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| This is the best they have looked |
I finally found Isabella grape plants at one of the local box stores, of all places. I was encouraged that they were from Pang's nursery here in HI . Naturally, I broke my usually inflexible rule about not buying a plant without a plan for planting it and the time to execute that plan, and took home half a dozen that night.
I did get them in the ground within a couple days. In my reading, I had learned that grapes need well drained soil, FULL sun, good air circulation, and not to be overwatered. Does this spot exist in my yard? No! But hell, I REALLY want to grow grapes.
We have this huge pergola in the back yard, and what I want to do is grow the vines up it to give us shade and, of course, grapes. I planted my little victims at each supporting post, only one of which approximates being in full sun. In the wettest area, I put my plant in a big pot.
So, well, they survived. Not exactly thrived. If I could only get them to live long enough to reach full sun at the top of the trellis....
After months of poking along, insult was added to injury when we had an epic record breaking hailstorm in march. Three inch hail and sickly grape leaves, already chewed up by caterpillars, do not mix well. I figured that was the end of my vineyard dreams.
But wait! Apparently they are appreciating the longer days because I noticed as I was making the rounds this morning that most of them look pretty healthy and are putting out new growth. Even the little shrimpy one that got overgrown by its neighboring plants has wiggled its way out of hiding with some bright green leaves. Could there still be hope?
