Pruning Grapes

We learned all about grape-pruning today in the Digs Garden, and many many thanks to Colin who is an excellent teacher! After watching the demonstration and listening closely to the wealth of expert knowledge being offered I was even inspired to do further reading on the topic (what a total keener! doh!).

Also I have a very cool grape pruning article from a U.K. gardener, which I'm going to put in our new 'articles about crops' black binder, and now I feel much more confident about the topic than before. Not that I have enough sun to grow grapes. ha ha.

On the web I looked up a few more short, informative sources on grape pruning and offer them below as a follow up to today's demonstration.
Thanks so much Colin! You really know your stuff! Having special gardening topics is vunderbarr!! Thanks everyone who was there today. So fun!

Pruning Grapes
General info for the home grape grower

If you are going to prune a grape vine to maximize edible grape production, you'll actually be "hard pruning" or severely cutting back your grape vines 2-3 times each year.
Pruning your grape vines diverts the plant's energy from the roots and vines to create a smaller number of better tasting grape bunches.
Cut off canes can be saved and rooted in spring with a successful rooting rate of approx. 50%.
Grape pruning should be done in late February or early March but can be done earlier in warm areas like California and the West Coast where winters are temperate.

It's best to prune grapes after the roughest part of winter is over, but before the vine starts to grow for the new season.

New vines will grow from buds on last year's vines. If left unchecked, the vines will become an unruly mess - and can restrict air movement among the vines, which can add to vine mould and fungus problems which are typical especially in coastal B.C.

If you choose not to prune your grapes for fruit, you can instead grow a grape vine that can acts a a visual screen along a fence, or as a shade cover for a too hot window or even a south facing greenhouse that you wish to shade in the summer time. These are both good uses for grape vines on the West Coast, and you may actually taste some delicious grapes if the raccoons don't find your vines too quickly.

Many varieties of wine making grapes provide good eating as well; so grapes are worth trying if you have a sunny spot and supports. Netting can be problematic, so you may wish to plan the trellising you imagine for your grapes with future netting in mind.
When planning to prune your grapes, so be sure to check out articles or books devoted specifically to pruning before diving in. This is an area that is MUCH researched and there are some fairly cool plans and methods that have been carefully worked out by many happy grape growers.



The following are some general grape pruning rules:

You should always trim off lateral shoots (shoots growing out to the side). This type of shoot is not very fruitful and should always be removed, unless you want the vine to grow into a support cane on the trellis.

Prune new shoots back hard the first couple of years to encourage the main vine to grow.

The best buds for fruit production on a cane are the sixth through twelfth buds. Buds after that are not as productive and should be pruned back, unless you need them to provide stabilization on the trellis.

Look for winter damage on your vines. Buds that are brown and brittle have been damaged by the winter weather, and should be pruned off.

Keep your vines pruned to allow maximum airflow and sunlight to reach the vines and fruit.

You will also want to protect your grape plants from pests, such as insects, birds, raccoons, and pathogens like mildew or fungus.

Birds will try to eat the grapes as they ripen. You can protect the fruit by throwing a net over the grape vine, but plan it to avoid the birds getting caught under the net, and being injured.

Growing grapes in a sunny location, with an abundance of air circulation can help cut down on powdery mildew and fungus growth. When checking with your local nursery, ask about grapevine species resistant to powdery mildew and fungus. There are several organic based products on the market today to help control
both insects and fungus.

The above text was adapted and added to from this source on the web. by Jen.


More grape pruning links:

Pruning grapes diagrams



More details on pruning grapes from UK gardeners

Three ways to keep local raccoons out of your corn and grapes

A possible ultra-sonic raccoon repellant

Helpful article with pictures about taking cuttings from grape vines and how to root them.

Simple grape growing:

http://www.jostwine.com/default.asp?mn=1.25.52

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Hardwood Grape cuttings - An Overview
Hardwood grapevine cuttings root quickly, making them an ideal choice for grapevine propagation. Take hardwood cuttings from a healthy, mature grapevine when the plant is dormant. An ideal time to take a cutting is after pruning the vineyard. No more than two cuttings should be taken from a cane, and don't use a cane tip. According to the College of Agriculture, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the New Mexico State University, it's not necessary to treat the cutting with a rooting hormone.

Step 1
Wipe the blades of the gardening shears with rubbing alcohol to sanitize and prevent the spread of plant disease. Do this between each cut.

Step 2
Cut a piece of cane that is five or six buds long. Make a slanting cut at the top of the cutting and a straight cut at the bottom (the end closest to the soil) of the cutting.

Step 3
Wrap the cuttings in moist peat moss and wrap in plastic. Store the package in the refrigerator until spring.

Step 4
Select a sunny location to plant the cuttings, with well-draining soil enriched with compost or well-rotted manure.

Step 5
Soak the cuttings in water for several hours prior to planting.

Step 6
Plant the cuttings, flat side down, leaving 2 to 3 inches of the cutting above the soil line. Space the cuttings 6-inches apart in rows. Space the rows between 2 to 4 feet apart.



Good "How to Grow Grapes" article: