Grape vine knowledge required

[jules b]

Can anyone help?

I bought a grape vine 6 months ago and have planted it in compost in a large pot (until I can work out where to plant it permanently). It's leaves are now going yellow, starting at the veins and spreading, then dropping off. This is often a sign of a feed deficiency but I don't want to give it any fertiliser if it is just normal autumnal behaviour. Can anyone give me advice?

Jules.

[steveo]

Mine's going yellow. It's outside in the garden clay and hasn't produced a grape in four years. It is getting bigger though.

I think they don't like clay or compost much. Sand or grit is their thing

[jules b]

Yes, it wasn't a great decision to plant it in compost, especially the very rich stuff that I used, but it was all I had and needed to get it planted before we went away. That's why I'm worried about giving it even more food if it doesn't need it. Thanks for your feedback.

[fl0wer]

They are deciduous, so expect leaf colour change gradually over coming weeks.

Your plant won't like frost around the outside of the pot.

Can I suggest you plant it in the ground soon, choosing a rooting site anywhere (can be a cool shady foot of a wall) you can train the new branches towards southerly sunny light, as soon as it begins to regrow in the spring.

A greenhouse / conservatory can have roots of a vine outside, and the main stem is grown through a hole in its wall to give you trellises of grape-bearing branches inside.

Professional growers attend to their pruning system. Good page here => http://www.cornishgarden.com/grapes.html

The main stem of a vine can last 100 years & more, only the top branches are new each year. They are notorious for being extremely tenuous plants capable of thriving even in thin stony topsoil.