Heirloom variety Christmas Grape produces clusters of 10 to 20 fruits rather than the more familiar elongated trusses. The fruit is abundant, with masses of red, grape-sized gorgeousness, each with a good balance of sweetness and acidity. It has that strong old-fashioned flavour at its best right through the season until the first frosts of autumn. If you have a heated greenhouse or conservatory you could be picking straight from the vine at Christmas itself. For the rest of us, simply enjoying this prolific variety through the summer and autumn will do nicely.
Sow: we start about 6-8 weeks before our last frost is expected, into modules, seed depth 5mm (cover or put on a windowsill). We transplant to pots when large enough to handle and grow on until ready to harden off and plant after frost danger has passed.
Grow: plant in the greenhouse or in a sunny sheltered part of your garden. For the best flavour keep soil evenly damp (try not to over-water or overfeed). Christmas Grape is indeterminate, it will bloom, set new fruit and ripen fruit all at the same time until the first frosts.
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