How to Prune Grape Vines
Growing grapes to make wine has been around for a long time both as a hobby and a big business. And even though it is very fun and rewarding, there is some work and dedication involved in maintaining grape vines. Learning how to prune the grape vines is not hard, but very important. And like most plants grapes will need weeding, pest control, and pruning in order to insure the best harvest.It can be three years before your first harvest and you must still prune and care for the vines in the pre-grape producing stages of growth. In basic terms pruning the vines encourages more growth.
It takes years of training to maintain the grape vive size, shape and productivity. As soon as you have the trellis erected and have planted the grape vines, you are ready to start training. You will allow the vines to grow from one shoot directly from the roots. Any other shoots that start to sprout should be clipped off. The main shoot will be tied to the trellis vertically. After the first dormant period you will need to start the arms of the grape vine. Two shots should be tied to the trellis horizontally tha will serve as the support for the grapes. Again trim all other shoots off. Even after the desired shape is acheived, still continue to prune the vine, even during the dormant stages. It is critical to continue pruning throughout the life of the vine.
Grapevine pruning is based on the type of grapes that it will produce. The hybrid varieties are hardier during the winter months and are more resistant to diseases. They will typically ahve less foliage than the traditional type of grapevines. The previous years fruiting canes or spurs will be removed during the pruning process.The shoots from one year canes are the only ones to produce grapes and therefore the vine must produce healthy canes each year.
The fruitful buds removed during pruning can reduce the crop production. The crop level is influenced by the amount of pruning. If the vine is pruned too much, it will cause more shoots to grow and the vine will produce more grapes and leaves. If the vine has too many leaves it will create shade which makes it harder for the grapes to ripen.
To prune grape vines hand tools are normally used. They would include loppers, hand pruners and handsaws. You should be very careful when pruning to avoid injury to the vines. One year old shoots should be able to be removed with hand pruners. Larger wood will need to be trimmed with the loppers or handsaw.
Learning how to prune grape vines is not hard but very important if you want to get the most from your vineyard. The quality of the harvest will depend upon the fruits of your labor and your dedication
