If you go out there and search for information on grapes growing you will find a wealth of information about things you need to do to have a great harvest.
That's good, but it is equally important to know things that you ought not to do under any circumstances.
Yes you may be an expert in grapes growing, but we have all done that.
Looking back we all have done such things which now make us look foolish.
Let me give you an example of Ernie, my neighbor.
After having a look at a landscape documentary, my friend decided that he wanted to grow grape vines in his backyard as it had its benefits.
It was an admirable decision, but his decision on the variety of grapes to grow was less commendable.
Ernie had no experience whatsoever in grapes growing and he decided to plant Pinot Noir vine.
When other experienced grape growers came to know about his decision they disapproved of the idea, but Ernie did not pay heed.
If you are not familiar with the variety, here is a brief description.
Pinot Noir is the most sought after variety of vine for making wine due to its silky texture and wide array of aromas.
The rider is that it is disease and frost sensitive and ripens quite early exactly at a time when there is high frost.
Got the problem? He didn't care of the advice given by experienced people; his heart was on those delicious juicy grapes.
He bought the vines from a nursery and then went on to make blunders in grapes growing.
He dug a hole and stuffed the cutting without making enough space for the roots and on top of that he used wrong fertilizers which in turn harmed the roots.
Moreover he planted it besides a tree.
What was his reason? He would get sunburn while caring for it.
He also reasoned that since there is a tree nearby, the plant would climb and there was no need for building a trellis.
Within a few months the plant was dead.
It is not clear what killed the plant; it may be due to snow, insect infestation or may be due to excessive watering- he used to water the plant every day, but the point is he did not know the basics of growing anything let alone grapes.
This was the end of his grapes growing adventure.
You may be asking what this story wants to convey.
Just want to point out that to be successful in fruit growing you need to be well informed of what is necessary and what is harmful.
Different varieties grow under different climatic conditions.
You must know the likely pitfalls and then think of avoiding them.
Yes grapes growing are a rewarding adventure, but many people don't know that a lot of dedication, patience and hard work are required for grapes growing.
It is sad to note that in spite of the amount of information available people are not aware of them.
You must be well informed if you want to be really successful in grapes growing.
That's good, but it is equally important to know things that you ought not to do under any circumstances.
Yes you may be an expert in grapes growing, but we have all done that.
Looking back we all have done such things which now make us look foolish.
Let me give you an example of Ernie, my neighbor.
After having a look at a landscape documentary, my friend decided that he wanted to grow grape vines in his backyard as it had its benefits.
It was an admirable decision, but his decision on the variety of grapes to grow was less commendable.
Ernie had no experience whatsoever in grapes growing and he decided to plant Pinot Noir vine.
When other experienced grape growers came to know about his decision they disapproved of the idea, but Ernie did not pay heed.
If you are not familiar with the variety, here is a brief description.
Pinot Noir is the most sought after variety of vine for making wine due to its silky texture and wide array of aromas.
The rider is that it is disease and frost sensitive and ripens quite early exactly at a time when there is high frost.
Got the problem? He didn't care of the advice given by experienced people; his heart was on those delicious juicy grapes.
He bought the vines from a nursery and then went on to make blunders in grapes growing.
He dug a hole and stuffed the cutting without making enough space for the roots and on top of that he used wrong fertilizers which in turn harmed the roots.
Moreover he planted it besides a tree.
What was his reason? He would get sunburn while caring for it.
He also reasoned that since there is a tree nearby, the plant would climb and there was no need for building a trellis.
Within a few months the plant was dead.
It is not clear what killed the plant; it may be due to snow, insect infestation or may be due to excessive watering- he used to water the plant every day, but the point is he did not know the basics of growing anything let alone grapes.
This was the end of his grapes growing adventure.
You may be asking what this story wants to convey.
Just want to point out that to be successful in fruit growing you need to be well informed of what is necessary and what is harmful.
Different varieties grow under different climatic conditions.
You must know the likely pitfalls and then think of avoiding them.
Yes grapes growing are a rewarding adventure, but many people don't know that a lot of dedication, patience and hard work are required for grapes growing.
It is sad to note that in spite of the amount of information available people are not aware of them.
You must be well informed if you want to be really successful in grapes growing.