| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Ninibini |
Posted - Jun 27 2015 : 5:27:32 PM
Hi girls!
I need your help, really, really, really. My mother-in-law's home was purchased by someone who has decided to not only gut the house but tear apart her yard. Her highly coveted grapevines, plum trees, azaleas, and sooo many more fruits and flowers have been completely laid to waste, and now the garden areas where they once flourished are completely overgrown with weeds. My husband and I took a drive over today to see it, and I thought I would cry. It's heartbreaking. The whole house and yard look like a war zone.
For years my husband promised me - and her - that he would get me some cuttings from the vines, but now they were all gone. Then a glimmer of hope! Suddenly I found one very sad looking vine growing its way up a now dead tree. My husband jumped out of the car, went over and tried to pull it up, but the vine pieces just snapped near the bottom. We took them promptly home and found that there is still quite a bit of green in the stem pieces, and there are buds - and tiny branches and leaves! - growing up each piece. The leaves have red spots on them that kind of look like rust. They died on the way home, of course, but I think since there are still buds and green in the stems we've got a chance. What do you think? I'm going to try!
I realize this is hardly their dormant time, but I trimmed them all except for the top few stems of leaves and top two or three buds. I cut off the dead bottom (now thinking that was the wrong move!( and soaked the bottom of the vines for a little bit. Next I rolled them in some rooting hormone and set them in individual bottles of water (soda bottles that had been previously cleaned and filled with water just in case of emergency). Right now they are sitting in our front picture window awaiting a glimmer of hopeful sun. SO...
What did I do wrong? What did I do right? What do I need to do to help salvage whatever I can? How do I feed them? Will I be able to plant them before fall if they root, and, if so, how should I protect them from the harsh winter? Can you recommend a really good book or website? PLEASE HELP ME!!!
Just FYI, these are tart-sweet purple grapes with seeds that four generations of family members have enjoyed fresh off the vine! Nobody knows what kind of grapes they are, but I do remember how good they were. The kids just loved picking them - and the leaves - for Grandma!
Believe me when I tell you, I'm super grateful for every tidbit of wisdom you'd be willing to share!!! I really, really, really, really, REALLY appreciate your help. None of my in-laws claimed any of the healthy vines when they were in tact, but I know how much my mother-in-law treasured them, and how much it would mean to her if I grew them. I would LOVE to make jam and jelly from them at some point, if possible; but even more important, Lebanese stuffed grape leaves are a family tradition. If it's a gathering, it's time for grape leaves!
Please help? Please? Please? Please?
Thank you so much!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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