Prune Grapes Vines This Way & Grow Big Sweet Grapes

Summary

In this video, Jack covers essential grapevine pruning techniques to help you grow larger and sweeter grapes. He emphasizes the importance of timing, with pruning done in winter when vines are dormant. Jack explains two main pruning methods: cane pruning for newly planted vines and spur pruning for established ones. The goal is to focus energy on a few strong canes to ensure the production of bigger and juicier fruit. He also shares tips on selecting the right canes, using proper tools, and managing the vines effectively on a trellis for optimal growth and fruit quality.

Takeaways

• 😀 Prune grapevines during winter (January or February) when they are dormant, ensuring all leaves have fallen off for easier pruning.
• 😀 Clean your pruning shears before use to avoid introducing diseases into the plants.
• 😀 Grapes grow from the buds of the previous year's cane, not from older canes (two years or more).
• 😀 The two main pruning techniques are cane pruning and spur pruning. Cane pruning is used for newly planted vines to establish the main structure, while spur pruning is used for vines that have already established a codon.
• 😀 When pruning, select the strongest and upright canes and remove the rest, as weaker or smaller canes will not produce good grapes.
• 😀 After pruning, tie the selected canes to a wire trellis to train them for future growth and grape production.
• 😀 During spur pruning, leave only two buds per cane to ensure optimal growth and grape production.
• 😀 Grapevines can be managed to grow on different structures like pergolas or trellises, but you should focus on keeping the number of canes manageable to encourage larger, sweeter grapes.
• 😀 If too many canes are allowed to grow, the energy of the plant will be spread thin, resulting in smaller and less sweet grapes.
• 😀 Steel wires and steel T-posts are recommended for trellising grapes, as nylon strings may break under the weight of the fruit.

Q & A

Why is timing important when pruning grapevines?

Timing is crucial because grapevines should be pruned during their dormant period in winter, typically in January or February. This allows for better visibility of the canes and minimizes stress to the plant, ensuring it can produce high-quality grapes.

What are the two main techniques for pruning grapevines?

The two main techniques for pruning grapevines are cane pruning and spur pruning. Cane pruning involves selecting strong canes for the next season, while spur pruning focuses on keeping short sections of canes with two buds each.

What is the difference between the 'cordon' and 'cane' of a grapevine?

The 'cordon' is a horizontal branch that grows parallel to the ground, while a 'cane' is a newer, vertical growth that emerges from the plant. The cane is where new growth, including buds for fruiting, will develop.

How can you differentiate between new and old growth on a grapevine?

New growth is lighter brown in color, while older growth (two or more years old) is darker brown. This helps in selecting which canes to prune for optimal grape production.

What happens if you prune too much or too little of a grapevine?

Pruning too much can result in fewer canes and smaller grapes, while pruning too little can lead to overcrowding, resulting in many smaller grapes with less sweetness due to energy being spread across too many shoots.

Why is it important to use clean pruning shears?

Using clean pruning shears prevents the introduction of disease to your grapevines, which can be spread if the shears have been used on other plants that may carry pathogens.

How should you manage the growth of grapevines to ensure large, sweet fruit?

Focus on pruning and managing the vine to keep it smaller and more controlled. Limit the number of canes to maintain the plant's energy in producing fewer, but larger and sweeter grapes.

What role does the wire system play in grapevine training?

A steel wire system helps to properly train the grapevines by guiding the canes in a specific direction, ensuring the right structure for growth and fruit production.

What is the significance of choosing the strongest canes during pruning?

Selecting the strongest canes ensures the plant has enough energy to produce healthy growth and high-quality fruit. Weaker or thinner canes should be removed as they are less likely to produce good grapes.

Can grapevines be pruned if it's expected to rain shortly after?

It is not recommended to prune grapevines just before heavy rain, as this could introduce moisture-related diseases or cause the cuts to remain too wet, which may lead to rot.