How to Care for Old Grapevines

Spread a 2-inch layer of equal parts aged manure and humus over the surface of the soil around your old grapevines. Top the aged manure and humus with a 2- to 3-inch layer of a natural mulching material, such as pine straw, bark pieces or wood chips.

Use a pair of sharpened and sterilized pruning shears to remove any damaged, diseased or dead wood from your grapevines. Clip dead sections of your grapevines all the way to the ground to encourage the production of healthy new growth. Make clean pruning cuts to make it easier for your old vines to heal from the pruning wounds.

Examine your grapevines to locate the strongest and healthiest cordons. Strong, healthy cordons--the thick horizontal arms that extend from the trunk--will have green vines and leaves. Cut all but several of the healthiest cordons all the way to the ground. Removing weak or unhealthy cordons will allow your grapevines to focus their energy on the remaining healthy ones. Use sharpened and sterilized pruning shears to prevent the spread of plant diseases.

Provide your mature grapevines with supplemental irrigation only when there has been no rainfall for two or more weeks. Water your old grapevines at the base of the plants to reduce the risk of fruit rot that is associated with supplemental overhead irrigation.

Fertilize your old grapevines with a light application of a 10-20-20 fertilizer each year in the early spring. Apply the fertilizer application according to the package directions for best results.