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Post by mnjrutherford on May 30, 2012 11:50:12 GMT -5
You know, I've been thinking about this, the very first grape I REMEMBER eating as a kid was a Thompson seedless. I know for certain there were grapes before, but that was the first where I put the name and the fruit together. Also, when we went to Spain we ate red grapes, but I never knew what kind they were.
Right now we have concords and 3 types of muscadine. The main concord vine died in the fire last February but it left rootings that we are regrowing. They are doing pretty darn well in fact.
Last fall I think it was, I sent some of the Muscadine cuttings to a couple folks here. I know that one person wasn't able to get any of them to survive. I'm not sure about the other person. I THINK, that perhaps the cuttings were taken at the wrong time of year. Perhaps this would be a better time? Does anyone know?
That said, did any of you watch the video that got posted last week about the steel house where the guy had planted grapes against the house for food and shade? I have TOTALLY fallen in LUST with that idea! Mike has told me I'm nuts, but then when I lure him into my insanity he generally struggles for only a little bit before skipping on ahead of me all by himself.
That said, I COULD ring the house with the muscadines, but I would LOVE to have some different varieties.... ::smiles winsomely::
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Post by steev on May 30, 2012 23:27:46 GMT -5
As soon as I started thinking about building a house on the farm, I worked out the arbors for the E, S, and W sides. I still don't know the arrangement of the bath or kitchen, exactly, but there is no question about the arbors. South is to support the solar array and satisfy the county requirement for a covered, 2-car parking structure, and shade. East and West are for grapes to shade in hot weather, but not in cold; for hanging the hammock(s), for fragrance of Concords and fruit to enjoy and to remind one that Life is good. Perhaps my priorities are skewed; I'm not as concerned about bathing, as I am about hammocking and eating. Such a hedonist, though not so social, I suppose.
Jo, remind me, if I space, to send cuttings of whatever grapes I have in January, if you wish.
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Post by 12540dumont on May 31, 2012 0:24:53 GMT -5
Steev, My Flame Tokays did not take this year. Can we give it another go in January? I don't think they liked the sudden heat wave we had in March. Most of my concord cuttings keeled over then too. My regular Flames look good.
4 of my chestnuts from seed look great. The flying gophers (squirrels) got away with a couple of seeds before I screened them. One of my apples from a cutting took, but looks mighty puny. 2 of Joseph's walnuts are flourishing.
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Post by steev on May 31, 2012 2:34:50 GMT -5
In my experience, apples are difficult from cuttings, if not nearly impossible.
You shall have cuttings of Flame Tokay in season.
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Post by mnjrutherford on May 31, 2012 8:00:59 GMT -5
January? Why January? I really need to learn this because I took cuttings for a couple folks last year that failed. I took them in August about a month before harvest. I was guessing that would be a good time for the cuttings. No knowledge behind it, just a wild and hopeful guess. Miserable failure says it was a rotten guess.
ALSO, I have buy in from Mike on the idea of making a grape roofed porch on the east, south, and west sides of the house. Question: Given that the east and west sides are 24' long and the south side is 70' long, how many grapes would you plant on each side?
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Post by steev on May 31, 2012 11:01:27 GMT -5
January is pruning time for me, when vines are dormant, so the plant's reserves are in the wood, which can root without the transpiration burden of much foliage. I put my 8-12" leafless cuttings two-thirds into potting soil, ~2" apart in a 5 gallon pot. I need to pot out last January's into 1 gallon pots to grow on until planting out this Fall.
Don't know how you plan to build your porch, but I make my arbors free-standing; posts bolted to anchors set in concrete piers, 8' to 12' apart, depending on the load they have to support. I figure every post gets a vine going up it.
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Post by steev on Jun 1, 2012 22:55:47 GMT -5
While in the hammock yesterday, NOT goofing off, but studying the arborial ecosystem, the blackdaws that are building a nest at the center and the bluebelly lizards hunting insects (I trained, after all, as a zoologist, so I am obligated to put in some time doing this, even when I could be out in the blazing sun frying my butt off), I saw a doe coming up the road to the arbor/pumphouse to about 30' from me, so I stayed very still, as did she; then I realized she was waiting for the breeze to carry her scent toward me when her still-spotted fawn came out of where it had been hidden, about 10' from me, to suckle before they moved off. You just don't see this sort of thing in the city.
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Post by castanea on Jun 7, 2012 19:54:52 GMT -5
You know, I've been thinking about this, the very first grape I REMEMBER eating as a kid was a Thompson seedless. I know for certain there were grapes before, but that was the first where I put the name and the fruit together. Also, when we went to Spain we ate red grapes, but I never knew what kind they were. Right now we have concords and 3 types of muscadine. The main concord vine died in the fire last February but it left rootings that we are regrowing. They are doing pretty darn well in fact. Last fall I think it was, I sent some of the Muscadine cuttings to a couple folks here. I know that one person wasn't able to get any of them to survive. I'm not sure about the other person. I THINK, that perhaps the cuttings were taken at the wrong time of year. Perhaps this would be a better time? Does anyone know? That said, did any of you watch the video that got posted last week about the steel house where the guy had planted grapes against the house for food and shade? I have TOTALLY fallen in LUST with that idea! Mike has told me I'm nuts, but then when I lure him into my insanity he generally struggles for only a little bit before skipping on ahead of me all by himself. That said, I COULD ring the house with the muscadines, but I would LOVE to have some different varieties.... ::smiles winsomely:: What video? |
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 8, 2012 6:00:34 GMT -5
I can't remember what thread it was in. I'll have to look backwards and see if I can't find it....
FOUND IT! The thread name is "Zero Input House", Dar started the thread and posted the video. There is actually a series of videos. The gentleman producing them talks a little more than I would like, but he does have a lot of great ideas and he's been very dedicated to implementing his notions.
Also, with regard to steel housing, I've been on a mailing list for "Kodiak" homes for a few years. They build steel homes and they are comparable in price to other stick built materials. Actually, I probably should go back and pay that thought a visit to be sure that statement is still true....
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Post by castanea on Jun 8, 2012 8:57:26 GMT -5
I can't remember what thread it was in. I'll have to look backwards and see if I can't find it.... FOUND IT! The thread name is "Zero Input House", Dar started the thread and posted the video. There is actually a series of videos. The gentleman producing them talks a little more than I would like, but he does have a lot of great ideas and he's been very dedicated to implementing his notions. Also, with regard to steel housing, I've been on a mailing list for "Kodiak" homes for a few years. They build steel homes and they are comparable in price to other stick built materials. Actually, I probably should go back and pay that thought a visit to be sure that statement is still true.... Nice! Thanks |
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 8, 2012 11:16:46 GMT -5
Steev, one of my flame tokay's toked today! It's alive! It's alive. I'm singing grape songs to the rest of them....
you know,
"Jeremiah was a bullfrog...."
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Post by becbec31871 on Jun 9, 2012 8:32:40 GMT -5
I would love to get some seed but our grocery stores only do seedless.We have muscadine here.We found them growing last year down a dirt road by our home.My mother was tickled about it.I saved the seed,dried them,then planted this year.I almost thought they were no good because it took so long to come up.I transplanted about 10-15 the other day.I would love to have the grapes for jam or jelly!!
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Post by blueadzuki on Jun 9, 2012 9:10:46 GMT -5
Steev, one of my flame tokay's toked today! It's alive! It's alive. I'm singing grape songs to the rest of them.... you know, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog...." Sounds like me and my grains, whenever they lag I start singing grain songs to them. You know things like "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Barley" "How Rye I am" "High on a Hill was a Load of Oats" etc. |
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Post by mnjrutherford on Jun 9, 2012 13:47:20 GMT -5
Blue! I read your post without looking at who the poster was and SWORE that was written by Steev!!!!
Bec, you will LOVE the jam from the muscadines! I want to try drying mine for raisins and maybe try making leathers?
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Post by 12540dumont on Jun 9, 2012 15:02:22 GMT -5
Blue are you sure that the song is not "High on a hill is a lonely oat herd..."? Cause Leo does a lot of yod el a lay he who when he sings this song.
I can't get him to stop now. We're still laughing.
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