Boston Flora

Tag: grapes

  • Saturday, November 11, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm – Establishing a Vineyard in Your Backyard

    This Berkshire Botanical Garden class with author J. Stephen Casscles on November 11 from 10 – 12 will cover how to establish and maintain a backyard vineyard. Topics covered include: identifying suitable fruit growing land or modifying your current backyard to grow grapes; how to layout and plant a home vineyard; selecting suitable grape varieties, including heritage grape varieties; trellising and training options; how to prune vines; and how to annually maintain a vineyard to produce bountiful amounts of grapes for wine, juice, or fresh consumption. Visit https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/establish-vineyard-your-backyard where you can also register. $25 for BBG members, $40 for nonmembers. At the end of our class, copies of his book Grapes of the Hudson Valley and Other Cool Climate Regions of the US and Canada, will be available for sale with the author’s signature.

  • Saturday, January 18, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Heirloom Grape Varieties for the Home Garden

    This Berkshire Botanical Garden class on January 18 from 1 – 3 will cover how to grow locally developed heirloom grapes (1840-1890) in your own backyard to produce eating grapes, juices, jellies, and wines. Such vines can also be used for landscaping purposes to create arbors, establish fence lines, and attract wildlife. The class will be held at the garden at 5 West Stockbridge Road in Stockbridge, and is $30 for BBG members, $40 for nonmembers. Register at http://berkshirebotanical.org/ or call 413-298-3926.

    Image of Cannon Hall heirloom grape from www.thegoodheartedwoman.com

  • Saturday, April 5, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Growing & Pruning Grapes

    The University of Massachusetts Extension will sponsor a class on Growing & Pruning Grapes on Saturday, April 5, from 10 – 1, led by Sonia Schloemann at Wards Berry Farm, 614 S. Main Street in Sharon. Grapes are one of the most universally enjoyed fruits available. Many of the new varieties have excellent taste, are winter hardy, and can make excellent wine. Grapes are fun to grow but present some challenges. Sonia Schloemann will help participants through the basics and give them the tools to overcome some of the challenges. Specific topics will include selecting varieties, planting, fertilizing, controlling pests, pruning, and vine training. Participants will have the opportunity to conduct actual pruning and gain both experience and confidence in pruning and training grapes in order to produce a bountiful crop.  $50 fee.  To register, visit https://classic.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1460640.

    http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/images/g06085.jpg