Bit the bullet

[peterCooper]

Living just north of Houston, I am pretty limited to the kind of grapes I can grow. Pierce's disease is endemic here and there are no known regimens for it. There are a couple of resistant varieties, Old Spanish and blanc duBois being two of the better ones.

Yesterday I ordered a couple of three year old vines from Willis Orchards. I am excited. I have the ground prepared as part of my vegetable garden and they'll be ready to plant about as soon as I get them.


I haven't found the blanc DuBois yet, but I'm looking. If anyone knows where., let me know.

Old SpanishEdited by: peterCooper

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

You will enjoy the challenge Peter. For the Blanc duBois, perhaps you can start here http://www.bobwellsnursery.com/vinefruit.html. Make sure your soil is not too wet if you have clay soils. Use lots of amendments or maybe raised beds. Best of luck!

 

[peterCooper]

Thanks Bilbo,

I'll probably order tonight

 

[peterCooper]

wet soil is going to be a problem but I am blessed with pretty good (maybe too good) dark soil. the clay doesn't start until about ten mile out of town.

 

[grapeman]

Good luck with them Peter. I hope you get the vines you want and have fun "playing with them". Be sure to show us some pictures.

 

[BonnieJoy]

Congratulations Peter

Bonnie

 

[Poacher]

Good luck with those. I have never had a green thumb so I will just keep buying my ingredients.

 

[peterCooper]

Finally managed to wrestle the camera off my daughter so I thought I'd send a few pictures everyone's way.

For the first time in a long time I decided (with my youngest who is 14) to do a garden this year. Rather than buy plants, which are expensive, everything we are doing is from seed except for the vines and strawberries I bought.


Here are our seedlings in their first day outside. What we have is a variety of tomatoes, cherry, grape and 'big mammas'

Followed by the jalepeno and eggplant

You've probably guessed that salsa is going to be on the menu. I have enough plants to provide the whole of Texas but

Here are my babies. 26 strawberry plants ready to go in the ground. Better check the weather forecast. Uh Oh! Snow in Huntsville, better leave it a while

 

[peterCooper]

And here are my other babies. Two 3-year old 'Old Spanish' vines or Le Noir. they are Pierce's disease resistant and might just survive in Huntsville.

It took a bit of effort to carve out the garden from the back yard, but with lot's of help from Kate and Tuppence

we managed to get it done.

The results are good so far. Both vines have started up, the strawberries are well bedded in and I even managed to get onion,tomato, pepper, broccoli, cucumber and zucchini in the ground yesterday.

 

[SmokinDawg]

nice garden cant wai to see it all lush and green this summer

 

[grapeman]

You give us northerners hope peter!


Enjoy growing the garden and everything. It is a wonderful way to spend time outside. Plus you get the benefits of getting some nice fresh crops!