THE GREENHOUSE VINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 285, 2 December 1933, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE GREENHOUSE VINE.

Amateurs as a rule fight shy of growing grapes, and there is good reason for this when the houses are really small. When the inside space is too cramped it is almost impossible to grow a vine without having the foliage too near the roof. lit such, a position the leaves become scorched and dried to such an extent that they readily become a prey to red spider and thrips, and the resulting grapes, if there are any, are seldom fit to eat. On the other hand, there are structures which might well contain one vine, if no-more. The chief work with these will be to keep the young growths from coming into contact with the roof glass, and to thin the berries in each bunch so that they may eventually swell evenly to a large size. The matter of ventilation is rather a trying one with some small houses, but air may be freely given all day long, while the ventilators should be lightly open at night. In hot weather shading may be resorted to, if there appears to bo any danger of scorching. When vines are not allowed to become too crowded in growth, many plants succeed well beneath them ir; summer, while in winter, the bare rods and spurs of the vine obstruct very little light.