Grapes have started to bud

-

Grapes have started to bud so it’s time to install the new suspension lines.

I’m growing the grapes next to the patio and training them across the space under the roof, so that the leaves provide shade in the summer.

Last year I had just the two lengths of clothes line to string the vines across, and found that the distances were too great to provide support.

I’ve purchased some marine grade fixtures to withstand the salty sea breezes and strung a couple of  rows of  coated line.

What I'm setting out to do different this year is that the kitchen is now installed and opens out onto the patio. All water is going to be collected from the kitchen and it’s a short walk to pour it onto the vines.


Comments

Post a Comment

You also might like...

Hostel : Glasgow : Night moves

-
I’ve dug up a bit out of an old travel journal.   One night while tucked up in our beds, all eight guys were woken by loud female shouting, out in the stairwell. A truly sublime pair of unfettered bosoms, filled to the quivering liquid brim with booze, burst through the door. She was atmospherically rim lit by light spilling in through the open doorway as she bounced into the room, and planted rank alcoholic kisses on the guy occupying the bed nearest the door. A girlfriend appeared and dragged our invader back to her room. A heavy, round silence closed around us and when it seemed that no more action would unfold, one of the guys on a bottom bunk got up and closed the dorm door. On another occasion, I was woken by someone moving close to my bed. Something must have been up, cause the guy that sleeps below me usually doesn’t interrupt my slumber. A head was moving around in the dark, and I recognised its silhouette as the young guy who occupies the lower bunk across the room.
READ MORE »

Grape update: Jan

-
Image
The grapes have started to ripen.... Which means my competition with the birds is on. The local black birds don't seem to be concerned with how sweet the fruit is. They will happily eat the green unripe grapes. I've noticed them swallow fruit whole so I don't think they care about taste. Word seems to be being passed about. The number of visitors seems to be increasing as the month slips by. I have been protecting individual grape bunches with plastic mesh bags. Ran out of bags so tried to protect the rest with a net.       These birds are diabolically sly and managed to muscled through gaps. I've purchased some more bags and now what is left of the crop has some sort of protection. Found that the birds have now started to pull the bags off, so I'm securing them with clothes pegs.    
READ MORE »