# Vernon the Wine Vine



## MedPretzel (Apr 17, 2006)

Well, this is my vine, Vernon. 











He's a Catawba vine. I bought him at Walmart (so you know it's gotta be high quality!!!) last year. The picture is from last year's summer.

He's going to be 3 years old this summer.

He seems to have made it through the winter! 2 weeks ago, I took a cutting from his branches, and let's hope he actually gets some grapes this year.





I will be "trellising" this year as this page shows: http://www.africusrex.com/page2.html





Martina


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## djcoop (Apr 18, 2006)

Awe Vernon!! He's so cute!! I don't think my Walmart carries anything like that.


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## grapeman (Jun 8, 2006)

Come on Martina- give us an update on Vernon. Does he just need a little fertilizer or is he getting wet feet. Tell us how he's doing


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## MedPretzel (Jun 13, 2006)

Oh dear,





Vernon is "limping" along this spring....





I have tried to not post pictures, because he's looking quite... uh... _*ill*_.





However, he's in the (probably) sunniest spot in my yard (on the balcony, gets 4+ hours of sun per day).





I'll find the time to get a pic this week, but he's not looking that great right now. I wish I could give him steroids or something.


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## grapeman (Jun 13, 2006)

Martina,


Have you gently lifted Vernon out of his big pot(tip on the side and tap the bottom while doing this). See if he is root bound. If you see a jumbled mass of roots all against the side, chances are he is severely bound. Grapes get a tremendous root system naturally. If he is constricted, the roots can actually strangle each other. If you see this, try putting him in a bigger pot and add some peat to the soil mixture to get a little better soil structure. Score the root ball a little when you transfer it. If that is the problem, he should respond very well. Just do it fairly soon so he can get his new growth done soon giving enough time to harden off some before fall. Even if this isn't the real problem, it certainly is something that will need to be done at some point. Good luck!


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## paubin (Jun 27, 2006)

Martina, 



So how is Vernon doing??? Better I hope. Have you concidered getting him out of the pot entirely?


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## MedPretzel (Jul 6, 2006)

Vernon is alive and well. I think it was all the rain we were having.














Looks like he's okay. I just wonder when I can expect some inklings of grapes.


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## grapeman (Jul 6, 2006)

Good to see Vernon is doing a little better



. If he grows pretty good this year and hardens off before frost, you should have some grapes next year. I planted 25 Catawbas on June 7 this year along with 25 Buffalos the next day. Boy have they grown in a month! The Catawbas are normally a very vigorous vine. Some of mine are already 36 inches in that month. 


You might want to use just a little Miracle-Gro, Rapid-Grow or whatever-gro. Mix up a tablespoon in a gallon of water and give him half one day wait a day and give him the rest. That should perk him up without over stimulating growth. Good luck and keep him growing


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## MedPretzel (Jul 6, 2006)

He gets farm "Grade A" aka horse manure.





He loves it!





Thanks for the words of encouragement!


M.


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## Waldo (Jul 7, 2006)

MArtina are you gonna do the foot stomp method for crushing your grapes


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## MedPretzel (Jul 7, 2006)

Hahaha, if there's enough, yes. If not, I'll probably just eat them



or add the grapes to some newer wines and say, "From my own harvest!"


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## grapeman (Jul 10, 2006)

Martina,


I have 25 of Vernon's relatives. These guys were planted a month ago and growing like crazy. I'm not as creative with names, so they are Catawba1, Catawba2.........and finally don't forget Catawba25.






There next door neighbors are Frontenac, St. Pepin, and LaCrosse.


They are spaced 7.5 feet in the row and 9 feet between rows. I hope it will be enough. These little guys are very vigorous. 





*Edited by: appleman *


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## NorthernWinos (Jul 10, 2006)

Gee, those little babies sure are looking good...by next year you are going to have lots of foilage....the arms of the plants will grow together, you will have lots of fruit in about 3 years....Good going!!!!


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## Wade E (Jul 10, 2006)

That picture looks awesome. I wish I had more yard to do what you have
done. I wish you the best of luck on your vineyard. Keep up the faith.


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## Waldo (Jul 11, 2006)

Looking good appleman. So how tall is that top wire?


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## grapeman (Jul 11, 2006)

Waldo,


The top wire is just shy of6 feet. The training stakes are out of the ground about 48 inches. If you want to see more, go to page 3 of Champlain Valley Vineyard. I posted a bunch more pictures yesterday.


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## MedPretzel (Jul 17, 2006)

Another pic of vern.


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## MedPretzel (Aug 28, 2006)

Just an update. Vern is growing nicely this year. I have no grapes, though.



Next year he'll be 3, and I hope that we'll have at least one grape to add to the wine! Pictures coming soon!


M.


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## rgecaprock (Aug 28, 2006)

Martina, 



Are you going to leave Vernon in the pot? I just might have toget a little Vernon in a pot so I can at least join in the vineyard conversation,lol. I feel so envious of the pictures I see of the serious vine growers. Didn't you say you got him at Wally World? Maybe I can make him at home in my little world here.



*Edited by: rgecaprock *


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## Wade E (Aug 28, 2006)

Thats one heck of a beautiful balcony there. I dont think I would be able to pick out a vern if there was one there though.


*Edited by: wadewade *


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## MedPretzel (Aug 29, 2006)

Yes, I am leaving him in the pot. He was in there last years, survived the Ohio (Zone 5) winter on the balcony, and was struggling at the beginning of the summer, but I think that was because of all the rain we were having.




I put extra drainage holes for him, and it seems like he's doing much better. Right now we're getting a lot of rain, but I will take some pics soon. 


Vernon is right now on the north end of the house (I live in a very urban area), but get's about 5 hours of sun out on the balcony. A bit of morning sun, afternoon sun, and evening sun - broken up between 3 very large oak trees/branches. He seems to like it okay there, but I might consider moving him down to a more sunny location next year (hard to find a more sunny location with 3 huge (90+ year old) oak trees), but we will see. He seems to enjoy the spot where he's at right now. His friend, Fred Ficus, loves it there too. Thumbelina Thyme and Rosamarie Rosemary love it next to Vern too.







There's an interesting site about hydroponic viticulture, and I'm considering doing this next year. http://www.africusrex.com/page4.html


I love the idea, but I don't know how much extra work that would be.


Yes, I got Vernon at walmart. I don't know, however, if the grapes are sold everywhere in the US at wally-world. I would probably even consider going to a ***real*** nursery or do a trade with someone on here for cuttings next year. (NW is a cutting wizzard!) 4 cuttings = 4 bottles of your excellent wine?



Sounds to me like a great trade. 


You do have a beautiful balcony there. Which side of the building is it located on?


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## rgecaprock (Aug 29, 2006)

Martina,


It's on the east side, gets moring and early pm sun and there is also a tree there to filter some. I get a little more sun in the pm as the season is moving closer to fall (whatever that is here



). I could probably cram one more thing on there until my epiphyllums get going. And eventually I hope to have a house!!


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## MedPretzel (Aug 29, 2006)

it should probably work.  



Everything is better than the north side!!!


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## grapeman (Aug 30, 2006)

Here is an update of Vernon's relatives about a month after the lsat picture. I also had a bunch of Catawba grapes escape removal. By the way, that vine is a good 12-18 inches shorter than the others.














Hope Vernon has some grapes for you next year. I'm looking forward to some from mine in a couple years, but may have a few next year.


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## NorthernWinos (Aug 30, 2006)

I see Bambi has walked through there...


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## MedPretzel (Aug 30, 2006)

Well, here he is. 


He really doesn't look that sickly in real life as he does on the picture, but he seems to have improved his looks from this spring. 








And sorry about the messy balcony.


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