| p>The care and maintenance of your grape | | | | question. You have probably experienced this in |
| vineyard is vital to the long term health of your | | | | other areas of your garden. If you didn't take the |
| vines, and ensures that they will continue to | | | | time to prune your apple tree for example, the |
| produce quality grapes for your winemaking. | | | | following year there were more apples on the |
| Pruning grapes is the process that will ensure the | | | | tree than you could eat but they probably were |
| best quality grapes and subsequently the best | | | | not as sweet or as ripe. If grape vines are left |
| tasting wine possible. | | | | un-pruned they will produce a bumper crop, |
| Pruning is simply the process of removing | | | | however, the quality will significantly suffer. By |
| unwanted parts of the plant to ensure that the | | | | producing so much fruit the vines do not have the |
| goals we established for our vineyard are met. By | | | | energy to bring the grapes to the ripening |
| pruning we can control of the size and form of | | | | stage...lots of grapes of poor quality is the result |
| the vines, control the size and quality of grape | | | | of neglecting vineyard pruning. |
| production, and maintain a balance between | | | | In fact, the purpose of pruning grapes is to |
| vegetation and fruit. | | | | remove as much as 95% o 98% of the previous |
| Only new growth will produce grapes, so it is | | | | year growth. This ensures that the balance of the |
| important that healthy new canes are produced | | | | vineyard is maintained between the correct |
| each year. New growth may be held back if | | | | amount of vegetation and the correct amount of |
| pruning is delayed during the dormant season. You | | | | fruit, and ensures the energy of the plant is |
| want to plan your pruning to ensure that it is | | | | funneled back into producing healthy, quality |
| started early enough so that the entire vineyard | | | | grapes for the following year. |
| is pruned properly and on time. Late pruning may | | | | It should be evident that pruning grapes is vital to |
| cause the occurrence of harmless "bleeding". This | | | | the production of quality grapes. It takes quality |
| modification helps in maintaining the vine's vigor | | | | grapes to make a quality wine, so it goes that |
| and sufficient fruiting wood. Crop production is | | | | pruning directly affects the wine quality we are |
| affected by either deficiency or excess of good | | | | able to produce. This process will ensure the |
| fruiting wood. | | | | health of the vineyard and subsequently the best |
| What would happen if you didn't prune? Good | | | | tasting wine possible. |