| This whole article can be summed up in one | | | | have an impact on pruning grapevines. For |
| sentence... Pruning is simply getting the plant or in | | | | example the hybrid variety of grape were |
| this case grape vine growth to encourage more | | | | developed to be hardier in the winter times and |
| growth. | | | | also more resistant to diseases, they produce less |
| Grapes will not appear on your grape vine for at | | | | foliage then traditional grape vines which means |
| least a few years, in the meantime you will need | | | | different pruning techniques. |
| to maintain and care for your vines and this is | | | | Annual pruning will remove the previous years |
| done through careful pruning. How you prune your | | | | spurs or fruiting canes. Fruit is only produced on |
| grape vines will have a massive effect on the | | | | shoots growing from one year old canes so you |
| sort of harvest that you will yield. | | | | need to make sure that healthy new canes are |
| If left to their own devices your grape vines | | | | produced on the grape vine every year. |
| would be all over the place, they need to be | | | | You can influence the level of crop production |
| trained to maintain their plant size, shape and | | | | that your vines will make. You can remove the |
| productivity. This training could take years to do, | | | | fruitful buds during pruning to reduce crop |
| but you will find that it is well worth it. | | | | production or you can remove older shoots |
| Once you have setup the trellis and planted the | | | | making way for more new ones to increase |
| vine, then the grape vine will start to take shape. | | | | crops and foliage. However the more foliage on a |
| The grape vine should grow from one strong | | | | grapevine also means more shade which provides |
| shoot directly from the root, all other shoots | | | | a bad environment for grapes to ripen as they |
| should be clipped back, this will be the start of | | | | need a lot of sunlight. |
| you pruning grape vines. Tie the grape vines main | | | | Pruning grape vines can be done with hand tools |
| shoot vertically to the trellis. The growth will begin, | | | | like loppers, hand pruners and handsaws. You |
| after then next dormant period you will need to | | | | need to try and avoid unnecessary injury to the |
| develop the vines arms. These are the two | | | | plant. For removing the smaller one-year-old |
| shoots on either side of the main shoot and they | | | | shoots, hand pruners should be enough however |
| will need to be tied horizontally to the trellis, these | | | | for larger vines or wood parts a lopper or |
| will be the base for the grapes. | | | | handsaw will be needed. |
| Any other shoots that come through will need to | | | | As you will find out, caring for your grapevines |
| be pruned back stopping them from growing. | | | | means getting down and dirty. Pruning as |
| Once you have your basic shape you will need to | | | | mentioned is an important part and is a simple |
| continue to prune the grape vines in the dormant | | | | concept which with a bit of practice can be |
| periods, this will be done through the life of the | | | | grasped quite quickly. If done well you will find |
| vine and is critical to the healthy production of | | | | that you have a healthy and plentiful crop which |
| your wine grapes. | | | | will eventual lead to great tasting wine. |
| The variety of grape that you are growing will | | | | |