The botanical gift that keeps on giving, grape vines provide you with fresh, delicious fruit year after year
The botanical gift that keeps on giving, grape vines provide you with fresh, delicious fruit year after year
the secret to producing the most plentiful harvests: pruning. Skipping out on this step can prevent your vines from getting all the sunlight they need, which inhibits growth. he secret to producing the most plentiful harvests: pruning. Skipping out on this step can prevent your vines from getting all the sunlight they need, which inhibits growth.
the secret to producing the most plentiful harvests: pruning. Skipping out on this step can prevent your vines from getting all the sunlight they need, which inhibits growth. he secret to producing the most plentiful harvests: pruning. Skipping out on this step can prevent your vines from getting all the sunlight they need, which inhibits growth.
Why You Need to Prune Grape Vine
Why You Need to Prune Grape Vine
To put it simply, pruning grape vines allows the plants to get enough sun. If you let your vines grow freely, shoots and clusters will overwhelm the plant and create barriers that block the light.
To put it simply, pruning grape vines allows the plants to get enough sun. If you let your vines grow freely, shoots and clusters will overwhelm the plant and create barriers that block the light.
It's also important to get rid of older, less healthy canes and old wood to promote new growth and avoid diseases.
It's also important to get rid of older, less healthy canes and old wood to promote new growth and avoid diseases.
Pruning should be done each year during the winter or dormant season, depending on where you live (generally between January through March). Fall is too early—even if plants look like they're dormant, they're still producing sugar and nutrients, Vos explains
Pruning should be done each year during the winter or dormant season, depending on where you live (generally between January through March). Fall is too early—even if plants look like they're dormant, they're still producing sugar and nutrients, Vos explains
To prepare for pruning, use the summer season to teach your vines to grow vertically on your training system (a trellis, arbor, or posts).
To prepare for pruning, use the summer season to teach your vines to grow vertically on your training system (a trellis, arbor, or posts).
To cut your canes, invest in a pair of handheld pruners or loppers. Stay away from saws (especially chainsaws).
To cut your canes, invest in a pair of handheld pruners or loppers. Stay away from saws (especially chainsaws).
The buds on a grape vine produce a lot of fruit, but you don't need to keep all of them to have a full crop.
The buds on a grape vine produce a lot of fruit, but you don't need to keep all of them to have a full crop.
Each dormant season when it's time to prune, choose a few of the strongest canes to leave and cut back the rest. "Usually people choose 10 to 12 good canes and shorten them to four or five buds each," Vos explains.
Each dormant season when it's time to prune, choose a few of the strongest canes to leave and cut back the rest. "Usually people choose 10 to 12 good canes and shorten them to four or five buds each," Vos explains.