I'm new to gardening as well as to grape vines, so don't shoot me. I just bought a house and it has a porch that is about to fall down with two vines growing on an old half colapsed wooden pergula. I want to knock down the porch and the pergula but I don't want to lose the vines. One of the reasons I fell in love with the house was the beautifull clusters of green grapes growing on the vines the first time I saw the house. I am thinking of building a new pergola next to the porch and kind of just picking the vines up and over onto the new pergola. That would pretty much be bending them over backwards. Can that work or will the vine crack and fall apart as soon as I bend it too far? The vines are about 8-10 inches diameter at the base. I have no idea what kind of vines they are except that green grapes grow on them. Help?
Cut it way back, then train the new growth. Pick the best one(s) next year for your new permanent trunk. see: http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/hort/g06090.htm Ralph
Is it my only option? Is there no way to save the existing vine? Or are vines just not flexible enough to be moved around like that?
I'm sorry, I think I misunderstood your situation. If the vine is 8-10" diameter st the base, then that part will not bend any more than your average building timber however the shoots from that trunk can often be repositioned quite easily. Vigorous pruning is still a good idea, but prune after you reposition. Ralph
