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July 24, 2005

Can't Come Soon Enough

Today the household participated in what can only be described as Operation What Are We Going To Do With All These Grapes. There was massive repotting and moving around, and the top of the dryer had to be commandeered for shelf space, as the little buggers have outgrown the window. So far they have failed to fail to thrive.

Once the foundation work is done, we are putting in a greenhouse in the yard, and everybody can move outside. Until then, the laundry room is filled with vines. Also, a few ferns and a brugmansia cutting and some other plant odds and ends. I cannot wait to get this out of the house and into a more suitable locale. I might be dying from exhaustion when the foundation is finally done, but nothing is going to keep me from putting up a greenhouse this fall, short of a court order.

It is interesting to me that the grapes that germinated last have also grown considerably slower than those that germinated first. After a couple of weeks in their own pots, those babies are still weensy, while the first germinators have topped a foot of growth and are sending out side shoots and attacking other grapes. The latest germinators have had trouble casting off the hull of their seeds, and have been struggling for life. Many have just grown up an inch or two and died right off. I guess the late start in life bodes ill for their chances of reaching puberty.

Our plan is to let any grapes that live that long grow to full fruiting size, moved into five-gallon buckets in the yard as necessary. This takes about five years and requires a bit of discipline about removing fruits and pruning. I was hoping that by the time we got that far along, I would have three vines to choose from. I have about twenty good solid growers right now, and ten more weak growers who might catch up. At this rate, in four years I will be trying to pawn off vines on anybody and everybody within driving distance. Look out.

Posted by ayse on 07/24/05 at 9:43 PM