A grapevine can be a great addition to a garden or greenhouse, even in the UK. They can be happily planted in a sunny spot in Southern England, or in a greenhouse in Northern regions, but which type is best – dessert or wine?
Dessert grapes
To get the best fruit from a dessert grape, the vine should be grown in your greenhouse to fully ripen and produce lovely sweet grapes. Dessert grapes are also great to keep in large containers in your conservatory, which can then be placed outside during the winter.
You could even follow in the style of Hampton Court Palace, which has vines where the trunk is planted outside and the stems trained to grow inside. Planting grape vines in this way means they rarely need watering once established, and are very easy to manage. The vines should be kept at around 16°C from early spring to encourage the best growth and sweetest fruit.
Wine grapes
Wine grapes are best grown outside on a south- or southwest-facing wall, fence or trellis, which is warm and sheltered from cooling winds. Wine grapevines are very versatile and will grow well in most types of soil, as long as there is good drainage.
To plant a full row of grapevines, choosing a south-facing slope is preferable, and plant the vines running north to south. Protect young shoots from frost until they have matured.
There are several varieties that can be matched to a particular soil or climate, so pick the best one for your garden and enjoy the fruits of your labour with a glass of your own wine.
