Hello everyone! I am brand new to the forum although far from new at gardening. I stumbled upon this board accidentally whilst searching for information about moving mature, neglected vines. Lo and behold, this seems to be the place to ask! While I have read several threads here already about moving and maintaining life in mature, neglected vines, I still just have to post my specific situation anyway... even though too, I think I already know the answer(s)... I'd still like to hear it from someone else, more experienced than I. Ok. I am "inheriting" a grape vine, apparently 20+ years old, neglected for the last 6-8 years. (I have not seen this vine yet). The lady who is getting rid of it says it has about 15' of length, on an arbor. Planted by the avid gardeners who first inhabited her house more than 20 years ago, they also planted a small orchard and loads of other edible landscaping which leads me to believe that although neglected, it surely got off to a good start way back when. She is already having a couple of people come and whack off cuttings (my word, not hers) but she is apparently going to let me take what's left, in it's entirety. I am prepared to get as large a rootball as I can manage, and am prepared for a severely and most probably badly cut-up plant which I am sure I can bring back into production for personal enjoyment within a few years. She believes this is a Concord which sounds about right for my area - horribly humid and all. (I'm originally from Seattle and having difficulty adapting to the environment into which *I* have been transplanted). My question / doubt about this is: the probable size of base/rootball needed, time of year and it's likelyhood of survival. She has never seen the base, since it has been so neglected (should I bring the weedwhacker; DR Trimmer???) and hadn't even thought about the how big the base might be. I know that I'll need to prune it even more than the butchers before me will have already done, prep the receiving soil, baby and monitor it all I can until dormancy. I'll certainly also take cuttings in the event the big guy doesn't make it. Any thoughts, suggestions, comments or ideas? I appreciate the help. Elizabeth
Maybe I'm getting lazy in my old age, but try leaving the main plant; just take lots of cuttings. It's a bit late for dormant cuttings, but I'll bet most will take. The time frame for a productive vine is about the same either way, but this way will be a lot less work, plus by giving away the extra plants to friends you will build up a large Karma surplus. I used to reply "go ahead and move it" to this question because it is possible, but it's also a huge lot of work. Ralph
Thank you for the advice, Ralph.. I must be getting old and lazy too, because upon reflection, I am inclined to agree with you. Why should I struggle and nearly kill myself with heat and humidity exhaustion to save the base of the vine? I'm sure she can find someone else by fall (when she originally intended to finish clearing the area in the first place) who'll have the time, energy and the heat tolerance to move the whole thing. While I always want to save good plants whenever possible, I also should save myself lol. I like the idea of the old wood for winter interest, but... I can grow my own...eventually. The thing could be hideous, for all I know, and require way too much extra effort to bring it around. Thank you for the thoughts ... it's pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Elizabeth