Transplanting mature grape vine to pot for years?

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Thrillhouse, Feb 3, 2015.

  1. Thrillhouse

    Thrillhouse Member

    Messages:
    6
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Vancouver
    The home of my grandparents was recently sold. There's a mature concorde grape vine there that's been with the family for at least 50 years and is likely 70-80 years old, being about 4 inches across at the base. We have lots of fond memories with that vine and I'd very much like to take it.

    I have done some research on how to transplant the things and I gather that this is about as ideal a time as possible, so I was planning to head over there sometime this week. I gather it's good to get as much of the root system as possible, to be gentle in the whole process, and to knock back the vine to about 24 inches from the ground.This thread has been helpful in providing details for transplantation.

    Unfortunately, we do not have a home for the grapes, but our apartment has a very sunny patio. We'll likely be in this flat for a number of years and I'd like to keep the vine alive on the patio as long as possible until we someday get a home. I was thinking of getting a giant tub at a hardware store, filling the bottom with rocks, and basically creating a giant pot.

    We'd love the thing to fruit and flourish, but the primary goal is to keep it alive. It's been with the family for so long that a few years of inactivity won't be an issue.

    Any advice is greatly appreciated!
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

    Messages:
    21,250
    Likes Received:
    786
    Location:
    WA USA (Z8)
    Take the specimen bare-rooted, plant in the tub in potting medium - no soil from out of the ground - that goes all the way to the bottom, with no rock layer involved. Expect to be pruning to control size and fertilizing, a support will probably have to be provided also.
     
  3. vitog

    vitog Contributor 10 Years

    Messages:
    1,779
    Likes Received:
    269
    Location:
    Burnaby, Canada
    Take some cuttings and try to get them to root. If this works, you will have a backup in case the transplanted vine dies. It is rather late to be starting cuttings, but grape cuttings root pretty easily and might work out.
     
  4. woodschmoe

    woodschmoe Active Member 10 Years

    Messages:
    708
    Likes Received:
    8
    Location:
    gulf island, bc, canada
    Do both: transplant into the pot as described, and take a bunch of cuttings at the same time from the growth you remove: maximize your chance of success. Though I think that done properly, the transplant will survive: grapes are pretty tough.
     

Share This Page