Hello! My grapevine looks very vulnerable; I only planted it last year. How do I prevent it from snapping this winter-put metal stakes around it as if it were a tomato plant? Jen
Re: how to keep grapevines safe in winter... Sorry, I don't understand. How is it vulnerable? What is happening the winter that worries you? What is the vine growing on?
Re: how to keep grapevines safe in winter... The grapevine is not supported by anything yet that is permanent. What it leaned on in the growing season was not permanent. It's really just a stick growing out of a four square garden... Worried mostly by ice, I guess. Though once, back when I was a child I witnessed something amazing. My parents wanted to grow an ornamental maple. When it was planted it was nothing but a twig with a little leaf. I told my parents I wished we could put a glass jar with holes on top. They said it would be safe. They were right.
Re: how to keep grapevines safe in winter... Oh, ok, here people always grow grapevines on a wall or trellis or fence or something. Shouldn't be too hard to rig something, depending on how much room you have. I don't know what happens to grapevines if left on the ground. What is your climate like? How hard are the freezes? We get quite a few -8C freezes here in the winter and the grape is fine, but it is against the house with a bit of shelter not out in the middle of the garden. Also it's a dry climate which is different freezing than a wet climate.
Re: how to keep grapevines safe in winter... I think it depends on how cold it gets there, and what kind of grapes you have. Some don't tolerate much cold. If it's a variety that grows well there, you should be okay. Here's an article on Protecting Grapevines from Winter Injury: https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalo ... w603-e.pdf Here's a site to convert F to C: https://www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htm Sue