Hi Graham and welcome to GoY. Your vine needs to be planted in the soil as it will grow a long tap root to reach down to the water table. Vines need lean and mean growing conditions so no dumping a barrow load of much on the top of it. It is easy to train the vine into the greenhouse just remember to keep it well pruned every year and only prune in mid winter, around the New Year when the sap is right down in the vine so it does not bleed.

I have had the same grape vine in my greenhouse for 6 years. Some say plant the vine outside the greenhouse and lead the vine into it. Mine is just growing in the soil inside the greenhouse. I've trained two branches along the inside of the roof and I get up to 60 lbs of grapes each year.

It took me a while to get my head around pruning the vine in winter as it seemed so complicated... Rods, spurs, shoots, where to cut, etc. But it finally fell into place when I read somewhere that grapes are only produced on new growth that comes off the previouse years growth... SIMPLES.

As Moon Grower said, "Keep them lean and mean". I rarely feed the vine, just a little little growmore once a year, I never water it as I think that it takes enough moisture from the surroundung soil, and I wouldn't recommend that you plant them in pots as their roots will want to drive down into the soil to establish a good root system and find moisture.

Agreed..Mine is in a pot and it is pathetic, they are not suited to it at all. I eat more leaves than grapes!

If you can plant the vine in the soil inside your greenhouse it will be fine, many greenhouses seem to be on concrete bases - though neither of ours are.

Thank you. You've saved me making a long term mistake. The greenhouse has a concrete base so I'll be planting it outside and train it inside. I also have a better understanding of pruning. I anticipate it'll be a better year as a result.- Graham

Good luck Graham I'm sure you will have success with the vine.

I'de like to add that you must prune it correctly from the start. The first years pruning is the most important as it will determine how your vine grows and produces grapes for the many years that they grow. A 2nd and then 3rd years pruning will prepare your vine for the grapes wich should come in the 3rd year. Your young vine will need to be done soon while it's only a few feet tall ready for the 2nd years pruning.

You also need to decide which pruning system you are going to use... The Guyot system or the rod and spur system, also known as the cordon system. The cordon system is the one mostly used for grape vines grown in greenhouses, and it's the one I use.

There are many web sites that tell you how to do this, just find one that explains it in simple terms, as I said, it took me a while to understand it.

Good luck :o)

Having watched and been taught how to prune the vines in France I know how to but describe to someone else... beyond me!