GRAPES.

Grapes are one of the oldest domestic fruits and have been enyoyed world wide for centuries. The old world species known as 'vitis vinifera', comes from europeand is responsible for the enormous range of edible varieties.The species 'vitis labrusca'comes from North America. We enjoy grapes primarily for winemaking, second for drying and third as a table grape. A grapevine is a great plantto have in your garden, it can be trained around a verandah, pergola or patio. It will provide shade in the summer and as it is deciduous, allows winter sun through. You can also grow grapes and support them with a trellis or along wire support on a sunny fence line. Grapes can be grown in the shade or in a hothouse. Pruning is optional, depending on what you want from your vine. If you want a vine to provide shade, then pruning will not be necessary, the canes can be trained to trail wherever you want them to grow. Wine grapes only need a light pruning, whereas table grapes should be pruned back to the crown each year.