| 1. Be sure that you are pruning enough: | | | | generally the first wire of your trellis system |
| If you are struggling to produce more grape | | | | nearest the ground as they grow upwardly. |
| clusters then you maybe pruning your grape vines | | | | Generally you have 3 catch wires located above |
| incorrectly. Most new grape growers fail because | | | | the fruiting wire that are used to train shoots |
| they do not prune enough. Pruning is extremely | | | | upwardly as they continue to grow. This gives the |
| important. Pruning and training will help develop a | | | | vines more sunlight and air exposure. |
| vine structure that will aid the utilization of sunlight | | | | 4. Begin with one year old nursery stock: |
| and help adapt to the characteristics of a | | | | Never buy two year old stock from the nursery. |
| particular grape variety. | | | | Always stick with one year old bare rooted stock. |
| Even more, pruning and training are performed in | | | | Two year old stock is usually a sign of weakness |
| order to optimize the production potential of the | | | | where the first growing year is kept over until |
| grape vine. Your objective is to maintain a balance | | | | later the following year once they reach a |
| between vegetative growth and fruiting. Many | | | | reasonable size. Nurseries trim their vines before |
| grape growers find pruning and training grape | | | | shipping them. However, you may consider |
| vines the most gratifying of all vineyard task. You | | | | trimming roots to an even length around 8". This |
| become closer with your vines individually. As with | | | | will allow your root system to be more uniform |
| anything, the more involved you get with your | | | | within the planting hole. |
| grape vines the more successful you will be. | | | | 5. Know how vigorous your soil conditions and |
| 2. Give first year grape vines a chance to develop | | | | your particular grape vine variety are: |
| strong root systems: | | | | The fertility of your soil will determine how much |
| Do not prune the vine during the first year of | | | | pruning you will need to accomplish during each |
| growth. Allow the vine to sprawl out as much as | | | | dormant year. You want to maintain balance |
| possible. The excess leaves and stems will allow | | | | between your root's capacity with your vine's |
| the root system to become strong during the | | | | shoot capacity. More sap flows up through the |
| vines immature stage. No need to worry about | | | | trunk into the growing shoots when the roots are |
| winter, Mother Nature takes care of the grape | | | | well established and your soil contains high-vigor |
| vines naturally as the vines go dormant and loose | | | | nutrients. This growth can be aided with plenty of |
| all their leaves. | | | | water and proper drainage. |
| Understand that depending on soil fertility and | | | | Conversely, if you have low-vigor soil and too little |
| grape vine variety that the growth cycle to | | | | water the root system becomes weak causing |
| harvest can vary substantially. In low-vigor soil | | | | your shoot growth to become weak, thus |
| conditions the final mature stage may take | | | | producing less grape clusters at harvest. You |
| several additional years while high-vigor soil | | | | should aim to maintain a balance. |
| produces larger grape vines that may produce | | | | If your vine's growth is weak during the previous |
| grape clusters in their second or third year. | | | | season with vine thickness less than the diameter |
| 3. Use A Good Positioning or Training System: | | | | of a standard #2 pencil and the shoot length is |
| If you have ever seen grape vines growing wild | | | | less than 2 feet, then you have allowed too many |
| the first thing you may have noticed is that they | | | | shoots to grow. Leave less buds and shoots for |
| can grow and be trained to run almost on | | | | next season's growth to maintain balance. If vine |
| anything. Fences, trees, walls, you name it. | | | | growth is significant with canes more than 6 feet |
| Obviously you do not have much control over | | | | in length and diameters more then 5/8 of an inch |
| consistent growth in some of these | | | | with excessive lateral growth, then you should |
| circumstances. | | | | allow more buds and shoots to grow in order to |
| VPS is the easiest and most common system | | | | maintain the vines balance. |
| used worldwide for training grape vines. VPS | | | | Your dedication to proper grape vine pruning and |
| stands for Vertical Positioning System. With a | | | | vine maintenance is key to growing yourself a |
| VPS, canes are tied to the fruiting wire which is | | | | bountiful harvest of high quality grape clusters. |