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You can cultivate a grapevine (lat. vitis vinifera) not only in the garden, but also in a bucket on the balcony or terrace. In order for this to succeed, you will receive 10 care instructions here.

In a nutshell

  • A grapevine can also be kept relatively easily in a bucket, barrel or pot
  • The vine needs a large planter, lots of sun, sufficient nutrients in the soil and moist soil
  • Drainage in the pot and a climbing aid are absolutely necessary
  • A pruning is just as important in the tub as in the free range
  • For hibernation, the vine must be adequately protected from cold and frost

The right pot

Cultivation begins with choosing the right planter. Wine is a deep rooter and likes to have a lot of space. The pot should therefore be as large and deep as possible. To ensure excess water drains off, the vessel should have holes in the bottom.

Idea: Use an old wine barrel as a bucket. It's big enough and decorative.

the drainage

So that the vine does not suffer from waterlogging, drainage is absolutely necessary inside the bucket. You can create these with drainage gravel, potsherds, grit or expanded clay. Separated from the substrate with a fleece, reliable water drainage is created.

The ideal substrate

The vine likes a slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5. Of course, like all crops, she also likes it rich in nutrients. You can use potting soil and mix it with a sandy-gravel topsoil. To make the soil sufficiently acidic, you can add a handful of peat or leaf compost.

The right location

Vines like it warm and sunny. You should therefore provide your plant with an appropriate location. It is also important that the plant is sheltered from the wind. It is therefore in good hands on a house wall or wall. Because of its climbing properties, it is particularly valued for greening this wind or privacy screen.

A climbing aid

If the vine is to grow upwards, it also needs a climbing aid in the bucket. It doesn't matter whether it's made of wood, metal or a zigzag string. The grapevine wants to go high and needs the right jump-start to do so. A trellis can also be used as a climbing aid.

Idea: An old wooden ladder as a climbing aid goes wonderfully with a grapevine that is planted in the old wine barrel.

The right amount of water

Although grapevine plants need sufficient moisture, they also do not like waterlogging. The vine should therefore be watered regularly but not too much. Plants in tubs usually need more water than in the open air because there is less soil available for the roots.

Notice: The plant loves nutrient-rich water. You are therefore welcome to use rain or pond water for watering.

nutrients and fertilizers

In order for the vine to grow beautifully and vigorously, it always needs sufficient nutrients. You should therefore fertilize the soil of the plant regularly. From March to September, the vine should be fertilized with organic liquid fertilizer every 14 days. So that there is no competition for nutrients, the weeds should be removed from the pot regularly.

Underplanting possible

You are welcome to plant the vine under. This looks visually appealing and is sure not to disturb your vine. Wine goes particularly well with:

  • thyme
  • rosemary
  • lavender
  • cranesbill

Tip: Lavender not only looks good and smells good. It also keeps the unwelcome aphids away from the wine.

support and cut

Pruning is very important when keeping grapevines in buckets. They thus promote growth and crop yield and can influence the growth form of the vine. At the same time, you protect the crop from fungal diseases. Therefore, carry out a pruning between March and April. The green cuttings then take place in the summer month of June. A vining plant can grow up to eight meters high if left unchecked and uncut. When cutting, you should consider the following things:

  • the main pruning takes place in March or April
  • cut off the fruit wood as close to the old wood as possible
  • only about two centimeters should remain behind the last bud
  • use sharp and clean tool to cut
  • always cut at an angle to prevent blood from dripping onto the buds
  • summer pruning in June is optional
  • it mainly serves the optics and reduces a bushy growth

Notice: A radical rejuvenation cut is also necessary every five to ten years so that the yield does not fail.

The hibernation

The vine plant can of course be overwintered. Under ideal conditions, it can even live up to a hundred years. When planting in pots, however, much more care is required to get the vine safely through the winter. In order for wintering to be successful, you should:

  • wrap the pot with winter protection fleece or bubble wrap
  • If possible, place the pot on a styrofoam or wooden board
  • cover a still young plant with winter protection fleece
  • cover the surface of the earth with brushwood, leaves or fir green
  • push the planter as close as possible to the house wall
  • on frost-free days pour the wine a little

If the bucket can be transported, you can also let the wine overwinter in an unheated conservatory or a bright attic.

Notice: In this case, only bring the wine outside again when there is no longer any danger of frost. The fresh buds freeze very quickly.

frequently asked Questions

Which varieties are particularly suitable for the pot?

There are many different types of wine on the market. Basically, you should choose a variety that is as robust as possible when making your selection, as vines are very susceptible to diseases. Varieties that are not too vigorous are also suitable for planting in pots. For example, the Regent variety.

Do I need to transplant the vine?

You don't have to transplant your vine. Since the plants are deep-rooted, they do not tolerate transplanting very well. If you still want to try it, you should do so in January or February when the sap is dormant and make a pruning at the same time. When moving to a larger pot, there is less risk that the plant will not survive repotting than when moving outdoors.

How warm can the winter quarters be?

If you don't want your vine to overwinter outdoors, but in the conservatory, attic or cellar, the temperature should never exceed 12 degrees Celsius. At higher temperatures, there is a risk of premature budding and thus the plant will die. The winter quarters must therefore not be heated and should be constantly aired.

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Garden plants