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Grape vines in raised beds?
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Posted by scottmac8 9 (AZ) (My Page) on Wed, Oct 18, 06 at 20:18
| I'm considering planting some grape vines in my backyard. As I understand it, the climate here in Phoenix is good for many grape varieties, but the soil pH is bad and has way too much clay in it. Has anyone had trouble with their grapes because of this? Would it be better to plant grapes in raised beds, maybe about 10 inches tall? How deep to the roots go?
any help would be much appreciated.
-scott |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Grape vines in raised beds?
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| I have grown grapes in my native soil for the last two years with no problems. Just amend your soil and you should be ok. Or not, I just amended the holes I put the plants in. The problem I had this year was an infestation of grape leaf skeletonizers. They came back and came back and came back. BT was not effective even though I sprayed every week. I even bought new thinking mine might be old. I switched to Dipel and that seemed to work better. Then there is bird problem. As soon as the grapes are ready to start ripening you have to cover them with paper bags or the birds will devour your harvest. You could net the vines but I don't like the tangled mess trying to harvest then take down the netting at the end of the harvest. |
RE: Grape vines in raised beds?
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| Planted grape vines two years ago and first harvest went to the birds as we tried netting which was a fiasco. Birds would get under the net and when startled would get tangled. Neighbor told us to cut old panyhose in about 8-12-inch lengths and put on the each cluster. I then tied each end with twist ties and on some I cut the panythose in one inch wide widths then cut in half for ties. I also use these hose ties to secure vines, etc. as it will give with the wind. Needless to say, birds got none this past year. Worth a try!!! I had also tried the paper bags but the hose were so much easier and better yet can be reused!!! |
RE: Grape vines in raised beds?
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| Great information, thanks! Any recommendation on where to buy the grape vines from? I only saw them at one nursery and they looked really beat up, lots of browning leaves, and the pruning looked like it was done by Beavis & Butthead or something. |
RE: Grape vines in raised beds?
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| You should have a better selection in the spring. That is when I planted mine. Any nursery, HD, or Lowes have them in the spring. Google up the Urban Farm in PHX. I believe you can order them from him for spring delivery. |
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