SJChick Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Hi All Our grapes have been a disaster this year. Pic below. They are just ripening now but they are tiny. Just wondered if anyone has any ideas what to do with them so as not to waste them. All we can think of at the moment is juice them but I'm not sure they're that sweet. Also, if anyone has any pruning tips I would be interested to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorax Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Dry them? We have a dehydrator and dry lots of fruit and veg (and herbs). It's a great way of dealing with things like this. Even if they're not overly sweet to begin with, drying them sweetens them and you can add them to breakfast cereals or just munch on them. I've just dehydrated some apples that were just okay, but dried they are crispy and sweet. So much so that I've just eaten most of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Feed them to the chickens! my neighbour has a grapevine that grows over our shared fence. My hens love jumping for the 'overflow' grapes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 We have loads of bunches of tiny grapes too. we have eaten some but they have quite a few seeds which in a large grape is k but in a small one not so good. I think we need pruning tips too. Ours is an outdoor variety that can be eaten or used for wine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 I also have lots of bunches of tiny grapes Probably because I haven't pruned the vine so it hasn't had just a few bunches to grow. Mine haven't even changed colour though. I found a grape vine in the park a few weeks ago and know the grapes on there are ripening so am still hopeful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Hi, In December, when the sap is down, prune your vines really hard! You must never cut the brown woody stems other than between December and February or they will 'bleed' sap and possibly kill the vine however, you can cut back green stems at any time of year. So, in December, cut the vine back til you're left with the main trunk and two or three branches (trained where you want them to grow). Next year, as bunches develop, cut the green stems two joints after the bunch so that all the goodness doesn't pass the grapes and make miles of leaves instead! This is one of those jobs that do again and again because a hard pruned vine puts on masses of really fast growth all summer. Remember not to touch the brown though! Also, for really big grapes, another trick is to thin the bunch. Using scissors snip out a few of the immature grapes to allow the others room to grow. Good luck! Tara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Great tips thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJChick Posted September 20, 2010 Author Share Posted September 20, 2010 I agree, great advice and ideas - thanks very much all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted September 20, 2010 Share Posted September 20, 2010 Thanks very much, Tara.F I'll have to wait till December, my vine is as woody as anything! Chickens are enjoying the dinky grapes though, I found a bunch which had ripened. I tried one myself and they were actually not bad. My red grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon so I thought they would only be suitable for wine making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
