Grow Grapes website discovered

I just came across an interesting site called “Grape Growing System” that I believe you’ll all be interested in. Few weeks ago I have signed up to free materials and because I value them a lot, I decided to share it with you.
If you also want to grow grapes the correct way and would like to sign up for free information, you only need to fill the little form on the right. It is worth it - every incoming e-mail is full of tips and ideas. So if you want successfully grow grapes, this is the site and this is guy.

I will share with you my story. I have tried once to grow grapes and it was truly grand ‘grow grapes flop’. My first grape plants got sick very fast after being planted not in proper place and not taken care of. I searched for help and nobody could give me any sensible advice at that time, they were all mainly advising different strong chemicals for treatment. Sorry! But no. I am organic gardener, so I didn’t want to spray them with pesticides. I looked for much more than information with what to spray them. I believed there are better ways.

If the plant is offered not proper growing conditions, why should I additionally punish myself, my family and all living creatures in my garden with deadly and dangerous chemical? I already felt sorry for the plants. I have planted them in a wrong place, wrong way and my grape plant suffered, but this is not a disaster – it’s only mistake caused by lack of knowledge.

It is exactly the same as with learning how to walk, write, how to drive or anything else – you learn by making mistakes. You learn faster if somebody is helping, right?
I was thinking to look for local grape growing gardener, but that is too much hassle. There is no vineyards in the neighborhood - where to look?

I love grapes as a plant – it is so vital and grows such beautiful fruits - planning to grow them again, because beside fruits I'd like to have a beautiful grape arbor in my garden.

If you subscribe to "Grape Growing System" website that teaches how to grow grapes the correct way, share your opinion with me.

13 Beautiful Examples of Wine Grape Growing

One of the main mistakes in wine grape growing is poor planning of arbor or other support. See this selection of of hand picked marvellous examples of grape arbors and get inspired.
If you plant grapes in the garden today, even your grand grand grand grand grand children can still enjoy it and remember you as the founder of family little vineyard.

The oldest grape with an age of over 400 years is still growing grapes. It is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest vine in the world and symbolises wine culture of Maribor, Štajerska and Slovenia.

Grape arbors are beautiful - they don't have to look sad.

Photo by finalgirl

Photo by ImperfectEscape

Photo by kudzuplanet

Photo by Ardvaark

Photo by Ulfhednarr

Photo by SiobhanKane


Photo by EmpressofDirt

Photo by MissShari

Photo by VanZandt

Photo by Dwinton

Photo by vmabney

Photo by kxande2

Photo by Darin

GBBD, snow and Blog Action Day

Do you also think sometimes, that even if you are 40 or 50 today, there is high possibility of next 40 or 50 years in front of you? If yes, do you also think about how your garden will look like?

I wanted to make just regular GBBD post today, but also I wanted to post today for Blog Action Day which is also happening today. After short thinking, I have decided on Sunday to make today 2 separate posts, but yesterday events changed my mind.

I can sadly report too early arrival of winter – all my blooms in the garden are covered with snow! I don’t remember such early winter in middle Poland. The first snow was usually appearing and leaving fast in second part of November, and real winter arriving in December. But in October?!

Those made me combine both posts together, because we already witness the change and I realized that if I write my Garden Blogger’s Bloom Day post in 50 years, flowers blooming in my garden will be possibly different. And by 2080 I may see some flowers blooming 2 months earlier – this is what say researchers from the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh.

Whatever is causing the climate change, the process seems to speed up. It is happening faster than predicted before. Currently used climate change models predict an average of 5.2 degrees in the earth temperature growth, which is double in comparison with projections made six years ago. Such rise in temperature will affect all plants and animals - scientists say it will desynchronize it.

According to mathematician Robert Clark of Monash University in Australia and geoscientist Roy Thompson of the University of Edinburgh, every 1 degree of change in temperature may speed up the flowering by 11 days.

Whatever is causing the climate change, make sure you get more environmentally friendly. Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world.” What to start with? Aside the changes in your gardening style, you may think on the chemicals you flush down the drain every day in your household - start with reading this awakening article if you would like to know what I mean.

This is mixed post written for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day hosted by Carol at May Dreams Garden and also for Blog Action Day which is both happening today 15th of October.

Source of information: WFS

Tall ornamental grass - Miscanthus sinensis Sirene

Tall ornamental grass in the large garden, may also look beautiful - like this one on the picture. However watch the size. Miscanthus sinensis Sirene grows up to 2 m tall, while Miscanthus giganteus can reach 3 m!

Size – let’s say - is similar, but space planned for the grass is really large. Perennial bed of such size would take 1/8 of my garden. When I look at the number (1/8) it seems feasible, but thinking of my garden, it would look rather odd than harmonious, because style of the garden and architecture of the house should be also matching.

If you know that on the left side, out of the frame, there is an old cathedral (built in 10th century and rebuilt in 12th century) would you also agree, that this grass, in this place doesn't fit – don’t you think?

Check out To Build a Garden for gardening tips and ideas for beginners.

Tall ornamental grass - my mistake.

Miscanthus giganteus - name of mistake.

Firstly - mistake of distracted mind to buy it.

Secondly - mistake to plant it here. Too tall, too much out of context. In the nursery websites they write: good to plant at the pond.
Not in this case.

I admit that Miscanthus giganteus looks pretty in other gardens, especially after about 3 years, when it gets denser, but in this case it’s clear mistake.

Place is completely wrong - it competes with Cornus controversa – the tree growing on the left side. Too tall in comparison with the rest of planting.

I garden, so I make mistakes, right? Mistakes in the garden can be corrected. So I did. I was not able to remove it by myself – the rhizome is hard like stone. I tried, but I gave up. With HIS help we removed ‘giganteus mistakeus’ last autumn, 1 year ago.
You may see on the picture what happened 1 year after operation. Tadadam! Grew back in only 12 months. Doesn’t want to go away.

Do you think I shall treat it as a sign or should I be persistent?