How to Plant and Grow a Successful Grape Vine

Doesn’t the thought of relaxing with a bottle of great tasting wine sound luxurious? The thought of sipping on wine that you made yourself sounds even better. Planting and growing a successful grape vine is not as complicated as it might seem, and it is the first step in making this dream a reality.

It is up to you to decide how large you want your vineyard to be. If you are just getting started it is a good idea to plant only a few vines. And by a “few”, I mean ten. It takes about ten vines to make homemade wine since most homemade wines are made in five- gallon batches. You can obtain year old bare-rooted dormant grape vines from a nursery to start off with. Typically, these vines have been grown by the nursery in their fields. The vines are usually sold in early spring which is a good climate for grape vine planting. The early spring rains will benefit your grape vines and give them a chance to settle in before the growing season begins. But until your vines are ready to be planted, keep the vines moist by spraying them with water.

Planting your vines is quite easy and straightforward. You will need to dig a hole large enough to contain the root system. The buds on the vine should not be covered with soil. Gently hold your vine in the hole while you tap the soil down lightly. This allows any remaining air pockets to be removed from the soil. If you leave a slight depression around the base of the vine, it makes it easier to water them. After the vine is well planted in the soil, you do not need to water the dormant vines if the soil is damp.

After your vines begin to show signs of life you will need to make sure that your soil remains moist. Sometimes if you get a few good soaking showers, you may not have to water your vines. But if the rainfall in your area is weak, you will need to add water to your vines. Sandy soils need to be watered more often. Clay-based soils need to be watered less often since clay absorbs and retains water longer. With any kind of soil, proper soil drainage is required. With the proper drainage, you do not need to worry about too much rain soaking your vines.

Another aspect of growing a successful grape vine is ensuring that your vines get the right amount of sunlight and air flow. You should not plant your grape vines near trees or structures that can block sunlight and prevent air circulation. In order for plants to undergo photosynthesis, they need sunlight. Photosynthesis is the process that converts carbon dioxide into sugar. It is the sugar within the grapes that becomes alcohol after fermentation. As a result of poor air circulation and too little sunshine, grapes can suffer from fungus disease problems.

Growing a successful grape vine can be a reality for you. Be prepared to give your vineyard year-round attention. It can take up to three years for a grape vine to produce a crop of grapes but, when you have put the time and effort into your vines, the rewards from your first group of grapes will be that much sweeter.

Guide to Growing Roses

Guide to Growing Roses in Six Easy Steps includes all you need to grow gorgeous, healthy roses your neighbors will envy! 3 bonuses,Gardening Journal. New 75% Commission or $12.75/book & Affiliate tools: http://www.guidetogrowingroses.com/affiliates.php

Check it out!

Grape Growing & Wine Making: A guidebook for beginners

Comprehensive guide to grape growing and wine making for experts and beginners alike. Reveals the secrets to making great wine and the traps to avoid!

Check it out!

Learn How to Grow Grapes - "The Complete Grape Growing System" Review

Learning how to grow grapes the right way can be a very challenging task for those that are looking to grow tons of beautiful fresh grape vines. There are literally thousands of want to be grape growers out their that are simply lost when it comes to growing their own grapes. Many of these struggling growers have been searching for a legit "how to grow grapes" guide, only to find out dated and non effective methods that usually send those who have read them right back to the drawing board still searching for quality information that can teach anyone how to grow grapes even if they have never tried before. This article is a review of a grape growing system that claims to be the best of the best when it comes to teaching how to grow grapes.

First off, let me start by saying that this system was created by author and long time grape grower Danie Wium. Since 2006 Danie has worked with over 11,000 grape growers online teaching them how to grow grapes with much success. After coming to the conclusion that there was not much helpful information out there on how to grow grapes, Danie decided that he would take his 15 years of grape growing experience and create a grape growing system that will guide even the most novice grape grower to easily growing grape vines year after year. The question is, does Danie system live up to the hype?

Let's take a look inside this grape growing system, shall we.

"The Complete Grape Growing System" comes in 2 formats. It comes in a downloadable e-book and an audio mp3 that can be listened to via your computer, CD player or iPod. I like the fact that they made an audio version, because it really makes it convenient for those who are on the run.

The e-book is broken up in to 18 chapters, so instead of going over each chapter individually, I will just give an overall review of the entire system. The system begins by giving a very in-depth look at the history of the grape vine. From there it jumps right into how a grape vine is constructed and then the reproduction and reproduction material of the grape vine. Now from this point on Danie takes you step by step through the process of growing grapes. Everything from preparing your soil before planting and planting your grapes to pruning your grape vine the first year to what grape variety to grow. I enjoyed this system because it was easy to read and very comprehensive. It seemed as though nothing was left out when it came to learning how to grow grapes the right way. In my opinion, "The Complete Grape Growing System" would be a great choice for anyone who is serious about learning how to grow grapes.

Good Luck!

You Can Checkout "The Complete Grape Growing System" By Clicking Here.

Basics of Grapes

As a wine writer, I tend to write a lot about, that's right, wine. From wine tasting to ordering wine in a restaurant, I've covered a plethora of wine related topics: yes, I've seen, and drank, it all. But, it occurred to me the other day that I haven't given the heart of wine, the grape, its day in the sun. Turns out, I feel rather bad about this, especially when I see the solemn look on a grape's face. After all, only writing about wines instead of the very thing that they come from may make a Merlot happy, but it leaves grapes crushed.

So, without further ado, or further Condrieu, this one's for the grapes.

From a scientific standpoint, the grape belongs to the genus Vitis in the Kingdom Plantae. Their division, class, order, and family are Magnoliophyta, Magnoliopsida, Vitales, and Vitaceae, respectively. They are grown on perennial plants (plants that live for more than two years) in clusters anywhere between 6 to a few hundred. Representing all kinds of hues, they can be gold, green, purple, red, brown, peach, white, black, blue, or even pink.

Despite their variety of colors, it is the red grapes that have been given the nod from health enthusiasts. Due to their antioxidants and abundance of nutrients, red grapes have been deemed by many as a "super fruit." This has not only led to more people consuming them, but the title of "super fruit" has also caused the grapes themselves, in a moment of egocentrism, to insist on wearing capes.

White grapes are actually derived from red grapes, thanks to evolution. Through mutations in two genes, anthocyanin - a pigment -is not produced in white grapes. The anthocyanins give red grapes their color, and, more importantly, a good majority of their nutritional value. The white grapes lack of anthocyanins leaves them ultimately white, but metaphorically red with jealously.

As for grapes and their vines, both have innumerable species, far too many to list if I'm hoping my readers stay awake. Some of the most common ones, however, are the Vitis vinifera, Vitis labrusca, Vitis aestivalis and Vitis rotundifolia species.

Though the majority of grapes are used to make wine, they don't stop there. Grapes are also used for raisins, juices, jams, jellies, grape seed oil and, go figure, as simply grapes. Even though they have the word "grape" in their title, grapes have nothing to do with grapefruit and, despite some people's assumptions, Grape Nuts is not a cereal made up of grapes. No, not even boy grapes.

So, there you have it: the basics of grapes; short and sweet, just like them. Hopefully this acknowledgement will keep the grapes happy: make 'em quit whining and go back to wining.

Jennifer Jordan is the senior editor at http://www.savoreachglass.com With a vast knowledge of wine etiquette, she writes articles on everything from how to hold a glass of wine to how to hold your hair back after too many glasses. Ultimately, she writes her articles with the intention that readers will remember wine is fun and each glass of anything fun should always be savored.

How to Prune Your Grape Vine

Pruning grape vines is best managed right from the start. This means doing a little bit of research before you put the vine in the ground to make sure the soil is well prepared, the grape vine is has full sunlight, it has a trellis to grow on, and that the ongoing growth is then managed to produce the best results year after year.

My first thrill with growing a grape vine came when I discovered a self seeded vine in the backyard of a client's garden. The house belonged to an English lady and as her gardener; the garden belonged to us both. It was largely an untamed and somewhat rambling garden free of the contemporary need for gardens to be neatly ordered and manicured.

In the character of the garden there was a rambling grape vine. It was not there when I took over the garden and we did not buy it. Our grape vine invited itself into our garden and we found a place for it to grow.

There is an amazingly abundant and wonderful feeling about finding something of value growing itself from seed in an untamed garden. At some point the emerging leaf shape will reveal a treasure competing among the weeds or it will earmark itself for destruction. You just have to wait patiently for the distinctiveness of the plant to emerge before you can make the salvage or scrap decision

In this case, while the leaves were a giveaway, the origins and type of the grape seed remained a mystery. It could have been a pip cast aside from a delicious grape, dropped by a visiting bird, or simply, an escapee from the compost bin.

Once identified as a grape vine, plant placement became the next problem. Now, I didn't manage my first grape vine very well. It survived a couple of transplants until I finally replanted it against a fence where it grew happily until at least the house was sold. During that time, because the vine was for effect more than produce, I basically just let it run rampant along the fence. It grew quickly and covered what had previously been an eyesore.

Looking back, had I known then what I know now, I could have turned that grape vine into a great producer, enjoyed the fruits and possibly even, learned how to make wine. What are the things I should have known and how would I do it differently? Basically, I would look at four critical elements:

Location.

Grapes are culturally important, especially for their wine, and of commercial interest for their edible fruit, juice, and dried products such as raisins and sultanas. The versatility of the grape has resulted in a diverse range of available plants. Rather than waiting for a self-seeding plant, you could grow your vine from a cutting taken from a known plant, or you could check with your local nursery to find which variety is most suited to your area.

Grape vines prefer full sunlight - this means 6 or more hours per day - and they prefer a fairly protected position. Less than full sun weakens the vine, invites pests and predators and encourages fungal and viral infection; in addition, grape vines can be susceptible to frosts and are drought tender.

Growing Structure.

Vines are a creeper so they send out tendrils that wind themselves around anything convenient. Set and build your trellis so that the vine gets full sunlight. Remember that leaves grow toward the sun and roots grow away from the sun so use the sun to get your vine growing naturally over its trellis. Make the growing structure convenient for the plant, and convenient for managing feeding and pruning the vine to obtain abundant produce, Grape vines are deciduous so make the trellis aesthetically convenient so it complements the garden in both its luscious summer and its dormant and bare winter.

Soil quality.

Grape vines are deep rooters so give your vine a depth of good soil to grow in. They also prefer rich organic and well drained soil so prepare and maintain the soil so that the harvest is plentiful and delicious.

Soil is a living thing and a teaspoon of fertile soil may contain 10 to 12 thousand million micro-organisms all feeding off and contributing to the process. Therefore, even if you start out with great soil, unless you keep the soil alive and organically rich, in a couple of years it will no longer have the organics and nutrients required to support abundant growth.

The organic matter in the soil is divided into two broad types, undecomposed and decomposed. The undecomposed matter made up of roots, leaves, stems and twigs that still retain the structure of the plant. This is visible to the human eye and it keeps the soil open and porous and allows water and air to circulate throughout the soil.

Decomposition often begins with earthworms is carried on by micro organisms and then converted into humus by soil bacteria. The plant depends on nutrients in the humus and these must be both available, and available in a form that can be taken up by the plant. Soluble salt is a form of nutrient that can be taken up through the water drawn up into the plant.

You can manage the soil quality by adding mulch, providing compost and by adding organic fertilisers made from farm manure, seaweed or other organically active ingredients.

Plant Management.

The first task in growing a grape vine is to get it to reach the trellis. After the cutting strikes and sufficient new growth appears, plant the vine into its final location and use a stake to guide the grape vine to its support structure. Once the main stem is attached to the trellis the vine can then be trained as you want.

The desirable fruit buds usually appear on one-year-old wood, while older wood usually results in watershoots that are not immediately useful for fruit. However, cut back to two buds, watershoots may be useful for fruiting in the following year. Vines should be heavily pruned in winter during their dormant season.

Grape vines can be managed to obtain grapes in the second year and the grape clusters can be manipulated for better color, taste and sugar content. Unlike some other fruits, grapes do not ripen after picking so taste the grapes from the vine to judge when they are right for the picking. Once the vine is producing, you can train the vine as you want it to grow. You can optimise your harvest by avoiding the mistakes people commonly make and engaging the tricks that professionals use.

Once established, your grape vine will be around for many, many years. One of our wine producing areas has a vine that is reported to be around 150 years old. The oldest grape vine in the world grows against the side of a house in Maribor, Slovenia. It is believed to be somewhere between 400 and 500 years old, it produces some 30 to 50 kg of grapes a year and provides around 15 bottles of wine. Nobody knows if it was self-seeded.

For more information on building a trellis and growing a stunning grape vine please visit my site

Ronald Doherty is a writer and experienced gardener who enjoys both and is now trying to cultivate a wider audience for his ramblings. If you want to coax best out of your grape vine I strongly recommend you visit the following http://www.squidoo.com/GrowGreatGrapes

Three Stumbling Blocks to Growing Grapes in the Backyard

Are you one of those home gardeners that don't know the three
stumbling blocks to successfully growing grapes in your backyard?
Don't worry, you're not alone.

I have grown grapes successfully under the worst of conditions
since 1975 and I can tell you that most of the problems gardeners
encounter are because they don't understand the nature of the
beast that they are growing. So let's look at the problems that I
see when people, like you, have me come and analyze what problems
they are having growing the backyard grapevine.

The first problem I see is that gardeners want to grow some
grapes but they are unaware of the variety they are growing and
its growth habit. This leads to many problems from the get go.
Each variety has to be treated as an individual. The most common
varieties in local nurseries are either Concord types or the
European vinifera grape. It all depends on whether you live East
or West of the Rockies. In the East, Concord types are common.
In the West, especially along the Pacific Coast, you will find
the vinifera varieties. Each distinct type have differing growth
habits and this influences what you will have to do to maintain
them.

Concord types have a more drooping habit of growth. Vinifera
types are more upward in their growth habit. What does this
mean? It means that each type has to be trained differently
because they grow differently. Because the Concord types droop,
they must be trained high and allowed to droop downward during
the growing season. The vinifera types must be trained low and
allowed to grow upward. This takes advantage of the natural
growth habit and maximizes the sunlight into the leaves to get
the best ripening conditions and yield of grapes.

Each variety varies in how vigorous the growth is. This trait
determines the distance between vines when planted. Low vigor
vines must be planted closer while high vigor vines need more
space. You don't want high vigor vines planted close as they
will run into each other and be hard to maintain over the years.
Conversely, low vigor vines planted farther apart will leave gaps
of space that will never be filled and you will lose yield
because of this.

Gardeners must also be aware of the ripening habits of the
variety. Some varieties ripen early and are grown in areas where
the growing season is short. Others need much more time to
mature. These are late varieties and will need up to 170 days or
more to ripen. Then there are those that are inbetween. You
have to select the varieties that are adapted to your growing
conditions. Your local nurseryman should be able to help you out
there.

One last thing when considering varieties is whether you want to
eat them or make wine. Table grapes are to be eaten and wine
grapes obviously are to make wine from. The two types are
distinct and you can't make wine from most table grapes as they
don't get high enough in sugar content and the acids are too low
to balance the wine. While wine grapes are small berried and
seedy, not suited for eating.

The second big problem I see is that the vines are a tangled
mess. Vines need maximum exposure to the sun to be able to ripen
the grapes. When they are allowed to grow out of control, the
vine leaves begin to shade the vine and this allows for disease
and insects to set in (some varieties will need spraying
throughout the growing season for disease and insect control),
and for less than optimal conditions for ripening the fruit
properly. Vines must be pruned properly each year for maximum
fruitfulness and health.

Pruning means removing 75-90% of the previous year's growth. This
seems drastic but it maintains the health and vigor of the vine.
It also means the maximum production of fruit and the best
ripening conditions. You can't ignore pruning the vine each
spring. It is a must! There are various styles of pruning.
These are dependent on the variety and its growth habit. Some
varieties are pruned long and some require short "spur" pruning.

Long pruned vines are not fruitful in the bottom, (basal buds).
The maximum fruitfulness on these vines comes from the middle
buds on the canes from last year's growth. Varieties that bear
fruit from the bottom, basal buds are spur pruned. Pruning is an
art in itself and comes out of a knowledge of how the vine grows.
But if not done, the vine will be shaded, get diseased, and
overbear, thus weakening the vine. Not pruning will lead to
lowered yields and improper ripening. It can also lead to the
death of the vine over time. This is especially true in areas
with winters. Pruning will instill more winter hardiness because
of healthy growing conditions.

Harvesting too early is the last major problem I see from
backyard gardeners. People seem to think that as soon as the
grapes begin to color that they are ripe. This can be far from
the truth. Coloring, known as verasion, occurs weeks before the
grapes are actually ripe. Grapes need to attain a good sugar
content and acid balance before they can be harvested. Many
people harvest their grapes before they have reached this point
and are disappointed in the taste or the wine made from these
grapes.

Here again, varieties differ in when they are ripe. It is best
to use simple qualitative analysis to determine ripeness. The
easiest way is to purchase a refractometer to determine the sugar
content of the berries. Table grapes can be harvested between 16
and 18% sugar. Wine grapes usually need a sugar content of
around 22-24% sugar or more to be harvested and obtain the right
alcohol content of the wine.

Growing grapes in the backyard or garden can be a rewarding
experience if done correctly. If grown haphazardly, the vines
can become overgrown, tangled messes and never ripen properly.
Often leading to death of the vine or disappointment at least.
You should read as many reference books on the subject as you can
before starting out to plant your backyard vineyard. The more
you know about the grapes you are planting the better.

A good list of reference books on growing grapes can be found at:

[http://www.ristcanyonvineyards.com/books.html]

View the original article here

Grape Pruning Secrets Revealed

Since grape planting is an attributed job; it involves a number of actions to get well-grown and qualitative grapes. Grape pruning has always been regarded as a major aspect of the grape planting course. In simple words, pruning refers to the process of getting rid of unwanted, non-productive plants, or diseased and decayed substances.

A Vital Activity

Grape pruning is a vital activity that must be performed at regular basis. It is an essential part of the process, and helps in the development of healthy grapes. If pruning is not done at the right time, it may lead to the overproduction and low-qualitative fruit. The primary aspect of grape pruning is to prune the grapes at the right time and season. Generally, it is advised to prune during Christmas time each year and prevent the crop from damage. Regular grape pruning helps in keeping the grapes disease free and helps in maintaining the growth and cultivation of the plant. This results in acquiring sugary, luscious, and incredible grape fruit.

Why Prune?

There is no doubt that grape pruning certainly gives a new lease of life to the grape plant. It makes the fruit juicy as well as healthy to eat. Pruning has become a crucial part of grape planting due to its numerous benefits as follows-

Makes the grapes disease free and ensures to get ripen fruit More production of qualitative fruit A short-time process Deliver unexpected healthy grapevines Power to ripen unregulated crops Provides balance to the whole grape planting process

The Training Techniques

Before the grape pruning activity, it is essential to choose among the training techniques available. These include-

The Cordon System- This is usually used for indoor and Pergola grapevines. It comprises of stable upright arms and yearly horizontal cropping shoots. In winter, all the laterals are pruned to two buds, and the head is pruned into the matured wood. Whereas in summer season, the non-fruiting laterals are cut to five leaves. After this, likewise prune fruiting laterals to two leaves. The Guyot System- This method is implemented for commercial grapevines. It consists of yearly changed horizontal arms and upright horizontal cropping shoots. In winters, for grape pruning the middle shoot to three strong buds, pull down the two exterior shoots. In summers, you need to get rid of side shoots by restricted vertical shoots.

Precautions While Pruning

The grape pruning process is a great tool for acquiring healthy fruit. In order to get well-maintained and sweet fruit, it is very important to take into account a number of precautions. These include-

Every year grape owners often use new canes for grapevine. In order to get healthy fruit, it is important to grow grapes on at least a year old cane. To get fruits in large amount, it is advised to carefully select the buds that are to be pruned. Avoid production of foliage after pruning as it leads to reduced sunlight. It is recommended to use handsaws, hand pruners, loppers, etc. for grape pruning.

The pruning process is a slow learning process and requires a great deal of dedication and hard work on the part of the grape pruners.

Chris Bowman is a grape growing expert. For more great tips on grape pruning and wine making visit http://www.overthegrapevine.com.

The Ultimate Guide To Growing Tomatoes

Down to earth secrets on growing natural organic tomatoes.

Check it out!

An Idiots Guide To Wine Tasting

Have you ever seen those stiff upper-lipped types doing a spot of the old wine tasting malarkey? You know the form - sip, swill, spit. Yuck! Well this information has been written to help you understand the form should you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to know what to do. And don't go thinking "I'll never have to do any wine-tasting" because you just don't know that for sure and the last thing you want is to be caught unaware.

So, on with the tasting...

Study The Wine

Pick up your glass as elegantly as possible. There are two ways this can be done.

a) For chilled wines - hold the glass by the stem and don't even touch the bowl.

b) For wine served at room temperature - pick up the glass by the bowl and hold it cupped in your palm, the stem between your middle two fingers.

Now that you have the glass comfortably in your hand, hold it at a slight angle against something white. If your hostess is worth her salt, she'll have covered the table in white linen specifically for this purpose (although it does look nice, too).

Be careful not to tip the glass too far - unless you're willing to replace an expensive linen tablecloth, that is. You may also need to adjust the distance from your eyes that the glass is held at. Most find that holding it at almost arm's length is a good starting point although the very short sighted who are also absent minded enough to have left their eye glasses at home may find themselves having to hold the glass almost in front of their noses.

Once you've found the correct position, study the colour and clarity of the wine. Now you may well believe that wine's either red, pink, or white but I'm afraid, if that's the case, you're very much mistaken. Wines can be green, yellow, gold, pink, purple, or even black. Evidently, the colour of the wine will indicate the type of grape it was made from - like me, you, and Jack on the street are likely to know that!

Clarity indicates age. Young wines are more see through and cloudiness can mean there's something wrong. If that's the case, I'd suggest putting it back on the table and giving your hostess once of those 'down your nose' type looks.

The reason why you're studying the colour and clarity looks has absolutely no bearing on how the wine will taste but a proper connoisseur enjoys the beauty of wine as well as its taste and ...

The Bouquet

No, we're not talking about the bunch of flowers a bride carries with her down the aisle, we're talking the smell of wine. Sometimes, if the people at the wine tasting are really posh, they might call it 'The Nose'.

Still holding your glass in the correct manner, lower your hand somewhat whilst bring your glass to a level position and rotate your wrist so that the wine swirls gently within the bowl. You might want to leave these instructions at this point to go to the kitchen and practise this step with a wineglass half filled with water. After all, it's just as well to know for sure that you aren't going to spill expensive red wine over your hostess's spanking new Axminster.

To swill wine properly, very little wrist movement is actually needed. Just very slight circular movements combined with a right-left movement should do the trick.

The idea behind all this swilling is to bring the wine's aroma out of the wine itself and into the empty part of the bowl thus allowing it to be smelled and savoured. This is why wine glasses are bulbous. The wide bowl has ample room for swilling while the narrow edge 'captures' the bouquet. Clever, eh?

Move your glass to your nose as elegantly as you're able and bring it in slightly beneath the tip. Inhale deeply. Savour for a few moments and then inhale again. It's a good idea to exhale between those two inhalations or you might find yourself going dizzy. Do it too often and you'll faint.

You may now move your glass away from your nose.

At this point, it's appropriate to make some kind of comment. Don't imagine you'll fool anybody into believing you're an expert but at least you can make it sound as if you've actually drunk a glass of decent wine before. Why should the other guests need to know that most of your wine costs £3.99 at the Co-Op?

Something like "mmmm, rich and fruity" or "oooh, lovely and light" will probably do the trick. When talking about red wine, 'rich' is usually a good word to use - if the wine's white, go for 'light'.

The Actual Tasting

You've probably been looking forward to this bit but whatever you do, remember that wine tasting is about taking small sips and not guzzle it down like there's no tomorrow.

This bit's actually trickier than you'd expect so you might want to do some more practising.

Bring your glass to your lips, open them slightly and take a small sip. Now close you mouth and roll the wine around on your tongue for a few seconds before allowing it to slide slowly down your throat AND AT THE SAME TIME EXHALE!

The trouble with exhaling whilst swallowing is that some of the liquid might come shooting through your nostrils. Not a pretty sight and, again, think of the Axminster!

If you fancy, you can always take a second sip at this point but never a third. No matter how good that one particular wine is, it's time to move on to the next.

Other Stuff Worth Knowing

Apart from bottles and glasses, the table will probably hold plates of cheese or, occasionally, sherbet. They're not there to snack on; they're used between wines to clean out the taste of the last wine you tasted. Just a little at a time is all that's needed. Do like a mouse and nibble!

Wear something comfortable and preferably something that doesn't carry a designer label. After all, if you spill red wine down the front of your best frock, you're not going to be happy, are you?

That's it. You're now clued up enough to pop along to your very first wine tasting party without making a complete idiot of yourself.

Enjoy!

~~+~~+~~

View the original article here