How Much to Prune on a Grapevine

About Grapes

• Grapes are both fruitful and ornamental, with large lobed leaves and long hanging clusters of grapes. They can be trained to arbors and as shade-producing shelters for patios and greenhouses. Though not expected to bear for the first three years, they may live 40 years or more and bear up to 20 pounds of fruit on each vine. Planting cultivars adapted to your climate are essential for high growth and flavor of the fruit. Annual pruning is a must for production.

Timing Your Pruning

• Grapes should be pruned during their dormant period, after the leaves have fallen off. The most appropriate time to prune is about a month before the date of the last frost. If growth is removed earlier, an early thaw may force the buds to sprout, making them vulnerable to damage from a late frost. The long canes may sprout at the tips but the buds you want to save will be protected. Many growers also prune the new growth back to 2 or 3 feet in early summer to encourage the energy of the plant to go into fruit production rather than leaves.

Training A Young Grapevine

• Pruning during the first few years is directed primarily at creating the right form for long-term health. There are a variety of systems and shapes, depending on the type of grape and the situation, but the vine will always be pruned back to the desired framework each spring. When the vine is planted, only a few buds are left to sprout. These are then thinned in early summer to the strongest of the new shoots. The next year, one central stalk is preserved and side shoot are cut back to one or two buds. The third year, a central trunk and several side branches are preserved and all other growth removed. Any flowers that appear during these first few years are removed so vegetative growth is encouraged.

Pruning A Bearing Vine

• In the fourth year, and subsequent years, a few canes are chosen as fruiting canes and cut back to 6 to 10 buds, with fewer left on weaker growth. A few other canes are saved as renewal canes and cut back to two or three buds. These will provide new fruiting canes in future years. The long shoots are also cut back in early summer to 2 to 3 feet.