Grape vine .... a loss of time?

[Fidur]

This thing was born in my garden a year ago. I think it's a grape vine (?). I have been training it, but I'm unsure if I'm loosing my time (in a bonsai perspective, not about my personal enjoyment)....

 

[ShadyStump]

I have never tried it myself yet, but I have come across pictures of grape vine as bonsai. Though I don't think I've seen one with proportionally smaller leaves.
If you found it volunteering in your garden, it could be one of many many varieties of wild grape. You may never get good fruit from it if that is the case, but it will be very hardy.

I love the little scene you've created there. From my experience growing big vines, the fruit, like many fruit trees, is only born on the new year's growth. These also back bud very well, so once you get the "trunk" where you want it, you can just prune off the year's growth and start over the next year. The bad side there is that it may build up causing horrible inverse taper quickly. I'm sure there's a way around that, but I've not grown them from a bonsai perspective, so couldn't tell you how.

 

[0soyoung]

I'm guessing that you would get more enjoyment with one that has recently retired from a vineyard.

 

[ShadyStump]

I'm guessing that you would get more enjoyment with one that has recently retired from a vineyard.

Not wrong. It will take a very long time for it to thicken up, but it the good part there is that the bark matures very quickly, so even a thin vine can look rather old.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Grapes can thicken up pretty fast if you allow them to run free. You can cut back to a node and repeat the process next year.
But in a pot, that process is pretty slow and the shoots probably aren't going to exceed a foot in length, whereas in the ground we're talking 3-8 feet.

 

[Fidur]

I agree with all of you.
But I guess I don't really want to thick that trunk in this case more than I want a scaled scenics. Time will give thicker trunk, and meanwhile I'll enjoy it in its scale

 

[Arnold]

In that pot it will take forever to thick up, vines need to get very long branches to built the trunk, if you can put it in the ground for some years would be great

 

[Potawatomi13]

Not wasting time.

 

[LittleDingus]

Not wasting time.

Sure it is! That's why we have hobbies: to "waste time" in ways that make us happy

 

[HorseloverFat]

Vitis can DEFINITELY make "neat" bonsai...

Gotta get that trunk though..

"Training/development" of VINES.., is entirely different..

And the best way to learn this is to "do"

 

[HorseloverFat]

You should...

Rough up or "dirty" that basket a touch.. I like it.. but it heavily, negatively contrasts with the fence-wood, in my opinion.

 

[ShadyStump]

You should...

Rough up or "dirty" that basket a touch.. I like it.. but it heavily, negatively contrasts with the fence-wood, in my opinion.

I think it should. Don't want it blending into the background to much.
I do think the wood fence color tones will change with exposure, too, so any changes should wait.
My two cents.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Good call!

Let nature do it!

 

[AlainK]

I've got a quite big one in my "backgarden jungle". Not sure I can make anything from it...

 

[Arnold]

Yes, the old grapes "Cepas" in spanish can be very cool with deadwood and live lines similar to junipers. Fun fact the Canary islands are free of phyloxera, the insect that obliterated the european vineyards, so we havent losed the very old cultivars and dont have to graft the Grapevines. Look at this cool grape cepa styled by Carthago

 

[HorseloverFat]

Yes, the old grapes "Cepas" in spanish can be very cool with deadwood and live lines similar to junipers. Fun fact the Canary islands are free of phyloxera, the insect that obliterated the european vineyards, so we havent losed the very old cultivars and dont have to graft the Grapevines. Look at this cool grape cepa styled by Carthago

View attachment 422395

Spain has, in my opinion, been pushing the bonsai envelope for quite some time, according to my research. I enjoy remotely viewing the Spanish Tiny Tree exhibitions.

 

[Wulfskaar]

I had some grape stumps that we would cut all the way down every year. In spring/summer, the vines would grow 10-15 feet with many shoots. We would train them over an arched trellis. I think the biggest problem you might have is the vines growing and growing and growing every year. I think you'll need to do LOTS of pruning!

 

[ShadyStump]

I had some grape stumps that we would cut all the way down every year. In spring/summer, the vines would grow 10-15 feet with many shoots. We would train them over an arched trellis. I think the biggest problem you might have is the vines growing and growing and growing every year. I think you'll need to do LOTS of pruning!

With all this pruning, though, come FAST trunk development. Give it a bit of space, and you'll be surprised.

Edit: Also, learn how to make dolmas.

 

[HorseloverFat]

dolmas.

...what did you call me!?



(My "gut instinct" response was, "Dolmas?!... I hardly know 'er!")

 

[AlainK]

"old grapes"

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

The band I preferred when I was in my early-late teens. (I can play it on the guitar, the "$*ù^" way, but when I get high, I... Uh... Must go and spray my shrooms now

(Golden wheat and blue sky, not to forget how peaceful it was...)