Note: Bare-rooted grapevines available for limited season only, until end of March!

Since I started growing grapes as a hobby I have also been propagating vines and raising the plants to sell. I have a small range of vines for sale to Irish gardeners, but at this stage the main one I recommend to people for growing outdoors is Rondo, because it really is capable of putting up with our climate and of providing ripe grapes outdoors, year after year, in this country.  It is a vigourous variety, with dark green leaves, turning shades of red and yellow in the Autumn. The berries are small and sweet. It does have large pips, and although it was bred mainly as a wine grape, it is perfectly delicious to eat, if you dont mind the pips and the small size of the berries.

Rondo is only suitable for fully outdoor growing in certain areas of Ireland, where it ripens generally early October outdoors in the open, and mid September when grown against a sunny wall.  It ripens around July-August when grown in a glasshouse or polytunnel.

A green version of the Rondo vine is a new variety called Solaris. I have not yet much experience of growing it but it is reputed to be as reliable as Rondo.  I am planting both of these varieties in my vineyard for wine production.

Both these varieties are available as strong 3-year-old bare-rooted plants. Both varieties have the advantage that they have been developed by crossing Vitis vinifera with disease-resistant species of vines, meaning that they are far more resistant to the mildews that tend to plague conventional grape varieties.  They are priced at €20 each, and are capable of giving their first fruit the year after they are planted.

Other varieties available: Phoenix, Safira, Schonburger.

We also stock the very useful RHS Handbook on growing grapes in Britain (priced €10). Unfortunately I don't have enough time to answer the many questions I get asked about growing grapes, so this book is my answer to that problem! 

If you wish to come to the Market for a vine, best to contact us by phone in advance to make sure we bring with us what you are interested in.

Apple and Pear trees: For our list of apple and pear trees for sale click here.