ARE YOU KILLING YOUR VINE WITH KINDNESS ?

Mature vines require fertiliser in the usual way, but with one exception.

Young vines, up to around two years old, need a normal balanced fertiliser like Grow More or something similar, as this provides enough nitrogen, along with the phosherous and potassium the plant needs to get going, to provide vigorous growth early on in its life.

Beyond this two-year-old stage, then a different amount of nitrogen is required so that the plant will begin to produce the grapes you want.

By providing less nitrogen, the plant will remain healthier, owing to less infestations and insects trying to eat the new growth (there is less produced by the vine), and therefore less colonisation because of the reduced opportunity to set up home.

If you over-feed with the balanced fertiliser, your vine may well develop beautifully above ground for the first four or five years, making you the proud owner of such a vigorous vine producing grapes galore, but below ground can be quite a different matter.

If the root structure is limited owing to the vine putting most of its energy into top growth (above ground), then half way through a growing season, when your vine is most under stress, your vine may well look on the point of collapse, owing to the roots not being developed enough to provide the fruit and leaves, along with any new growth, with all the nutrients they need.

It will look as though you are in the middle of a severe drought, even though you may have watered your vine regularly.

At this point your vine is virtually doomed because of the fertiliser you have been using.

Generally speaking, most garden plants thrive on a balanced fertiliser, but vines are a little different.

There are a few easy ways round this, but the simplest option is to reduce the nitrogen after year two, that way allowing the roots to develop rather than the top of the plant.

Til next time

George