Grape red (organic)

If you live somewhere mild, give your outdoor space a vineyard feel by planting your own grape vines. This variety, ‘Lakemount’, produces sweet, seedless grapes. It can be grown in a pot or trained up a wall or pergola. Please note that grapes don’t do well in extreme cold, so they’re not suitable for growing outside in places where the winter temperature drops well below freezing. In colder areas you can grow it in a greenhouse or conservatory. 

It’s only recently that grapes have been widely grown in the UK, as average temperatures have increased. They need warm weather and as much sun as you can offer in order to produce fruit. Plant in your brightest spot and water very regularly through the first spring and summer. The soil needs to be kept moist while the plant is getting settled in, so don’t let it dry out. After a few years it will become more drought tolerant. Also feed every couple of weeks in summer to help it fruit. 

When it comes to fruiting, grapes are a long-term project. For the first five years you should only let it grow one bunch for every year of its life, e.g. in year three, leave three bunches to grow, etc. Cut off any other bunches. This might seem counterproductive but it will help your plant grow strong. After five years it can be left to grow as many bunches as it likes.

Grape vines grow vigorously so make sure to keep on top of pruning. Cut off the twisty tendrils, which can get tangled in the vines and make them messy. If you’re keeping it in a pot, prune it every November to keep its neat tree shape. If planted in the ground, prune every November to remove unruly or dead growth and to stop it becoming too huge. 

Grapes need a lot of effort but looked after well they can last for many, many decades and they’ll only become more beautiful. 

Did you know?

Over 70 million tons of grapes are consumed around the world every year. The largest producer of grapes is actually China.