My sister recently sent my mother a 10 year old grapevine bonsai from Williams & Sonoma. It came without any instructions for its care. When she contacted the company, the representative had no idea what to tell her. This is a Cabernet Savignon grapevine. My mother is located in Norwood, MA, and has a wonderful green thumb, but she's never dealt with bonsai before. Does anyone know what the proper care is, including pruning? I would greatly appreciate anyone's assistance in this matter..
Explaining bonsai is not something that can really be done is a shorthand form. I can give you some great starting points however. Here and Here After looking at this come back with specific questions. There is LOTS of great info on line, it can just be a little hard to find.
Specifically, with plants that flower and/or fruit. It may be useful finding out the type of growth the flowers and/or fruit will be growing from. Sometimes it is last years growth, sometimes only on new growth. Grapes, I believe, form on new growth. Keep this in mind before pruning your bonsai. With some plants, the first years of bonsai training/pruning often inhibits the plants from forming flowers and/or fruit. With plants that naturally vine, like grapes, wisteria, etc., it is likely you will need to support it for the first few years until the "trunk" is thick enough to create the effect of a tree. A mature grape specimen would make a wonderful bonsai.
Hi, sorry so late. I have one of these at home. Keep it outside, full sun partial shade. Water thoroughly every other day--every day in dead-heat of summer once or twice. Never let the soil dry out. Keep soil moist at all times, never soggy. Grows very fast in spring. Prune back new shoots to prevent them from getting too "leggy" or it will exhaust its resources. Keep foliage under 30 in. tall. Make it a "stand alone tree" so that it won't need a support pole. Prune off any sucker branches or shoots emerging from the base of the trunk, leaving the trunk bare. Keep 3-5 main canes which will support all of its foliage. Prune back to main canes in fall after growing season has stopped (much like roses) Avoid pruning off any young grape bunches in spring and summer. Use liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks during growing season, mix with water in watering can. Don't fertilize in winter, while out of leaf, or while under stress. Cut roots back to 1/3rd every other year, keep in a pot deeper than 3 in. Deciduous: Don't panic! it sheds it's leaves in fall. don't water it as often in winter, once a week is ok. here is mine, planted in lava rock.
I have one of these...actually I just bought it today and am researching on how to care for it. Strangly enough, I bought it from Kroger's grocery store because it was unusual and I have never came across one of these before. Mine has some red on the leaves though. Does this mean those leaves are dying? It came in a copper pot, and I have it sitting in a window outside where it gets early morning full sun and evening partial sun/shade. I live in Tennessee and the winters get very cold. Should it be brought in during the winter to save it from frost? Can it survive indoors? Any information on this plant would be useful or if anyone can direct me to an informative website about this plant. I will try to post a picture later. Thanks Tamara