Are your kids' bedrooms lacking the fun factor? Many of us feel like it's impossible to design interesting, unique bedrooms for our kids without spending a fortune, but that's not true. By getting crafty to re-purpose old pieces of furniture, using inexpensive toys as novel decorations, and keeping a lookout for bargains, you can create a room your child will treasure for years to come. I hope this site gives you loads of great ideas for your next bedroom project — whether it's for a bouncing new baby, a boisterous toddler or a teen that's grown out of their current décor.
You don't need a garden the size of Napa Valley to grow your own grapes. In fact, you can grow grapes in containers on a patio, balcony or average sized suburban garden. So whether you dream of bottling your own wine, love making grape jelly or just enjoy snacking on this nutritious fruit, here are a few tips for getting started:
Create Healthy Growing Conditions
When choosing the containers for your grape vines, you need to consider root spread and drainage. Choose containers that are at least 45 cm in diameter to allow for healthy growth, and ensure there are drainage holes in both the base and lower quarter of the containers. Next, fill around a quarter of each container with pea shingle to allow drainage, as grape vines are sensitive to waterlogging, and fill the remainder of the container with a soil-based compost. Grape vines need constant access to water, so soil-based composts are preferable to those that consist of peat or coir, as they retain enough water.
Use The Spur Pruning Method
Grape vines can be pruned using the spur method or cane replacement method. The spur method is easy for beginners and will allow for a healthy crop of fruit each year with little work. You will need to position your containers alongside a pergola, arbour or fence with horizontal wires to provide a framework for the vines to grow along. Allow the vines to grow vertically and tie any side shoots that originate from the main stem to the horizontal wires. Once the leaves have fallen off the vines in the autumn, prune back any shoots growing from the side shoots. Repeat this process each autumn until your supporting framework is sufficiently covered with side shoots, which is really a matter of personal preference, and then prevent further growth by pruning side shoots back to the main stem.
Start With A Hardy Variety
Starting with a hardy variety will increase your chance of success when you're new to growing grapes. The following varieties are ideal for growing in containers:
Growing grapes is pretty simple, and you can start with just a single self-fertile plant if you wish. If you want to grow enough to make your own wine, you'll need around 40 plants to produce a half dozen bottles of wine. Plant wholesalers will often supply to the public, so you may want to ask about buying your grape vines from a wholesaler like Din San Nursery.
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