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Vitis vinifera | Grape Vines

Vitis vinifera | Grape Vines

Vitaceae (Grape Family) Pronounced Vi-tay-cee-eye

Pronounced VEE-tiss   Vih-NIFF-er-ah

The name "Vitis" is Latin meaning "old world vineyard grape."

The name "vinifera" is Latin for "wine-bearing."

Grape vines love full sun.

I almost did not get to taste my grapes in all the years that I had it because I would see the grapes hanging, but the moment they were ripe enough, the birds ate them! I think I caught a few small bites, but the birds are checking every day and always beat me to it! How do the grape growers for wine-making keep their grapes from being eaten, I wondered!

We had the grape vines for the "vines" that covered the pergola. I liked them. I got the idea because I had seen grape vines at wineries and I liked them. However, we had to choose between our Wisteria and our grape vine when they began competing with each other and the grape vine was removed. Then in 2024 the Wisteria died and we had to use sun shades and I wished we had the grape vine back. I think we will be trying a new type of plant next, such as maybe a climbing rose.

I do not know what type of grape vine we had but I remember it was inexpensive at the farm store. The "vinifera" is the European variety which is common, but there are also American varieties.

The leaves are deciduous, so in the Winter months the vines were bare and the leaves came out again in the Spring.

Pruning is not required, but pruning does help keep it under control. Pruning is best done during the dormant stage in the Winter months, such as January or February.

2020

2018