| This article is for all frustrated folks who have | | | | I discovered it takes as much as five years |
| tried and failed to grow grapes and are looking to | | | | before you can expect to get a full crop some |
| be more successful in growing your own grapes | | | | times longer. Location is another important factor |
| to make your own wine. Growing grapes has | | | | so you will need to do a certain amount of |
| been around for many years and is enjoyed in | | | | research in this area. |
| many countries throughout the world. When you | | | | A common term used in the grape growing |
| think about growing grapes one tends to think | | | | industry for the cultivation of grapes is viticulture |
| you need a massive garden but that is not the | | | | Wine connoisseurs around the world are very |
| case you can grow grapes in pots in quite a small | | | | fond of this term and it has been a popular term |
| area in your garden if you wish. Growing grapes | | | | used from the person who grows grapes in their |
| has been around for many years and is enjoyed | | | | back garden to the professional who makes a |
| in many countries throughout the world. | | | | living at growing grapes and wine. |
| When you think about growing grapes one tends | | | | The agricultural Zone rating is something you need |
| to think you need a massive garden but that is | | | | to know before you select your vines. Most |
| not the case you can grow grapes in pots in quite | | | | regions of land have a zone rating if you can |
| a small area in your garden if you wish. Of course | | | | access this information you will have more |
| if you are fortunate to have a large area then | | | | success in growing your grapes, which leads to |
| that is an advantage in respect of the quantity of | | | | making the best wine. |
| the crop you reap. | | | | Do you like red wine or white wine? Or maybe |
| I recently visited South Africa drove from | | | | both my partner likes red, but for me I like white, |
| Johannesburg right down to Cape Town. If you | | | | the combination of a good quality white wine plus |
| have not made the trip to South Africa then I | | | | good tasty cheddar go together like hand in glove. |
| highly recommend it. Just before I arrived in Cape | | | | So be sure you pick the correct vine varieties for |
| Town I could not resist the opportunity to visit | | | | your taste. |
| many of the famous vineyards. If you visit these | | | | Pruning |
| vineyards you will find them very accommodating | | | | Vines must be pruned several times per year but |
| and you are able to taste the wines before | | | | be careful not to do this before the leaves have |
| purchasing. | | | | begun to grow. The time of the year is very |
| Being a lover of wine myself I was able to take | | | | important try to do your pruning before |
| full advantage of this. Here is the thing you can | | | | December. |
| buy wines in these vineyards that are not for | | | | It is a fact that the quality of the grapes you are |
| export, what really put a smile on my face is the | | | | growing produce the best wines. In order to |
| price you can buy a top quality wine in South | | | | achieve this it is essential to find the best location |
| Africa for less than a pound. This is where my | | | | for your vines, even with the help of modern |
| journey began rather than paying ridiculous prices | | | | technology today to produce the best grapes for |
| for wine as I live in the UK I decided I wanted to | | | | the good quality wines location and careful planning |
| know more about growing grapes and making | | | | is a very important factor, after all you want to |
| wine. | | | | get this right the first time as time is of the |
| What I did not realise just how many of different | | | | essence. Choose a south facing location if possible |
| varieties of grapes there really are, and how | | | | grapes love the sunlight. |
| much is involved in growing grapes. First thing that | | | | |