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  • New allotment - what fruit to grow?

    Just recently starting to think about what fruit to grow on my new allotment and wondered if anyone can recommend any fruit/ varieties that make good wine?

    I've put a couple of cider apple trees in which I am going to train and got some cuttings from an elderberry tree to bring on for next year but other than that I don't know what to put in.

    Will grapes work on heavy clay soil in Leeds? I have two vines in pots that I can put in but they are from wilkinsons last year and I don't hold much hope for them...

  • #2
    Vines will work fine, they are quite a robust plant, try to plant in a south facing full sun area.

    Other than that, black currants, redcurrants, strawberry's, raspberry's etc, a well trained blackberry bush can be rewarding, though they easily get out of control.
    Discount Home Brew Supplies
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    • #3
      Buy pukka vines grafted onto rootstock that are disease resistant. 1/2 the price and 1,000,000, times better than most stuff you buy in garden centres.
      Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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      • #4
        I love Damsons, both for colour and flavour - would suggest a couple of trees - I have a couple of "Merryweathers" - Mr Tolkien would be pleased!

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        • #5
          I'd have thought that most of the currants etc, that Karl mentioned would be good, though I'd suggest that any of the more colonising ones like blackberries would be better if you dug a hole and put a large pot in the ground and then filled with earth before planting them to restrict the root's and runners a bit might be worth considering.

          Or you may like to think about what's available here. It's where I got my black raspberries last year...... and digging through the site, they've got some very interesting and unusual stuff.
          Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

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          • #6
            What about those big, non spikey hybrid blackberries. I for one quite fancied these as an improver/booster for grapes.

            Back in a moment when I have goooogled the proper name.
            Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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            • #7
              It seems I can't find it - where they a loganberry cross?

              Anyone remember?
              Gluten free, caffeine free, dairy free, fat free – you gotta love this red wine diet!

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Cellar_Rat View Post
                It seems I can't find it - where they a loganberry cross?

                Anyone remember?
                Possibly somewhere at the link I posted ??? She does keep some of the more weird and wonderful types Brian.
                Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

                Some blog ramblings

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                • #9
                  I dont live too far from you

                  You are welcome to come and take cuttings from my vines, redcurrants, blackcurrants raspberries gooseberries and vines if you wish

                  I would avoid blackberries and raspberries unless you keep on top of them, or like john says have them in a pot, buried, but even then they will throw suckers. the thornless varieties might be ok (easier to handle while pruning/thinning)

                  currants...you just pop the cutting in the ground and off they go.

                  regards
                  bob
                  N.G.W.B.J.
                  Member of 5 Towns Wine and Beer Makers Society (Yorkshire's newest)
                  Wine, mead and beer maker

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                  • #10
                    I have some Blackberrys and Loganberrys - thornless and 'wild' thorny versions - at least with mine, whilst the thornless are easier on the hands to mess with, prune, attach to wires, pick etc, the thorny ones are more flavoursome. Not sure if this is meant to be the case, but I find the Loganberries are largely left alone by birds, generally very resistant to bugs, greenfly, moulds etc, are much easier to pick than blackberries, and a larger fruit. Not made a Loganberry only wine yet (next year I have 3 plants on the go, and will hopefully have enough to try), but hear it is a relatively delicate wine.

                    The darker version of a Loganberry is the Tayberry.

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                    • #11
                      Wow guys lots to go on there thanks for all the replies and info! It looks like I have plentyto think about...

                      Kore wild fruits nursery looks amazing if not a little adventurous at this point for me... Makes me wish I had ten allotments now!

                      Thanks for the offer of cuttings Bob, very kind. I currently have loads of new cuttings which I have sourced from freinds so I suppose I won't know if they have survived this weather until the spring! I may well need to take you up on the offer!

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