he veered off to the asparagus bed which had gone to fronds. I asked him where he was going, and he said, "To that dill over there." I explained that those fronds were asparagus. Darn fool couldn't tell asparagus fronds from the umbrella heads of dill!
Back in the late 1880's it was Texas grape vines that saved the wine industry in France. the French government in 1888 sent a delegation to Denison, Texas to confer on Texas Horticulturist Thomas Munson, the French Legion of Honor Chevalier du Mérite Agricole So you can grow grapes and try your hand at wine making too.
I think I would have just let him think it was dill . Unless you have a way to keep the wine cool in Texas heat,, I would postpone the wine making till fall. But even if you do not make wine,,you will still get a good supply of wine vinegar.
Texas has about 470 commercial vineyards going strong at this time and they do not have to wait until fall to make wine. Home brewing does not necessarily require a major cooling system, you can make some really good wine in smaller quantities in the confines of you home....we have.
